General News
3 April, 2025
More than just breakfast
More than 1,100 schools across Victoria are now serving free, healthy breakfasts through the School Breakfast Clubs Program.
More than 1,100 schools across Victoria are now serving free, healthy breakfasts through the School Breakfast Clubs Program.
Since its launch in 2016, the program has provided 52 million meals and expanded to include lunches, snacks, and take-home food packs for families in need. “In a cost-of-living crisis, it’s just one way we can help make life a bit easier,” Premier Jacinta Allan said.
The initiative ensures that students start the day with a nutritious meal, helping them stay focused and engaged in the classroom. With a $21.1 million boost in the 2024/25 Victorian Budget, every government school now has the opportunity to participate.
Many schools in the Ararat Rural City Council are already participating in the program, with schools like Lake Bolac College seeing positive outcomes from the program’s introduction.
Lake Bolac College’s Nicole Hill has noticed a remarkable difference in the student’s attentiveness when the program was introduced, with the school supplying anything from breakfast muffins, toasties, waffles and cereal to students four days a week, “(Breakfast Club makes a) big difference, you see them much calmer in the classroom, much more engaged. Otherwise, they are working on hungry tummies,” she said.
Originally, the breakfast club operated on separate days for junior and senior students. However, demand led the school to opening the program across the four days to all students to participate. “We did find last year that a lot of the senior kids were obviously really hungry. Now, we have the added benefit of senior students interacting with the juniors during breakfast time.” Nicole explained.
For many students, access to breakfast at school is a critical support system. “We know there are kids that don't get breakfast for all sorts of reasons. Let's face it, we've got growing teenagers, and you can’t fill them,” said Nicole.
Even beyond breakfast, students can access fruit for recess or in the classroom, ensuring that no one goes hungry throughout the day. Acting Principal Shane Hoffmann is a strong advocate for the program “I think it’s been quite successful. Their engagement in general, it just gets them off to a great start,” he said.
The school has taken the initiative further by introducing snack stations in the two main buildings of the school. “At fruit break time or recess, the stations are loaded up every day with fruit and rice packs. We are pretty well stocked, so no one goes hungry,” said Shane.
With more schools expected to join the program by June, thousands more students across Victoria will benefit from a healthy, reliable start to their day, helping them learn, grow, and thrive.