Impact of Breakfast in the Classroom on Participation and Food Waste

Abstract

Objective: To investigate differences in school breakfast participation and food waste in 1 school district before and after the adoption of Breakfast in the Classroom.

Methods: Using a pretest-posttest design, participation and food waste were measured from 7 elementary schools in a rural area of southwest Virginia during the 2014-2015 school year. Participation and waste were measured on 4 days in each school (twice before and twice after Breakfast in the Classroom implementation) using the quarter-waste method.

Results: Across all schools, food waste decreased from 43.0% to 38.5% with Breakfast in the Classroom, with significant decreases for entrée items, juice, and savory snack foods (P < .01). Fruit and cheese items generated the greatest amount of food waste at 58.2% and 49.0%, respectively.

Conclusions and implications: Breakfast in the Classroom may be an effective tool to decrease food waste while improving dietary intake. Future research is needed among more diverse populations.

Keywords: Breakfast in the Classroom; breakfast in the cafeteria; elementary school; food waste; school breakfast.