Breakfast Boxes

Since the Breakfast Boxes programme launched on 4 May 2020, we've distributed over 100,000 breakfast boxes - that's one million nutritious breakfasts to school children in Lambeth and Southwark.

Each box is filled with two weeks’ worth of healthy breakfasts, including fresh pineapple, oats, desiccated coconut, and rice in addition to wholemeal bread, baked beans and milk. The boxes have been analysed by a public health nutritionist to ensure that they meet the School Food Standards, meaning that in a time of financial crisis and food insecurity, children are receiving nutritious food that will nurture them and keep them well. In the summer, Abel & Cole also kindly donated 2.8 tonnes of extra pieces of organic fruit to supplement the breakfast offer.

“These boxes have been such a lifeline for parents, they have absolutely loved them.”
- Lambeth Assistant Headteacher

But we could not have reached this scale without the incredible co-operation of 108 participating schools and 58 Kitchen Social Hubs, whose dedicated staff and volunteers have been organising, packing and distributing the boxes. And this programme is not just about the food. The breakfast boxes have also been a crucial way for teachers to keep in touch with families during these challenging times.

“On behalf of our school community, we are so grateful for our breakfast boxes. The quality of the products is amazing and they are incredibly well stocked giving our most in-need students access to healthy and delicious food."
- Southwark Teacher

In partnership with Chefs in Schools, we have also distributed lunch hampers filled with 243,000 lunches to families across Lambeth and Southwark. These healthy hampers are a mixture of dry goods to cook such as rice and vegetables, combined with fresh meals from restaurant partners Mission Meals, Wahaca and Hawksmoor.

Delicious and diverse menus have been well received by families. 

“Parents are so impressed with the quality of food, it tastes amazing and very culturally appropriate to all. So many are touched.” 
- Southwark Teacher

Such a collaborative approach for both breakfast boxes and lunch hampers has only been made possible thanks to our funders, Impact on Urban Health, part of Guy's and St Thomas’ Charity.

We've learned lots along the way and you can read the programme evaluation for 2020 here.