US EditionHigh-sugar and deep-fried foods off the menu in schools in government bid to tackle childhood obesity
Ministers say the changes will help tackle childhood obesity and tooth decay, as one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese.
- Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced a sweeping overhaul of school food standards in England, banning deep-fried items and restricting sugary desserts to combat childhood obesity. Proposals enter a nine-week consultation starting Monday.
- 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.
- Schools will eliminate unhealthy "grab and go" options like pizza and sausage rolls daily, while breadcrumb-coated items like fish and chips remain permitted once weekly. Secondary schools follow a phased approach for dessert reductions.
- The Association of School and College Leaders supports improving food quality, but Liberal Democrats education spokesperson Munira Wilson insisted additional funding is "essential" to cover rising costs and ensure practical implementation.
- Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promoted these changes during a tour in Greater Manchester, where 33 new breakfast clubs launched this week, providing 10,000 additional youngsters with complimentary morning meals amid cost-of-living pressures.
33 Articles
33 Articles
I worked in a French school - the lunches were as good as a UK restaurant
Parents aren’t usually allowed into school canteens at lunchtime – and I suspect there is a good reason for this. I already knew my son’s primary school lunches weren’t high-quality fare, with the menu largely consisting of a rotation of pasta, sausages, burger, pizza, fish fingers and a “roast dinner” featuring a thin slice of chicken or turkey. But I had no idea quite how bad these options really were until I accidentally got a glimpse of what…
Labour set to remove fish and chips from school lunches amid health push as chicken nuggets and puddings also under threat
Labour is set to remove popular lunch staples including chicken nuggets, fish and chips, and traditional puddings such as cake and custard from school menus across England
Deep-fried food school ban plus strict rules on sugary treats
Every school will be asked to publish their menus online, with suggested main meals including cottage pie with root-and-veg mash, Mexican-style burritos, jerk chicken with rice and peas and spaghetti Bolognese
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