The BDA has submitted its response to the government’s consultation on updating the School Food Standards, a pivotal moment in shaping how schools support children’s health, wellbeing and ability to learn.
This is the first major review of the standards in over a decade, and the BDA has drawn on extensive engagement with members working across paediatrics, public health, food service and education to inform its position. Our response also reflects wider collaboration with partners across the School Food Review, whose work has been instrumental in building the evidence base and momentum for change.
Overall, the BDA strongly welcomes the direction of travel set out in the proposals, and supports the ambition to create a healthier, more consistent and nutritionally adequate school food system.
Our response highlights several key priorities:
1. A stronger nutritional foundation for school food
We support measures to reduce foods high in fat, salt and sugar, alongside increasing fruit, vegetables and fibre. These changes are essential given current dietary patterns, where children consume excess sugar and saturated fat and fall short on fibre and nutrients.
2. A whole school approach to food
The BDA emphasises that school food should not be treated solely as a catering issue. Instead, we advocate for a whole school food approach, embedding healthy eating across the entire school environment, from breakfast clubs to rewards, celebrations and the wider food culture.
3. Improving behaviour, concentration and learning
Our response highlights the important relationship between diet, hydration and learning. Evidence shows that regular nutritious food and drink intake supports mood, concentration and attention, while hydration is crucial for cognitive performance and classroom behaviour.
4. Ensuring inclusive and equitable provision
A key priority is ensuring that the revised standards work for all children, including those with SEND, allergies, medical conditions and restricted diets. We call for clearer guidance and better integration with existing policies on medical needs in schools.
5. Supporting implementation
The success of the new standards will depend on practical delivery. We highlight the need for funding, workforce training, infrastructure, and access to dietetic expertise to ensure schools can implement changes safely and effectively.
With new reports that 80% of teachers say unhealthy food at lunch or breaktime can lead to disruptive behaviour and 85% say diet affects a pupil’s ability to concentrate [1], the BDA response welcomes the ambition of the consultation and supports its focus on improving children’s diets and the wider school food environment.
Through our free school meals campaign, we are calling for a system that not only restricts less healthy options but actively supports nutrient adequacy, meal appeal and equitable access for all children. To achieve this, the final standards must be underpinned by sufficient funding, clear implementation guidance, strong accountability mechanisms and a genuine whole school approach to food. With these elements in place, the revised School Food Standards have the potential to deliver meaningful and lasting improvements to children’s health, behaviour and learning.
[1] The Food Foundation (2026) ‘8 in 10 teachers say unhealthy school food fuels disruptive behaviour, as school food standards consultation closes’. Available from: 8 in 10 teachers say unhealthy school food fuels disruptive behaviour, as school food standards consultation closes | Food Foundation (Accessed: 16 June 2026)