The most important meal of the day is now served for students at 96 schools in the wider Bay of Plenty as part of the KickStart Breakfast programme.

Forty schools have joined the scheme in the last six months alone, with more than 28,000 students in 913 schools across New Zealand taking part.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller says the initiative is great for the community.

'I'm a parent to three beautiful children and can attest to the importance of a healthy breakfast to kick off a big day at school. If you don't believe me, ask any parent or teacher. The jury is back on this one,” he says.

'KickStart certainly lives up to its name, as behaviour and energy levels improve as a result of the programme. Children can switch on straight away when teaching begins, and keeping their focus throughout the day becomes easier since they are not feeling hungry.”

The programme is not just restricted to lower decile schools. Around 126,000 breakfasts are currently served every week in decile 1 to 10 primary and secondary schools. 85 per cent of schools in the KickStart programme are providing breakfast more than twice a week.

More than eight million breakfasts have been served since the programme was expanded in 2013, with the government investing $9.5 million over five years.

The government, through the Ministry of Social Development, is joined by Fonterra and Sanitarium in the scheme, along with the volunteers who run the breakfast clubs. The schools incur no costs, as the milk, Weetbix and delivery costs are funded by the three-pronged partnership.