About the School Breakfast Clubs program
The School Breakfast Clubs program seeks to address the impact disadvantage can have on education outcomes by offering free and healthy food for students in all Victorian government schools that opt in.
Research shows a child's ability to concentrate in class, self-regulate and learn is negatively impacted if they are hungry. It has been reported that the rising cost of living makes it increasingly difficult, particularly for low-income families and families experiencing disadvantage, to provide enough healthy food for the family each week.
The Victorian Government has committed a further $21.1 million in the Victorian Budget 2024/25 to expand the School Breakfast Clubs program to include all government schools that opt in across Victoria.
This builds on the $141.2 million invested in the program since 2016, with $69.5 million provided in the 2023/24 Budget to continue the program.
Since the program was established in 2016, it has delivered more than 40 million healthy and nutritious meals to students in participating schools across the state.
The Victorian Government’s current delivery partner is Foodbank Victoria, the Victorian branch of Australia's largest food welfare agency.
The program provides:
- healthy breakfasts to students in participating Victorian government schools
- nutritious lunches, snacks and take-home packs for students in need
- cooking classes for families at 115 participating schools.
The expanded School Breakfast Clubs program will see 150 additional schools invited to join the program before June 2025, with schools on the waiting list prioritised for 2024. All schools will be invited to participate in the program from July 2025.
Guidance for schools to deliver the School Breakfast Clubs program
Delivery of the School Breakfast Clubs program is managed by Foodbank Victoria; schools can access the supporting resources on the School Breakfast Clubs Program page or contact their Foodbank school coordinator.
The program is a universal program and must be available to all students at the school. A key feature of the School Breakfast Clubs Program is the flexible delivery model. Schools can tailor the program to suit their local needs, which may include a café style breakfast set up or a ‘grab and go’ service.
The program delivers a menu that meets Healthy Eating Guidelines, prioritises green rated and fresh foods and where possible, uses locally produced and manufactured supplies.
The following policy and guidance documents can assist schools in implementing the relevant hygiene and food-handling practices and ensure the School Breakfast Clubs program is delivered safely on site:
Cooking classes program
Learning about healthy and nutritious food supports students to develop the skills, knowledge and habits they need for growth, learning and development, and happy, healthy lives.
The cooking classes program aims to support families to learn new skills in cooking, food safety and meal planning, with a focus on the daily consumption of the five food groups recommended for good health.
The cooking classes are delivered in selected schools across the state each year. Classes will take place once a week for four weeks in participating schools. All families in each of the eligible schools are invited to participate, and up to 10 families (approximately 1–3 students and 1 parent) will be selected from each participating school to take part.
Expressions of interest to participate in the cooking classes are sent to schools by Foodbank Victoria. Eligibility is determined using the Student Family Occupation Education (SFOE) index data.
More information
For more information on delivering the School Breakfast Clubs program at your school, visit the Foodbank Victoria website.
For general queries about the program, email health.advice@education.vic.gov.au
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