Typically, after-the-bell breakfast eaten in the classroom (whether delivered or “Grab ‘n Go”) is the most challenging. To best prepare a proposal, we encourage you to:

• Assess the school sites
• Analyze your school data and fiscal opportunities
• Research and choose a specific operational model
• Present the opportunity as a well-developed extension plan (including the benefits of healthy breakfast)

Establish support with your supervisor for the project, and then identify which stakeholder support is needed. Engaging key district administrators and principals early in the process will help your breakfast expansion flourish. Educating superintendents, principals, and other staff and administrators about the academic, health, and financial benefits of breakfast in the district is essential.

If you plan to expand to Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), your administrators can help the program’s sustainability by ensuring that BIC time counts as instructional time (see instructional time fact sheet from FRAC). Breakfast in the classroom typically takes approximately ten minutes and works well with the first period routines of taking attendance, announcements, and turning in homework.

Parents and students also play a key role in your success. Surveys, presentations at PTO meetings, and focus groups can be effective in responding to concerns, educating the community, and receiving ideas to solidify support for your program rollout. Take a look at the Case Study & Supporting Research above for talking points.

Once you have engaged the key players, you may need to revise or adjust your initial plan based on feedback. Flexibility and cooperation are paramount when implementing alternative breakfast.