Deep-fried food will be removed and high-sugar items heavily restricted on school menus across England in a major overhaul intended to improve the nutritional quality of meals served to students.
The proposed changes, introduced by the government, will combat childhood obesity and tooth decay, and will see the likes of battered fish and chips, fried chicken nuggets and jam doughnuts banned in schools.
More than one in five children start primary school overweight or obese, rising to one in three by the time they leave, while tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged between five and nine, according to the Department for Education (DfE).
Fruit will replace sweetened desserts for the majority of the week, as desserts like ice cream and waffles, alongside baked goods like puddings and cakes, will be limited to once a week and must contain a minimum of 50 per cent fruit under the new rules.
"Grab and go" options such as sausage rolls and pizza will no longer be served every day, with sample menus suggesting a shift towards more wholesome main courses, featuring dishes such as cottage pie, burritos, jerk chicken with rice and peas, and spaghetti bolognese.
Each meal must be accompanied by at least one portion of vegetables and salad, and sides cooked using fat or oil, such as chips, will be limited to no more than twice a week.
The new rules will apply to primary and secondary schools across England, in the first changes to the school food standards in a decade.
The government has announced a nine-week consultation on the proposals, and the final school food standards will be announced this September, and come into force from September 2027.
A phased introduction of the changes is planned for secondary schools to give them enough time to develop recipes, update menus and train staff, while each school will be required to publish its menus online to enhance compliance.
Ministers are seeking to introduce the new standards before the expansion of free school meals to all pupils in England whose families claim Universal Credit at the start of the 2026 school year, which will see 500,000 more children benefit from a free meal every school day.
Speaking ahead of a visit to a school breakfast club in Greater Manchester, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "We’re improving the quality of food served in schools so parents can count on their children getting healthy meals. This is about easing the cost of living today and supporting better health for the future."
The DfE says the changes will mean millions of children will get healthier and more nutritious meals at school each day, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson hailing the proposals as "the most ambitious overhaul of school food in a generation."
Phillipson added: "Every child deserves to have delicious, nutritious food at school that gives them the energy to concentrate, learn and thrive – meals that children will actually recognise and enjoy, backed by robust compliance so that good standards on paper become good food on the plate."
Tom Middlehurst, from the Association of School and College Leaders, said that the changes "must be implemented in a practical way", including with additional funding to pay for any increased costs.
Chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver welcomed the move, calling school food "the UK’s most important restaurant chain" and a "massive opportunity to improve health at scale."
Oliver said: "My Good School Food Awards prove that world-class meals are possible right now, and every child deserves that same quality. So, I’m delighted this Government is now updating and enforcing these standards."
The Green Party said cutting unhealthy food from school menus was "welcome and long overdue".
A Green Party spokesperson added: "Real change also means tackling the root causes of the 14 per cent of households facing food insecurity – the cost of living and low pay. Greens also want to see our food and farming system transformed so it prioritises affordable, healthy food with fair wages for growers."
The Liberal Democrats said funding for school meals needed to match rising costs.
Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrats' education spokesperson, said: "From talking to parents, head teachers and school governors in my constituency, I know that many are worried about the rising cost of food, and in many cases the current funding just isn't enough, forcing schools to provide smaller portion sizes and poorer quality food."
Meanwhile, Reform UK accused the government of "trying to micromanage people's lives".
A Reform spokesperson said "Banning foods from school menus won't solve childhood obesity. It just removes choice and adds pressure on already stretched schools. We should be focusing on education, personal responsibility, and ensuring families can afford healthy food, not headline-grabbing bans."
