Healthy standards, happy students? The real challenges behind proposed school food regulations
Proposed changes today, implementation tomorrow?
The Government’s proposed School Food Standards for English schools have been widely welcomed for their focus on improving children’s nutrition. More fibre, more vegetables, more pulses and fewer foods high in fat, salt and sugar all represent positive steps towards healthier school meals.
allmanhall support the direction of travel and the ambition to improve children’s health, wellbeing and long-term eating habits.
However, before schools start worrying about removing equipment or redesigning menus, it’s important to remember that the proposed school food regulations are currently subject to consultation and have not yet been finalised.
If approved, the new standards are expected to apply in full to primary schools in England from September 2027, with a phased implementation approach for secondary schools until September 2028. This provides schools with valuable time to understand the potential implications and begin preparing for change.
What changes to school food regulations are being considered?
Key proposals currently under consideration include:
- Removal of deep-fried foods from school menus
- Reduced use of processed meats
- Restrictions on cheese as a main meal ingredient
- Increased use of pulses and plant-based proteins
- Greater emphasis on fibre-rich foods and wholegrains
- Revised standards for drinks, including greater use of fortified plant-based alternatives
- Increased focus on fruit, vegetables and dietary diversity
Whilst the final requirements may change following consultation, schools can begin considering what these proposals could mean for their catering operations.
More importantly, schools can start planning how they will maintain student engagement, operational efficiency and meal uptake if the changes are introduced.
Whilst much of the discussion has focused on individual proposals such as restrictions on cheese or the removal of deep-fried foods, allmanhall believe the bigger question is how schools can successfully implement the changes whilst maintaining engagement with school meals.
Because if students stop choosing school meals, even the best nutritional standards will struggle to achieve their intended impact.
Why these changes matter
The proposed reforms to school food regulations respond to ongoing concerns around childhood obesity, excess sugar consumption and low fibre intake amongst school-aged children.
The standards aim to encourage healthier eating habits through increased consumption of vegetables, fruit, pulses and wholegrains, whilst reducing reliance on foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugar.
For schools, the benefits could extend beyond nutrition. Healthier diets are linked to improved concentration, wellbeing and educational outcomes, making school food an important part of the wider learning environment.
The ambition behind the proposals is one that allmanhall fully support. However, for the benefits to be fully realised, practical implementation challenges must be considered alongside the policy itself.
Four practical considerations for schools
1. Equipment and kitchen infrastructure
If the proposals are implemented, some schools may need to review whether existing equipment can support the new standards.
Potential considerations include:
- Assessing the future role of deep fat fryers
- Identifying suitable alternatives such as combi ovens
- Understanding potential capital investment requirements
- Reviewing kitchen capacity for high-volume food production
- Evaluating energy efficiency and long-term operating costs
In reality, many primary schools no longer rely heavily on deep fat fryers. Secondary schools may face greater challenges due to higher meal volumes and operational demands.
Discussions with schools suggest that, in some cases, deep fat fryers are used relatively infrequently for student catering but may still support hospitality, events or sixth form provision. As a result, decisions around removing, replacing or repurposing equipment may not always be straightforward.
Even where fryers are only used occasionally within school meal provision, schools may still need to invest in alternative equipment capable of maintaining production volumes and delivering popular menu items efficiently.
Foodservice consultancy can help schools assess equipment requirements, source appropriate solutions and ensure any investment delivers value for money.
2. Menu development and innovation
The proposed school food regulations encourage greater use of pulses, plant-based proteins and fibre-rich ingredients.
Schools will need to:
- Reduce reliance on cheese-heavy plant-led dishes
- Introduce new ingredients and recipes
- Reformulate popular menu items
- Balance nutritional compliance with student preferences
- Maintain menu variety and appeal
For many catering teams, the challenge will not be understanding the nutritional requirements but having the confidence, skills and resources to translate them into successful menus.
Delivering these changes within existing funding levels will also remain a concern for many schools. The funding rate per meal will rise to £2.66 from September 2026, but industry voices continue to call for funding in England to increase to £3.40, bringing it in line with Wales.
3. Skills, training and support
Significant changes to ingredients, cooking methods and menu structures can understandably create uncertainty. The sector has experienced similar challenges before. Previous changes to school food regulations required significant adaptation, and not all catering teams found the transition straightforward. Schools will need to consider:
- Staff training requirements
- Recipe development support
- Building confidence in new ingredients and cooking methods
- Sharing best practice and practical resources
Collaboration across the sector will be critical. Suppliers, manufacturers and foodservice partners are already beginning to explore how they can support schools through product innovation, menu inspiration, training and implementation resources. Collaboration across the supply chain will be essential if schools are to introduce new menu concepts confidently whilst maintaining student appeal.
4. The biggest challenge: keeping students choosing school meals
Whilst much of the debate has focused on equipment and compliance, many catering professionals believe the greatest challenge will be maintaining meal uptake.
If healthier menus are not carefully planned and communicated, schools risk students opting for packed lunches or purchasing food outside of school where this is permitted.
There is also a wider concern around unintended consequences for some students. For children in more deprived communities, school meals may provide one of the most reliable sources of nutritious food during the day. If changes to menus result in lower uptake, some students may choose not to eat at all, whilst others may rely more heavily on food brought from home. This reinforces the importance of ensuring healthier menus remain both appealing and accessible.
For schools, maintaining meal uptake is about far more than catering income. It is intrinsically linked to student wellbeing, nutrition and educational outcomes.
There is also a strong argument for schools to review packed lunch policies alongside any menu changes. With stricter standards applying to school meals, the contrast between school-provided food and packed lunches may become even more pronounced.
Schools may therefore wish to review packed lunch policies and guidance to ensure a consistent approach to healthy eating across the school community. Without this, there is a risk that some students simply move away from school meals rather than benefiting from the nutritional improvements being introduced.
Turning ambition into reality
The proposed School Food Standards represent a positive opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of future generations.
allmanhall believe the nutritional direction is right. Increasing fibre, encouraging greater plant diversity and reducing foods high in fat, salt and sugar are all sensible and evidence-based objectives.
However, the success of the proposed school food regulations will ultimately depend on implementation.
Questions around equipment, funding, training, menu development and student engagement cannot be secondary considerations. They are fundamental to success.
Ultimately, the success of the proposed standards will depend not only on what is written in the legislation, but on how effectively schools can translate those requirements into menus that students choose, enjoy and continue to engage with.
With the right planning, support and investment, schools have an opportunity to improve nutrition whilst maintaining strong meal uptake, operational efficiency and long-term financial sustainability. The challenge now is ensuring that healthier standards are matched by practical solutions that work in real school kitchens.
Need support preparing for the proposed changes?
With the proposed School Food Standards expected to bring significant changes to menus, kitchen operations and equipment requirements, now is the time for schools to start assessing their readiness.
allmanhall’s foodservice consultancy team, led by an experienced ex-chef, can help schools review catering operations, evaluate kitchen infrastructure, identify efficiencies, source appropriate equipment, and develop practical implementation plans that balance nutrition, operational requirements, and budget considerations.
To discuss how the proposed standards could impact your school, and how to implement changes in a practical and cost-effective way, get in touch with our team today.