Food Service Director Lisa Ostrowski shares how her district is maximizing access to free school breakfast for all students with innovative breakfast after the bell service.
Students at Latham Ridge Elementary enjoying breakfast in the classroom
National School Breakfast Week is Here: March 3-7, 2025!
This week celebrates the importance of school breakfast for nourishing student success and the professionals working to ensure access.
Thanks to historic state investments, it’s an especially exciting time for school breakfast in New York, as more schools than ever can offer free breakfast to all students through the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
New York currently leads the nation in the growth of districts and schools adopting CEP. According to a national report from the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), 99 percent of eligible New York schools were operating the program as of SY 2023-2024.
When School Breakfast is Free to All Students, Participation Increases
Schools are already seeing the benefits of New York’s CEP expansion. Since adopting CEP district-wide in SY 2023-2024, Food Service Director Lisa Ostrowski of North Colonie Central Schools notes that breakfast participation has more than doubled in her district:
“As soon as [the district adopted CEP], I saw my breakfast numbers increase by 120% over the previous year.”
This upward trend has continued into the SY 2024-2025 at North Colonie CSD. Ostrowski served 24,358 breakfasts during the first 18 days of this school year, up 75 percent from 13,922 meals served during the same period in SY 2023-2024.
These insights underscore what existing research shows: When school breakfast is free to all students, participation increases.
Innovative Service Can Maximize Access to Breakfast
New York’s CEP expansion eliminates financial barriers for students to eat school breakfast and also signals a renewed opportunity for schools to strengthen and diversify service options that further improve access. Without a designated period for breakfast, schools can still struggle to reach students, even when meals are free to all.
Schools can maximize the benefits of free school breakfast for all by extending breakfast after the start of the school day.
At North Colonie, Ostrowski offers a combination of “grab and go” and breakfast to the classroom at each of her six elementary school buildings. Students pick up reimbursable breakfast in the cafeteria and transport their meals on trays or in bags to their classrooms, where they eat with peers as teachers begin the morning routine.
Ostrowski notes that the streamlined administration of CEP has reduced stress for her staff. And while North Colonie expanded innovative breakfast services during the pandemic, the programming “would never have blossomed without CEP.”
To build awareness of school breakfast, Ostrowski engages families through existing school events. Ostrowski offers breakfast and lunch to students’ families visiting for parent-teacher conferences. She has also hosted school and community partners for press events in her cafeterias to celebrate National School Breakfast Week.
Ostrowski reflects on how her district’s breakfast program has “come a long way” and that reaching more students with free school meals has brought greater visibility to these efforts:
“I think our administration recognizes our role in supporting students and the school community. They see our value … and that’s a big deal. People are talking about how many meals we served … it’s kind of a medal of honor for them to say we are offering this.”
Every Student, Every Day
New York’s kids need consistent access to a nutritious meal every morning so they are ready to learn. While offering free breakfast to all students improves access, barriers to participation can persist when service is limited to before the school day. Now is the time for New York to prioritize access to school breakfast for every student, every day:
Everyone can:
- Encourage students to eat breakfast at school.
- Spread the word about the availability of school breakfast and its far-reaching benefits.
Schools can:
- Take steps to make it easier for students to eat school breakfast: Start small by piloting Breakfast After the Bell service models in one classroom or building.
- Connect with peers: Our team of experts can help identify schools already implementing Breakfast After the Bell in your area and put you in touch.
Looking for individualized assistance at no cost? Contact Francesca DiGiorgio at Francesca.Digiorgio@hungersolutionsny.org for strategies and resources to improve school breakfast access and participation.
