Deep-Fried Food Banned in Sweeping School Dinner Reforms
Government Aims to Boost Child Health with New Standards
The government's Department for Education (DfE) has announced its first update to school food standards in a decade, aiming to drastically improve the health and nutrition of millions of children in England. Under the new proposals, deep-fried food will be prohibited, and high-sugar options will be significantly curtailed. Sweetened desserts will be limited to once a week, with a greater emphasis on fruit, vegetables, and wholegrains across school menus.
This initiative comes as over a third of children are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school, and tooth decay remains a leading cause of hospital admissions for five to nine-year-olds. The DfE contends these changes will lead to healthier, more nutritious meals daily.
Industry and Political Reactions Mixed
While organisations like the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the School Food People have expressed support for enhancing school meal quality, they stress the crucial need for additional funding to implement these changes effectively. Concerns have been raised previously about inadequate funding forcing schools to compromise on meal quality or portion sizes.
The Liberal Democrats echoed calls for increased funding to match rising costs, while Reform UK criticised the plans as governmental overreach, arguing that banning foods will not solve childhood obesity. Conversely, the Green Party welcomed the changes as "long overdue" and advocated for universal free healthy school meals for all pupils, not just infants.
The proposals will apply to primary and secondary schools across England, with a phased introduction for secondary schools to allow for necessary menu adjustments and staff training. Following a nine-week consultation, the final standards will be announced in September, coming into force from September 2027. A robust enforcement system is also being developed to monitor compliance.
