A Year of Nourishment, Impact and Growth: Nature’s Path School Breakfast Program Continues To Bring Organic Cereal to Even More Schools Throughout California

As students across the country settle into their new school year this September, there’s even more to celebrate than fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils. It’s also Organic Month—a perfect time to reflect on a game-changing initiative that’s been quietly transforming school breakfasts across the country.

Just over a year ago, Nature’s Path Organic Foods launched the first USDA Organic School-Compliant Cereal as part of the National School Breakfast Program. What began in a handful of California schools—through a dedicated partnership with Conscious Kitchen and West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD)—has grown to include more than 350 schools, serving over 1.5 million compostable bowls of cereal in its first year alone.

“We launched this program with the goal of giving kids real, organic food to start their day—and it’s been incredible to see how it’s taken off,” said Jyoti Stephens, Vice President of Mission & Strategy at Nature’s Path Organic Foods. “We’ve heard from school food service teams, parents, and students that this is exactly the kind of change they’ve been waiting for. We fully expect this movement to keep expanding as more districts recognize the value of offering clean, organic options to nourish their students.”

In a time when nearly 1 in 7 children experience food insecurity, and almost 30 million students rely on school meals for a significant portion of their daily nutrition, what’s in those meals matters more than ever. Nature’s Path is committed to ensuring school breakfasts are more than just filler—they’re fuel. By offering clean, organic cereals made with 100% whole grains, just six grams of sugar, and no artificial flavor, artificial dyes, synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides, the program is helping children thrive—while also supporting a healthier planet.

Expanding the Menu: New K-12 Offerings

Building on the success of its EnviroKidz cereals—like Choco Chimps and Monarch Magic—Nature’s Path is excited to expand its K-12 offerings with:

• Love Crunch® Dark Chocolate and Red Berries
• Pumpkin Flax Seed Granola
• Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC™) Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Oatmeal
• Nature’s Path Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal

These products are not only USDA school-compliant for sugar and whole grain requirements, but also kid-approved and nutritionist-celebrated. And they’re already tickling tastebuds.

“We’ve received fantastic feedback from school nutrition professionals,” said Gary Grijalva, School Breakfast Program Director at Nature’s Path Organic Foods. “Especially about the granola—it’s clear there’s a demand for organic, bulk-ready options that are easy to integrate into existing school menus.”

Meeting Schools Where They Are

Many districts don’t currently have the capacity to serve bulk cereal. However, a large number are already scooping granola to create parfaits, which are a common menu item in K-12 cafeterias. Switching to Nature’s Path bulk boxes is a seamless transition—one that allows more schools to serve delicious, organic options without major changes to their operations.

More Than Breakfast: Feeding Kids, Supporting the Planet

Nature’s Path’s commitment goes beyond the breakfast table. A portion of proceeds from EnviroKidz cereals supports global conservation projects through partnerships with organizations like the Jane Goodall Institute and the Xerces Society. To date, more than $5.4 million has been donated to support youth environmental education, habitat restoration, and species protection—proving that what’s in your cereal bowl can also make a difference for wildlife and ecosystems around the world.

What’s more, Love Crunch’s Bite4Bite® program adds another layer of impact—for every product sold, Nature’s Path donates an equal amount in food or cash to food banks. Over the past 15 years, the program has contributed more than $50 million to food insecurity relief efforts.

A Reason to Celebrate

By putting organic, planet-friendly options on school menus, the Nature’s Path School Breakfast Program is helping to redefine public school nutrition. It sends a powerful message to students: you deserve access to real, nourishing food—and you play a role in shaping a better world.

As we celebrate both the back-to-school season and Organic Month, Nature’s Path is proud to look back on a year of progress—and forward to what’s next. With more districts signing on, growing support from parents and educators, and new products tailored to meet schools’ needs, the journey to bring organic, regenerative food into schools is only just beginning.

Want to bring organic cereal to your school district? Visit naturespath.com/schoolbreakfast to learn more and get involved.