The United Kingdom is overhauling school meals by removing high-sugar and deep-fried foods, improving children’s nutrition and helping tackle rising obesity and health risks.
“Every child deserves delicious, nutritious food at school that helps them learn and thrive,” said Bridget Phillipson, UK education secretary.
The reforms affect millions of pupils and include banning deep-fried foods, limiting high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar items, and increasing fruit, vegetables, and wholegrains in daily meals. One in three children leaves primary school overweight or obese, while diets high in sugar are linked to hospital admissions for tooth decay among children aged five to nine. Alongside updated food standards, more than 500 new breakfast clubs are opening, offering places to 142,000 children and supporting healthier eating habits while improving focus and long-term wellbeing.
