What Is It?
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded program administered by the USDA. This program aims to increase accessibility to nutritious breakfasts for school-aged children. Studies show that students who eat breakfast have fewer absences, score better on tests, have fewer visits to the nurse's office, and are less likely to have discipline problems throughout the day.
Schools that participate in the SBP receive cash subsidies and USDA foods for each reimbursable meal they serve. In order to receive reimbursement, each meal must meet the Federal meal pattern standards.
The Three Components
Schools participating in the SBP must offer at least three specific food components. In order to be reimbursable, students must take at least three different items, including one fruit.
Of note: a component is a food group. An item is the specific food offered within a food group. For example, "grain" is a component, and a slice of bread is an "item" within the component. The Breakfast meal pattern requires that students take three items, but not that they take all three components. Some foods count as two items.
A Breakfast is Reimbursable If:
✅ The meal offered contains at least four items of the three required components
AND
✅ The meal selected by the student contains at least three items, including a fruit item.
