RIDGEFIELD — Busy weekday mornings make it a challenge for families to find time for a healthy breakfast. However, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more students are starting their day with a nutritious breakfast in their school cafeterias.
To encourage more families to take advantage of the healthy choices available with school breakfast, Ridgefield schools will celebrate National School Breakfast Week during March 6-9.
The National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) campaign theme, “School Breakfast Challenge,” reminds the entire school community that a school breakfast provides a healthy, energizing start to the day for students. Students will be encouraged to “Take the Challenge” from March 6-9. Elementary school students can earn stickers, bracelets and other prizes.
“A healthy breakfast at the start of the day is one way to ensure students are getting the best education they can,” said Connie Vowels, the district’s director of Food Services. “National School Breakfast Week helps us educate parents and students about all the healthy and appealing choices we offer.”
The district serves more than 300 breakfast meals daily through the federally funded School Breakfast Program. School nutrition professionals in Ridgefield prepare breakfasts and lunches every day that meet federal nutrition standards — limiting fat, calories and sodium — and encourage students to choose from the nutritious fruits, vegetables and whole grains offered with school meals.
The district’s breakfast menu choices include pancakes, French toast sticks, cinnamon rolls and cheese melt sandwiches.
National School Breakfast Week was launched in 1989 to raise awareness of the availability of the School Breakfast Program to all children and to promote the connections between eating a good breakfast with academic achievement and a healthy lifestyle.
The “Take the School Breakfast Challenge” is made possible by the nonprofit School Nutrition Association, Kellogg’s and Potatoes USA. Parents and students can follow the fun on Facebook.com/TrayTalk.
For more information about schools meals, visit www.schoolnutrition.org/SchoolMeals .
