What’s changing in school food?
Today we celebrate once-in-a-generation changes in school food. It’s the first time the School Food Standards in England have been updated in over a decade, with plans to monitor compliance.
As over a third of children in England under 11 are overweight or experience obesity, and tooth decay is the leading cause for hospital admission among children aged 5-9, this overhaul of standards is welcomed to promote healthier futures for children up and down the country.
This change comes shortly after a school meals milestone earlier this month, when Free School Meals were expanded to every child in a household receiving Universal Credit, resulting in more than 500,000 children becoming eligible. This means a total of 3 million children can access Free School Meals across the country, making now the perfect time to improve the quality of what’s on offer in schools.
So, what’s actually changing?
More fibre, more fruit and veg and less processed and HFSS foods. Currently, fewer than 10% of teenagers eat enough fruit and vegetables, and 86% of children aged 4-10 aren’t meeting fibre recommendations. The new standards put fruit, veg and fibre at the forefront, to help ensure school meals are more nutritious, will fuel children for longer and help them to achieve their academic potential. The revised standards are designed to keep dishes children know while raising the quality.
Increasing fibre
- Ensuring one or more portions of vegetables or salad is an accompaniment to all main meal options every day including grab and go.
- Ensuring all desserts are accompanied by or contain a portion of fruit.
- Including a fruit-only day for dessert at least once per week in primary schools.
- Increasing the fibre content of starchy foods by moving to higher fibre breads and at least 50% wholewheat / brown versions of rice and pasta.
- Requiring at least one portion of pulses (not including baked beans) within or alongside all menu options on one day a week.
Reducing sugar
- Restricting the frequency of sweetened baked products and desserts.
- Removing fruit juice and combination drinks from school meals services.
- Allowing only plain water, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, lactose free milk and some plant-based drinks in primary and secondary schools.
- Sugar free flavoured still water, fruit-flavoured no added sugar still drinks, tea and coffee with no syrups or extras allowed in secondary schools.
- Restricting sugar, honey and syrups from being added to food or drinks during or after preparation.
Restricting foods higher in fat, sugar and salt
- No longer permitting deep fried foods.
- Setting limits to how often certain foods can be served, such as processed meat and batter coated items and restricting the levels of sugar and salt in condiments and spreads to further restrict options higher in fat, sugar and salt.
- Restricting the use of cheese as a main ingredient every day.
- Setting sugar limits for yoghurts and plant-based yoghurts.
- Restricting snacks to fruit, vegetables, savoury crackers and breadsticks only.
Some of the other adjustments put forward by the DfE include ensuring that all schools must provide pupils with access to free, fresh drinking water at all times and restricting the frequency of vegetarian or plant-based products which are marketed as meat alternatives.
The government published the standards this week, and they will come into effect in September 2027, with some changes being phased for secondary schools in September 2028.
Making sure the standards stick
A key part of this overhaul to provide more nutritious meals will be developing a monitoring framework that can support schools to implement and maintain the new standards.
The evidence is clear: a recent Bite Back report found that three-quarters of secondary schools weren’t following the old school food standards.
In a Teacher Tapp poll carried out in September on behalf of School Food Matters of over 1,400 headteachers and senior leaders in primary and secondary state schools across England, a staggering 68% of respondents believe the standard would prove more effective if compliance were independently monitored.
The School Food Project looks forward to the development of a monitoring package, which engages the Food Standards Agency and Ofsted.
Schools will also be expected to publish their food policies and menus online and nominate a school food governor, helping parents, pupils and communities understand and hold schools to account for the food on offer.
Timeline
Schools will have a year to prepare for the changes, with the new standards coming into force in September 2027.
Secondary schools will have till September 2028 to make changes around healthier drinks, introducing pulses such as chickpeas to meals, limiting cheese-based main dishes and restricting desserts to allow more time to improve the quality of grab-and-go options and make sure meals are not only tasty and nutritious – but convenient and familiar.
School Food Project: here to help
The coalition-led School Food Project brings together Bite Back, Chefs in Schools, the Jamie Oliver Group, School Food Matters and The Food Foundation to provide support for schools to transform school food in line with the new standards. Watch this space for School Food Standards training coming soon to guide schools through changes and point them to the best help.
The School Food Project has launched its online Hub packed with trusted resources, training and event and networking opportunities for schools, caterers – and anyone within a school community. The Hub is free to use and access and will continue to grow as the core coalition collates expertise and resources from likeminded organisations within the school food space.
For schools looking for extra support, first: register to become a user and then: check out our Beacon, Explorer and Discovery Programmes. Apply for whichever programme best suits your school and your application will be considered by the School Food Project team.
Let’s work together to transform school food for future generations.