The school has been providing free breakfasts and subsidised lunches for more than five years, spending $4000-$6000 annually.
Now the school has joined the Kick Start breakfast programme and will receive free milk and Weet-Bix from sponsors Fonterra and Sanitarium for the next three years.
The programme was trialled in some schools last year and is now being offered to low-decile schools throughout the country.
More than 200 schools had signed up, Fonterra spokeswoman Hilary Marett said yesterday.
Those in the Otago-Southland area were Brockville, Calton Hill, Caversham, Concord and Forbury schools in Dunedin, East Gore School, Mataura School, and four Invercargill schools.
Forbury School would still supply toast, spreads, fruit smoothies and hot drinks for up to 30 children breakfasting daily from the roll of 121, principal Janice Tofia said on the first day of the new programme yesterday.
But she said the sponsorship would release money for other things such as reading books.
"It is fantastic corporate sponsors would recognise the need for free breakfasts and get in behind it.
Just as the name says, it will give children a kick-start in the mornings and help with their energy and nutrition."
Forbury's original breakfast programme was introduced to cater for the small number of pupils arriving at school without having eaten, deputy principal Matt Broad said.
The school staffroom had been converted into a dining room and pupils and staff were encouraged to gather there any time from 8am for breakfast, or just to socialise.
The children had benefited from the friendly atmosphere and the chance to talk informally with teachers, he said.
Mrs Tofia said the programme could not run without the help of volunteer Marilyn Te Whiu, whose eight grandchildren are past or present pupils and who and came every morning to prepare breakfasts and clean up.
Other volunteers helped with the lunch programme, where children paid $2 and were provided with ingredients to make their own salad sandwiches, and other food choices including vegetables, fruit, yoghurt and plain biscuits.
About 50 children per week made their lunches.
Teachers had noticed a huge improvement in pupils' attitude and motivation since the food programmes were introduced, Mrs Tofia said.
The National Government has reversed requirements for schools to offer only healthy food alternatives.
But Mrs Tofia said Forbury School would be continuing its healthy eating programme.
"We've made significant changes to our nutrition habits and we are not going to change that."
