While most parents are trying to get their offspring to avoid bacon and eggs and stave off obesity, it seems breakfast is fast becoming the most brain-enriching meal of the day, according to lecturers at Northumbria University.

The team interviewed children from seven primary schools across the North East of England and found children who attended breakfast clubs kept more friends and had a better attitude towards teachers and school than those who had breakfast at home.

Surveys taken at the beginning and end of a six-month period highlighted the fact that the number of children at breakfast clubs who felt their teachers were helpful and approachable stayed stable whereas among the non-attendees the number declined.

Dr Greta Defeyter, a senior lecturer in the Cognition and Communication Research Centre, said: “This research highlights that, in addition to providing a healthy start to the day, breakfast clubs appear to help children to develop and maintain positive social relationships with other pupils and staff.”