September 2026 series: A landmark moment for school food

Today, more than 500,000 additional children become eligible for free school meals and breakfast provision expands across England. We are also awaiting news of the eagerly anticipated revised school food standards, following the government's consultation earlier this year. Collectively, these changes have the potential to increase access to nutritious food, reduce barriers to learning and improve children's health and wellbeing.

At School Food Matters, we have long argued that access and quality should go hand in hand. 

"School food is about much more than one meal a day. My daughter is quite a cautious eater, so school meals give her opportunities to experience different flavours, textures and foods that she might not otherwise try. Eating alongside friends also encourages her to try new things. School food plays an important role in helping children develop a positive relationship with food." -  Parent of a primary school child 

A free school meal or breakfast club can have a huge impact on a child’s experience of school.  

"After I've eaten lunch, I feel like I could run a marathon" - Primary school child (Two Cities campaign)   

Alongside helping to ease financial pressure on families, access to nutritious food is linked to improved attendance, concentration and readiness to learn. The expansion of free school meals to include children from families in receipt of Universal Credit and the roll-out of free primary school breakfast clubs are therefore important steps towards ensuring more children can benefit from everything schools have to offer. 

But access is only part of the picture. Children also deserve food that is nutritious and appealing. Food that helps them to think, grow and play. The long-awaited update to the school food standards will bring school food in line with the latest nutritional guidance, helping to ensure children are offered more nutritious food at school. 

We’re in schools every day and we see that children benefit most when access to school meals, and the quality of the food served are considered together. Too often, policy discussions focus on either access or quality, so it’s encouraging to see progress being made in both areas.” - Stephanie Slater, Founder and Chief Executive at School Food Matters 

Across primary, secondary, SEND and alternative provision settings, parents and schools alike tell us that school food is about more than what's on the plate. Through our Nourish programme, we’ve seen first-hand how the wider food environment can shape children’s experiences of food at school.  

Nourish helps schools adopt a whole school approach to food. Our Project Officers help schools to think about the food on offer throughout the day, from breakfast to after-school clubs, and how this sits alongside food education. The aim is to create a food environment where children can access, enjoy and learn about nutritious food to support their health and happiness. 

We know that September’s policy changes will only make a difference if schools are supported to put them into practice. 

“As a London school we have seen how universal primary meals have benefitted our families most in need of support. But the impact of expanding free school meals would have been lost had we not worked with our caterers to ensure that the food was nutritious and delicious.  

We welcome these reforms and we’ll be making the most of this opportunity, working with our governors and nominating a school food lead. Schools would benefit from clear guidance from government on how to monitor the new standards and what data we need to record so we can continue to improve our school meal service and ensure that children receive the good nutrition they need to thrive.” - Jared Brading, Executive Headteacher at three London primary schools 

We must see the September ‘moment’ as the start of a new era for school food, an opportunity to pause and consider how to maximise the impact of the government’s reforms. And schools do not have to navigate these changes alone. Through the School Food Project, School Food Matters is working alongside Bite Back, Chefs in Schools, Jamie Oliver Group and The Food Foundation to support schools to make the most of the changes taking effect this September. Together, we’re developing free resources and practical support to help schools put the changes into practice.  

Throughout September, we'll be sharing what we've learned from schools about access to food, food quality and food education. Look out for our upcoming blogs which will explore practical lessons from schools and the steps that can help children get the most out of these changes to school food provision.