New government standards for school food in England have been announced, the first such update in a decade. The announcement aims to improve children's diets by focusing on more fruit, vegetables, fibre-rich proteins, and whole grains.
The new standards are based on recent scientific evidence. It is noted that children in the state sector spend 190 days a year at school, with many consuming the majority of their daily food there, highlighting the opportunity to improve diets at scale.
Monitoring will be implemented to ensure the new standards are followed. This monitoring is intended to identify what is working well and where schools may need support to implement the changes effectively.
Beyond the new standards, there is also a focus on food education. The importance of teaching children cooking skills is highlighted as a way to provide them with the knowledge and confidence to prepare nutritious meals throughout their lives.