Giving teenagers the best possible start

Too many young people in the UK are starting the day without breakfast. Some live with food inequality or instability at home. Some struggle with anxiety around eating and body image. Others simply find the time for breakfast flying past, a blur of finishing homework or looking after younger siblings.

Then they’re expected to show up at school and switch on. To engage, absorb and achieve. To make decisions they’re told will affect their whole lives. All while running on empty.

Our latest research on the impact of secondary school breakfast shows that skipping breakfast holds young people back. At a key moment in their lives, it can harm their health and wellbeing, prevent them from achieving in the classroom and beyond, and make it harder to feel like they belong.

They’re missing more than breakfast.

This is a critical moment to act

While the Government starts its roll out of breakfast provision in primary schools in England, secondary pupils risk being left behind. Our research shows teenagers are the most likely to skip breakfast at a stage when it matters most for their health, wellbeing and future outcomes.

Why is breakfast so important for teenagers?

With current support for secondary schools uncertain beyond 2026, there’s a real risk the gap will widen. This campaign is about making sure it doesn’t, so that the benefits of school breakfast don’t stop at age 11 for children and young people.

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At a crucial moment in their lives, skipping breakfast can undermine young people’s health and wellbeing, make it harder to engage in school, and affect their future opportunities.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

The power of school breakfast

When schools offer breakfast, it gives teenagers a safe space to be with people they know and get something nourishing to eat before the day begins.

This can make all the difference.

Young people who have breakfast are healthier and happier. They build stronger relationships and get better academic results. So when they go out into the world, it’s with confidence and curiosity.

It’s not just about the food.”

– Young person, age 16

A better future

This isn’t just about tea and toast.

It’s about giving all young people everything they need to learn and thrive. To have the best start to their day, and the rest of their lives.

And then we all benefit. From the person they go on to become, to everything they achieve and give back to their community.

Join our campaign to give teenagers the best possible start to their day, and the rest of their lives.

Add your voice to the campaign

More Than Breakfast is built on strong research.

Our research shows that breakfast really matters for teenagers. The teenage years are a time of big growth and change, but they are also when young people skip breakfast most often. The evidence shows that missing breakfast affects health, learning and future chances, not just the start of the school day.

Health and wellbeing

Breakfast helps teenagers feel healthier and happier. Young people who skip breakfast are more likely to feel stressed, anxious or low in mood. Eating breakfast supports brain growth, body development and overall wellbeing during the teenage years. Poor diet at this age can lead to health problems later in life. Breakfast is a simple way to protect young people’s health at an important stage of growing up.

Belonging, behaviour and safety

When young people are hungry, they are more likely to struggle with behaviour. Good nutrition is linked to less aggression and anti‑social behaviour. Breakfast clubs also give teenagers a safe place to start the day. They provide routine, trusted adults and a sense of belonging. Feeling fed and supported helps young people feel safer, calmer and more connected to their school and community.

Education and future chances

Teenagers who eat breakfast can focus better, feel happier and do better at school. Young people who eat breakfast regularly achieve higher GCSE grades on average. Breakfast supports attendance, punctuality and confidence. These benefits do not end when young people leave school… doing better in education helps them find work, earn more money and build a more secure future.

Money and impact on society

Providing breakfast is low‑cost but high impact. Research shows that every £1 spent on breakfast can return much more over time. Better GCSE results are linked to higher lifetime earnings. Investing in breakfast helps young people thrive, reduces future costs and supports a stronger society. Breakfast is one of the simplest ways to create lasting change.

Why this matters now

Breakfast support drops just as children become teenagers. While primary school breakfast has grown, secondary school provision is limited and uncertain beyond 2026. Teenagers are the most likely age group to skip breakfast, yet many are left without support. Without action, too many young people will miss out at the moment breakfast matters most.

Deep dive into the research