England to ban deep-fried food and restrict sugar in school meals

Deep-fried food will be banned and high-sugar items restricted in schools in England under new plans to "overhaul" school dinners.

Under the government's proposals, fruit will replace "sugar-laden treats" for the majority of the school week, and schools will no longer be allowed to offer unhealthy "grab and go" options like sausage rolls and pizza every day.

The Association of School and College Leaders said it supported improving the quality of school food, but said additional funding to pay for the changes would be "essential".

The Liberal Democrats said funding for school meals needed to match rising costs, while Reform UK accused the government of "trying to micromanage people's lives".

The Department for Education (DfE) says the changes will mean millions of children will get healthier and more nutritious meals at school each day.

When asked on Radio 5 Live whether schools could manage the changes within their existing budgets, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "I think they can".

Currently, more than one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese, while tooth decay from high-sugar diets is the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged between five and nine, the DfE says.

Under the new rules, sweetened desserts will be limited to once a week, and more fruit, vegetables and wholegrains will need to be added to school dinner menus.

These are the first changes to the school food standards in a decade, the government says, after plans to revise them were delayed due to the pandemic.

They will apply to primary and secondary schools in England, as part of efforts to improve children's health and nutrition.

Schools will be told to publish menus online, while the government stresses that the plans don't need to cost more. Brad Pearce, national chair of the School Food People, said he welcomed the government's review of the school food standards, but said they should be "monitored and funded appropriately".

Secondary schools will have a phased approach for some of the changes, to give them enough time to develop recipes, update menus and train staff. The final school food standards will be announced this September, and come into force from September 2027.

A "robust" enforcement system will also be developed to check schools are following the new standards, including monitoring schools' compliance.

Previous school food standards introduced in 2015 also included fruit and vegetable requirements, limiting sugar in drinks, and an emphasis on wholegrain foods instead of refined carbohydrates.

Alongside these standards, any child in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will be able to claim free school meals from September 2026, following a change announced last year which the government said would make 500,000 more children eligible.

Funding for these free breakfast clubs has risen from 60p to £1 per pupil, after schools raised concerns around costs. A 2025 survey suggested the real cost of delivering a meal was approximately £3.45 - roughly 80p more than the £2.61 given to schools to fund free school meals in England.

Tom Middlehurst, from the Association of School and College Leaders, said improving the quality of school food was "something we wholeheartedly support". He said the changes "must be implemented in a practical way", including with additional funding to pay for any increased costs.

Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrats' education spokesperson, said the government "needs to ensure that free school meals funding matches the rising costs".

A spokesperson for Reform UK said the plans were "yet another example of the government trying to micromanage people's lives".

A spokesperson for the Green Party said: "Removing unhealthy food from school menus is welcome and long overdue."

In London, and Wales, the offer of a universal free school meal has been extended to all primary school children up to Year 6. Although the funding rate for most of England is £2.61, in London schools get a higher rate of £3. In Wales, the rate is £3.40.