Schools across Iowa celebrated National School Breakfast Week this year, highlighting the importance of a nourishing meal before school. This year’s theme, “DIG IN to school breakfast” allowed for plenty of creativity and local schools did not disappoint.

Breakfast at Council Bluffs CSD

The Council Bluffs Community School District provided small construction-themed items to elementary students with their morning meal, including pencils, bookmarks, and even temporary tattoos to match the theme.

The menu featured items such as “pothole pancakes” and “parfaits with gravel” (granola).

The staff even got into the theme by decorating their kitchens to look like construction sites, dressing in safety vests, and wearing hard hats during meal service.

Breakfast at Council Bluffs CSD

“School breakfast is a great way for students to start their day,” said Meg Collins, education program consultant in the Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services at the Iowa Department of Education. “It provides them with the nutrition they need to learn and grow. It is wonderful to see all the innovative ways Iowa schools are promoting their local programs.”

The School Breakfast Program started as a pilot project in 1966 and now serves over 14 million children nationwide. Studies show children who eat breakfast are more likely to reach higher levels of achievement in reading and math, score higher on standardized tests, have better concentration and memory, be more alert and maintain a healthy weight.

View photos from Council Bluffs DIG IN to school breakfast activities