Low in cost, high in protein and loved by kids everywhere, eggs can be a delicious staple for any school's foodservice program. The American Egg Board has a wealth of information, ideas, and recipes to offer school foodservice managers and directors, including merchandising guides, promotional kits, and recipe books, all available free upon request.

Eggs to the Rescue

Today, more than ever before, school districts are adopting tougher nutritional guidelines. State and local initiatives are implementing new programs and eliminating sources of poor nutrition. Deep fat fryers are being used less frequently in favor of ovens. Fruits and vegetables are receiving primary emphasis. High-sugar treats and drinks are under scrutiny. And fat content is being closely followed.

Look to The incredible edible egg™ to help improve the nutritional balance of your menus. Keep in mind eggs aren't just for breakfast. Eggs are a great choice at lunch to add variety and nutrition to school lunch programs as well.

Breakfast for Lunch

Before there were school breakfast programs, egg dishes for lunch were high in popularity. Kids loved the variety of having traditional breakfast foods at lunch for a day. Many schools promoted egg lunch days as "special" days. Take advantage of the popularity of breakfast foods and schedule a regular day to serve "Breakfast for Lunch."

Today's kids are sophisticated in the foods they like. If they don't like what they see, they won't eat it. With eggs, there's a high level of familiarity and likeability. There's less plate waste when eggs are served. The plates are returned with hardly a bit of food on them when there are scrambled eggs, egg sandwiches, omelets, egg casseroles, egg pizzas or other egg dishes being served for lunch.

Regulations establish a standard for school lunches to provide at least one-third (on average over each school week) of the daily Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, and calcium. And, although decisions about the preparation of food are left to local school authorities, school lunches must meet Federal nutrition requirements. Eggs and egg products can help you meet those goals as they are very nutrient-rich. Along with being a high-quality protein with a manageable amount of fat, eggs contribute other important nutrients like riboflavin and choline.

With a low food cost, eggs are affordable; it's easy to meet $1.50 per day cost guidelines when serving eggs for lunch. Egg products for school foodservice use are available in a variety of forms, and they are pasteurized for food safety. Call your state distributing agency or local distributor for your specific egg product needs. The USDA also makes available several egg products including all-purpose dried egg mix and frozen whole egg products; contact your school district or state distributing agency for further information on these products. Click here to review our Egg Products Buyers’ Guide.

Merchandising Guides

Need Recipes?

The School Nutrition Association Recipe Database has great egg dish ideas, complete with nutrition profiles. Or click here to access American Egg Board's school foodservice recipe library that provides recipes for both breakfast and lunch programs.

Merchandising Guides/Kits

Chalk Up Greater Participation... with Grab & Go Sensations! brochure In this grab & go world, it's great to be able to give kids the nutrition they need in a single dish that they can eat quickly. And here's a fun, fact-filled brochure that shows how to do it with four original recipes suitable for breakfast and lunch.