Millions of children will benefit from healthier, more nutritious, tasty meals at school as the government today (13 April 2026) sets out its plans to overhaul the school food standards for the first time in over a decade.
The new standards have been developed alongside nutritionists and public health experts and will apply to all breakfasts and lunches served by schools. Under the plans, schools will no longer be able to offer unhealthy ‘grab and go’ options like sausage rolls and pizza every day, while deep fried food will be banned completely. Fruit will also need to be served instead of sugar-laden treats for the majority of the school week.
The government has today launched a 9‑week consultation on the healthier options with parents and children, alongside a new national enforcement mechanism to monitor the new standards and ensure they are applied consistently.
To read more about the new standards, click on the following link: Government scraps high-sugar food from school menus
The Government is committed to improving children's health and school food is one important source of nutrition and plays a fundamental role in helping pupils develop healthy eating habits. To give your views, click on the following link and complete the short online survey: School Food Standards: updating the legislative framework
The opportunity to give your views will close on June 12th 2026