The study of 900 parents of primary school children found 19% whose kids start the day on empty stomach claim they don’t have ‘any suitable’ food in the home.
A survey of 900 parents with primary school-aged children revealed that 19% who send their kids to school without breakfast say they don’t have ‘any suitable’ food at home. An additional 17% struggle daily to afford breakfast for their family.
However, 47% worry their children will be hungry before their first break, and 31% are concerned about their ability to concentrate. One in 10 parents have resorted to school breakfast clubs to ensure their children don’t go hungry.
The study was commissioned by General Mills, which, in collaboration with the Greggs Foundation, provides 1.2 million breakfasts annually for children through its Breakfast Club programme.
A spokesperson for General Mills stated: “No child should go without, especially at breakfast. It’s really important for kids to have the energy they need to sustain them through school, when they are exercising their minds as much as their bodies at playtime. Not all families can afford breakfast every day, but they needn’t feel alone”.
When children do eat breakfast at home on a school day, only 31% of parents are ‘very confident’ they’re getting all the nutrition they need.
And two thirds (64%) of those who struggle to afford feeding their families in the morning cite rising food costs as the main reason. One in six (15%) respondents have used a food bank to provide meals for their loved ones at some point. And a worrying 20% of all parents surveyed reckon they’ll soon need to use a food bank, according to the OnePoll stats.
While a whopping 72% believe breakfast is key for their child’s day, nearly one in ten (8%) admit that without breakfast clubs, their kid would often miss out. Almost four in 10 (38%) of mums and dads also find their little ones are often or very often hungry as soon as they wake up.
A spokesperson for General Mills commented: “Parents want to know their children are getting the nutrition they need for the best start each day. But increasingly they are needing help to meet this need. This is why food banks and breakfast clubs continue to be such valuable resources for families.”
