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<p class="pb-6"><strong>Spanish</strong></p>
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<p class="pb-6"><strong>Haitian Creole</strong></p>
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What Is the School Breakfast Program?
A nutritious breakfast is the best way to start a day of learning. The School Breakfast Program is a federally funded program that helps participating schools provide breakfast to all students.
Students, parents and teachers enjoy the many benefits of the School Breakfast Program. Read more about the Benefits of school Breakfast.
To learn more about the program and additional requirements and expectations, see Laws, Regulations and State Rules.
How Does It Work?
The federal government provides monetary assistance to states to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the School Breakfast Program at the federal level. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services administers the School Breakfast Program at the state level, and local school food authorities operate the program in schools.
In Florida, each district school board must operate the School Breakfast Program in all elementary schools. School breakfast programs must be operated at no cost to the students in schools where 80% or more of the students enrolled are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
School Breakfast Changes
The School Breakfast Program follows nutrition standards aligned with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and updated through recent USDA regulations. These standards ensure meals provide appropriate calories, prioritize whole grains and fruits, and continue efforts to reduce sodium.
The USDA's Final Rule, effective July 1, 2024, introduces several updates to the School Breakfast Program to enhance flexibility and alignment with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). These changes ensure balanced nutrition by continuing efforts, while focusing on reducing added sugars.
Key updates for breakfast:
- Vegetable substitutions for fruits
- Schools may substitute vegetables for fruits at breakfast, simplifying the vegetable variety requirement.
- If vegetables are offered on one day per school week, any vegetable subgroup may be used.
- If vegetables are substituted for fruits on two or more days per week, sponsors must include vegetables from at least two different subgroups.
- Meats/Meat Alternatives
- Schools can now meet the daily ounce equivalent requirements for breakfast using grains, meats/meat alternatives, or a combination of both.
- This change provides greater menu planning flexibility, especially for protein-rich meal options.
Other ongoing standards:
- Milk Options: Fluid milk served to children age 6 and older may be unflavored or flavored, whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free.
- Whole Grains: At least 80% of grains served weekly must be whole grain rich.
- Added Sugars and Sodium: Phased implementation of added-sugar limits and sodium reductions remains a priority for compliance in future years.
Local school food authorities retain the autonomy to decide specific menu items and preparation methods while adhering to these updated federal guidelines.
These adjustments offer schools more options to meet nutritional standards, support student health, and streamline menu planning processes. For additional guidance, visit DGA Final Rule Summary [ Adobe PDF Document ] and USDA Child Nutrition Programs.
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Final Rule for School Meal Standards Flyer
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Increasing Participation in School Breakfast
Advocates of school breakfast have come together to create a Florida School Breakfast Expansion Campaign to assist schools in increasing participation in their program. Visit FloridaSchoolBreakfast.org for research, tools and more information.
