Glasgow’s Big Breakfast

Big Breakfast Logo

The free breakfast in schools programme

 

Glasgow City Council primary school pupils are the first in the UK to benefit from an entirely free breakfast service available every school day. The initiative known as “Big Breakfast” operates in each of Glasgow’s 191 primary schools and offers 42,000 primary school pupils in Glasgow a free, nutritional and healthy breakfast prior to the start of the school day.  Research shows that eating a breakfast helps increase concentration levels and encourages school attendance therefore increasing concentration and attainment levels.

 

The breakfast service is part of a multi-faceted approach, the overall aims of which are to:

  • Improve health by improving nutrition in primary school children
  • Improve attendance and punctuality in school children
  • Contribute towards higher educational attainment

On a daily basis, Glasgow's Big Breakfast provides over 7500 breakfasts which equates to nearly 1.3 million breakfasts served per year.  In some locations, over 100 children enjoy a “Big Breakfast” each school day.

 

The menu consists of a choice of 3 cereals (Rice Krispies, Cornflakes and Weetabix) per day served with milk followed by fruit juice, toast and low fat spread.  Other options include fresh fruit, yoghurt, jam and cheese.  The Council is also in the process of giving the menu a significant boost which is currently being piloted in some schools.  The variation to the normal service includes the addition of a hot item such as porridge or beans on toast and unlimited healthy options from a buffet style selection.

 

As well as a delicious breakfast, children have the opportunity to participate in promotions that are run throughout the year with the chance of winning some great prizes including cinema and concert tickets.  All breakfast services are provided with social table games that pupils can enjoy together during breakfast. The service offers pupils the opportunity to meet with friends, under supervision, and in a safe environment prior to the start of the school day.

 

Big Breakfast parent leaflet

 

This document is provided in portable document format for downloading. The Adobe Acrobat Reader can be freely downloaded from the Adobe Web site.