Celebrating National School Breakfast Week

This week I took part in a celebration of National School Breakfast week with the Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Dairy, Indianapolis Public Schools and the Fuel Up To Play 60 program at Broad Ripple High School. In attendance was the Superintendent of IPS Lewis Ferebee, registered dietitians with Indiana Dairy, Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders, their mascot Blue and Matt Overton (the long-snapper). I was also joined by Indiana dairy farmer Sarah Wagler, Indiana farmer and media personality Heather Hill and various members of local media. We all gathered for one common goal: to share the importance of a healthy breakfast with these high school students through celebrating National School Breakfast Week !

Studies show that eating breakfast every morning increases healthy eating habits and academic performance. Despite this, 3 out of 4 public school teachers of grades K-8 say that their students regularly come to school hungry. I have seen this first hand in my years of working in public education. For many, a breakfast at school is their only option, by no fault of their own. But there are also lots of other reasons children eat breakfast at school: they get to school very early for academic/athletic groups, wake up too late to eat at home or just like the social time. That is why celebrating National School Breakfast Week is so important to me!

Indiana dairy farmer Sarah Wagler of Brown County shares her role in dairy nutrition and the importance of eating breakfast!

The purpose of this celebration, as well as celebrating National School Breakfast Week, is to share the importance of eating breakfast every morning before school and physical activity with students and community leaders. I saw their choices for breakfast each day and every one of them is giving these students what they need to get the day started on the right note.

Just a few of many healthy options for breakfast at Broad Ripple High School.

Starting your day with healthy dairy protein is another great way to

fuel greatness because winners drink milk!

Just a few of the MANY students that showed up to start their day with a healthy breakfast!

Did you know that ALL Indianapolis Public School students have access to a free

and healthy breakfast each and every morning?

As a key initiative, Fuel Up to Play 60 continues to encourage everyone to start their day with the nutrition needed to Fuel Greatness by raising school breakfast awareness and participation and promoting alternative breakfast options offered by school districts nationwide. To learn more about Fuel Greatness, Fuel Up to Play 60, and the school breakfast program, visit: www.fueluptoplay60.com If you have school aged children, chances are you may have heard of this program that strives to keep kids fit, active and healthy through education, fun and nutrition tips. Ask them!

A student there showed a few very cool magic tricks!

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the programming, help and staff of Indiana Dairy. They spend quite a bit of their time educating Hoosiers on the importance of a balanced diet, eating dairy for optimal health as well as sharing the real life stories of Indiana’s dairy farmers. I know I have learned a lot from them in the last several years through dairy farm tours, tours at dairy farmer owned Prairie Farms, as well as educational opportunities with a registered dietitian at a grocery store. I hope along the way you all have learned something too!