Free breakfast and the fight against stigma
Programs that offer breakfast only to those who qualify can unintentionally create stigma. Universal free breakfast removes that barrier. Research from the University of Washington’s Health Services Population Center found that universal meal programs improved student health outcomes and increased participation among low-income families.
When everyone eats together, no one feels singled out. A New Zealand study showed that universal breakfast improved attendance and classroom behavior, particularly in early grades.
Providing breakfast for all is not charity; it is a strategy.
If you could redesign your institution’s breakfast model, would you choose universal access?
References
UW Health Services Population Center (2024). Universal Free School Meals: A key ingredient in improving childhood health outcomes.
https://hspop.uw.edu/universal-free-school-meals-improve-health-outcomes/Outcomes.
Gontijo de Castro T, Gerritsen S, Santos LP, Marchioni DML, Morton SMB, Wall C. Child feeding indexes measuring adherence to New Zealand nutrition guidelines: Development and assessment. Matern Child Nutr. 2022 Oct;18(4):e13402. doi: 10.1111/mcn.13402. Epub 2022 Jul 19. PMID: 35851558; PMCID: PMC9480915.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9480915/
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