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School food

New school food standards

Nutritional standards for school meals were introduced in 2001. Further standards for school lunches were introduced in September 2006.

The nutrient-based standards are built on the food-based standards. They identify the levels of a number of nutrients such as fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrate and iron that, on average, a school meal should provide. This ensures that school meals are providing a healthy and balanced diet for children.

Summary of the food-based standards for school lunches introduced in September 2006

These healthier products should be on the menu:

• More fruit and vegetables:
  Not less than two servings per day per child; at least one should be vegetables or salad, and at least one should be fruit.
• More oily fish:
  Oily fish such as mackerel or salmon should be served at least once every three weeks.
• Bread should be available as an extra every day.
• Free fresh drinking water should be accessible at all times.
• Healthier drinks:
  Plain drinks such as water (still or carbonated), fruit juice, vegetable juice, milk (semi-skimmed or skimmed), plain soya, rice or oat drinks enriched with calcium, and plain yoghurt drinks.

These foods are restricted or no longer allowed:

• No confectionary such as chocolate and sweets.
• No savoury snacks such as crisps:
  Only nuts and seeds with no added salt, sugar, or fat are allowed.
• No salt. Condiments are restricted:
  Condiments such as ketchup and mayonnaise should only be available in sachets or individual portions of not more than 10g or one teaspoonful.
• Deep-fried products are restricted:
  Menus should not contain more than two deep-fried foods, such as chips and batter-coated products, in a single week.
• Manufactured meat products are restricted:
  These products, such as chicken nuggets, burgers and sausage rolls, may only be served occasionally, and only providing they meet standards for minimum meat content, and do not contain any prohibited offal.

All school food

From September 2007 schools are expected to meet the whole school food standards. This includes food served at breakfast clubs, break times and after school clubs.

Find out more

As part of the National Healthy Schools Programme your child’s school will be expected to have a whole school food policy. Check with your child’s school to find out more. Search for schools .

To find out more about the new standards for school food please visit  School Food Trust| .

The School Food Trust was set up in 2005 to promote the education and health of children and young people by improving the quality of food supplied and consumed in schools. The School Food Trust has produced revised food-based standards for school lunches, and has produced standards for school food other than lunch. Revised guide to standards for school lunches|  . 

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