How Eating Breakfast Before School Is Linked to Better Vocabulary, Math and Standardized Test Scores, Per the AAP
Research links breakfast with better memory, attention and school performance
Rushed mornings, late wake-ups and picky eaters can make breakfast before school hard to squeeze in. When skipping it becomes a regular habit, research suggests kids can feel the effects once the school day starts.
What happens when kids skip breakfast before school?
Skipping breakfast before school can leave kids feeling tired, restless or irritable, with energy and mood often dropping by midmorning, according to Nemours KidsHealth.
Breakfast refuels the body after going without food overnight, so missing it means kids may run low on fuel just as class begins. Nemours also notes that kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier overall and are more likely to be physically active than those who skip. Building a morning meal into the routine, even a small one, can help stabilize a child’s mood and energy through those first hours of school, according to Nemours KidsHealth.
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Does breakfast affect memory, attention and school performance?
The American Academy of Pediatrics says regularly missing breakfast means kids miss benefits tied to school performance, and research it cites links eating breakfast with better brain function, memory and attention.
Studies the AAP references have found that kids who eat breakfast perform better on vocabulary tests, math problems and challenging mental tasks. Additional research the group cites found children who ate breakfast before a standardized test scored higher in math, spelling and reading than those who did not. Elizabeth Zmuda, DO, FACOP, FAAP, a lead author of the AAP’s 2026 school nutrition policy statement, has emphasized that school breakfasts, lunches and snacks support learning, growth and health in addition to easing hunger.
How many kids skip breakfast, and why?
The AAP says 13% of school-age kids skip breakfast, and among adolescents ages 12 to 19, the share rises to more than 27% on average.
Reasons vary. Some children are selective eaters or do not like traditional breakfast foods, while others may skip breakfast because they are trying to avoid weight gain, according to the AAP. Rushed mornings can also leave older teens heading to school without time to eat. CDC researchers analyzing nationally representative 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data reported that 17.9% of U.S. high school students ate breakfast on none of the previous seven days. Students who reported earning mostly As or Bs were less likely to skip breakfast every day, though because the study was cross-sectional, the findings show an association and do not prove skipping breakfast causes lower grades.
What are quick breakfast ideas for busy school mornings?
Nemours recommends preparing as much as possible the night before, like setting out dishes and cutting up fruit, so mornings feel less chaotic.
Grab-and-go options include fresh fruit, whole-grain low-sugar cereal, yogurt or smoothies and trail mix. If kids are not hungry first thing in the morning, parents can pack breakfast for them to eat a little later, such as on the bus or between classes. Families can also check whether breakfast is available at their child’s school or daycare, which can take some pressure off busy mornings and help make sure kids get something to eat before the school day begins.
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