Four principals of decile 1 primary schools in the Wanganui area say providing breakfast was not just necessary it was vital.
Kath Martin of Castlecliff School said kids coming to school hungry in the morning was the norm.
"They're not good, they're grumpy and they're not going to learn ... they need a good feed and we give it to them," Ms Martin said.
The Government provides fresh fruit to decile 1, 2 and 3 schools throughout New Zealand.
This week KidsCan, a children's charity, supported Labour leader David Shearer's new policy to give free daily meals to all children in low-decile schools, saying a targeted approach to supporting the most needy children should be the key focus. The trust said it supported business, the community and government working together to address the issue of children going to school hungry.
"Absolutely right," Ms Martin said.
At Castlecliff school there is breakfast every day, Weet-Bix and milk provided by Sanitarium and Fonterra with KidsCan providing fruit salad cups and muesli bars and baked beans on toast once a week.
Ms Martin said regardless of whether parents should or shouldn't provide food, their children needed to start the day on a full belly, otherwise they simply can't learn.
Tawhero School principal Chris Dibben said the daily breakfast had become a special time for children and teachers alike.
"Not to mention the other children that come along who all go to other schools but they're cousins, brothers, sisters," Mr Dibben said.
At Tawhero there are cereals provided by Sanitarium, milk by Fonterra, KidsCan not only provides baked beans and fruit salads, they give jackets and shoes to the school, he said.
Then, on top of that are donated goods from local Wanganui sponsors.
"Our breakfast every day is a celebration where the adults and the children all sit down together and enjoy," Mr Dibben said.
At Marton Junction School, principal Robina Gudopp said the school has Kidstart breakfast which includes donated Weet-Bix and milk.
"We set up breakfast twice a week and about 20 kids come in. The other three days, if they need breakfast they ask for it and we give it to them," Ms Gudopp said.
But when it comes to lunch, Ms Gudopp said she drew the line at providing it.
"No, their parents can provide lunch. If the child doesn't have enough, we ring the parents and ask them to bring extra food in. It's their responsibility," she said.
Aranui School principal Shaun Priest said the school was involved in a second breakfast programme, available to all children, of Weet-Bix from Sanitarium and milk from Fonterra.
Mr Priest did not want to comment beyond that.
Mr Shearer said Labour's policy could cost anywhere between $3 million and $19 million, depending on the model used.
He said Labour would partner with community and voluntary organisations to get free food into all decile 1 to 3 schools.
"I hear people argue that this is the responsibility of parents. We can debate that endlessly, but it won't change this reality: Tomorrow morning kids will still turn up to school hungry."