- The government wants to ban deep-fried food from school menus and limit sugary desserts to once a week.
- Fruit would replace sugary treats for most of the week, and schools would no longer be able to offer unhealthy grab-and-go options every day.
- The plans have been welcomed in principle, but school leaders and opposition parties say the funding will need to match the reality of rising food costs.
The government has announced plans to tighten the rules on school food in England.
Under the proposals, deep-fried food would be banned from school dinners and sugary desserts would be limited to once a week.
Schools would also be expected to serve more fruit, vegetables and wholegrains.
One aim is to cut back on the kind of quick, unhealthy options that can easily become routine, such as pizza or sausage rolls every day.
Ministers say the changes are designed to improve children’s health and help millions of pupils get more nutritious meals at school.
The government is presenting this as the biggest overhaul of school food in a generation.
It says the current rules have not been updated for a decade and that progress was delayed by the pandemic.
The plans will apply to primary and secondary schools in England.
A consultation will run for nine weeks, with final standards due to be confirmed in September.
If approved, the new rules would come into force from September 2027.
Schools would also be expected to publish menus online.
A new enforcement system is being planned to check whether schools are actually following the standards.
The policy fits with wider moves on school food.
From September 2026, all children in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will be able to claim free school meals.
The government has also expanded funding for breakfast clubs after concerns that the previous amount was not enough.
- Ultra-processed foods in preschool years associated with behavioural difficulties
- High intake of ultra-processed foods associated with lower grades in school
- Prue Leith: Obesity rates could fall if schools teach students how to cook healthy meals
The main argument against the plans is not really about nutrition.
It is about money.
School leaders and caterers have repeatedly said the funding for school meals does not match the true cost of providing them.
That has already led, in some cases, to smaller portions and poorer quality ingredients.
So while few people are openly defending deep-fried school food, there is still a serious practical question.
If schools are expected to serve healthier meals, someone has to pay for it.
