Most health experts agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, some children go to school without eating breakfast.


GREG TURNER: (PRINCIPAL, SOUTH HOBART PRIMARY SCHOOL) There's no list. There's no kept tabs on anyone who attends. We open up the canteen five mornings a week and if you wish to come in and have one piece of toast or three pieces of toast, for breakfast you're able to do that.

JOURNALIST: Since late last year children at South Hobart Primary School have been able to get breakfast for the half-hour before the bell goes.

GREG TURNER: We already had a walking bus that looked at the fitness side with children walking to school every morning. But we also had students who we knew used to stop at the shop and get breakfast which wasn't very healthy, and we also knew some kids, because of pressure of family life, some mornings didn't come with breakfast.

The first thing you see is a change in the sense of community, that some of the children actually find it a good opportunity to sit with their friends over a piece of toast and get some of the talking out that they might normally do in class. For some children, it certainly does help in terms of concentrating ready for the day because they know that they've had something to eat.

JOURNALIST: At Risdonvale Primary School, on Hobart's eastern shore, the neighbourhood centre introduced breakfasts five years ago. The number of growing bodies starting the day with empty stomachs alarmed members.

ANNE HARRISON: (RISDON VALE NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE) We did a survey down at the school to find out how many kids were actually eating breakfast, and when we did the survey, we found that there were over half of the school, the kids at the school weren't eating breakfast.

JOURNALIST: Research has proven that breakfast helps a child's physical and mental development.

After initial start-up funding through the State Government, it's managed to keep providing breakfasts two days a week through grants, volunteers and helpful local businesses.

ANNE HARRISON: He donates margarine every week and every time vendors come into the shop he's saying, "What can you give me for the breakfast club,"

JOURNALIST: And it's paying dividends.

ANNE HARRISON: The feedback has been fantastic. The kids' concentration levels improved. We're finding there's a lot more kids coming to school on the days that we have breakfast.

JOURNALIST: Church groups cater for breakfast in some high schools and the Catholic Education Office provides breakfast in some of its schools. But others have lost services. The Gagebrook Neighbourhood House used to serve up breakfasts in six schools. That's now down to two.

ANNE HARRISON: We roughly estimate about $5,000 per year would provide them with cereal and toast and spreads and Milo drinks and juice.

JOURNALIST: And the clubs don't just mean food in the tummy. Volunteers build a rapport with kids.

MAN: Now who wants Milo?