Healthy eating in schools

Why healthy school food matters

Children who eat well learn better, feel better, and grow stronger. Our schools are vital places where children spend about 40% of their waking hours, helping shape lifelong eating habits and reducing health inequalities.

This is especially important today when:

• Less healthy food is often cheaper and easier to find than healthy options
• One in four reception-aged children start school living with obesity or overweight.
• Many children aren't getting the balanced nutrition they need to thrive

Working together for better school food

We're updating our food and nutritional regulations and guidance based on the latest dietary recommendations. We're collaborating with parents, caterers, teachers, suppliers, local producers, and young people to ensure every Welsh child has access to healthier food at school.

Our updated approach aims to:

Help all children access the food they need for a healthy diet, including those with special or medical dietary needs

• Provide age-appropriate portion sizes
• Support schools, caterers and partners to put these new regulations into practice
• Balance healthier food with maintaining school favourites
• Make it clear who is responsible for promoting healthy eating in schools and support them to fulfil this duty

Your voice matters

We know that caterers work incredibly hard to provide good food. We also know that children and parents care deeply about school food and most support a move toward healthier options.

That's why we need to hear from you. Whether you're a young person, parent or guardian, school caterer or cook, teacher, food supplier or local farmer. Your views will help shape these regulations and guidelines.

Thank you to everyone who has helped develop these proposals so far. By working together, we can create school food standards that support children's health, wellbeing, attendance and achievement — both now and in the future.

Lynne Neagle

Cabinet Secretary for Education 

School Food and Drink in Wales: have your say 

Why we're making changes

Wales leads the UK in providing free school meals to all primary school children. This important step helps tackle child poverty and hunger, supports learners to achieve, and contributes toward improved health, making a real difference in schools and communities across Wales.

We currently offer:

• free school meals for all primary pupils
• free and subsidised school milk
• free breakfasts for primary pupils
• free school meals for secondary pupils who need them most

While we're proud to offer the most generous school food programme in the UK, we want to make it the best quality too.

What we want to change

We're looking to update:

• what food and drinks can be provided in schools
• guidance for caterers on the regulations, including medically prescribed dietary requirements (Special diets)
• guidance on responsibilities for promoting healthy eating and drinking

These changes will help children:

• develop healthy eating habits
• access healthier food during school hours
• make healthy food choices

Good nutrition helps children perform better and reach their full potential.

What this consultation covers

We're gathering your views in three parts. 

Primary schools: New proposals for food and drink

These will:

• offer more fruit and vegetables to help Welsh children get their five-a-day
• include starchy carbohydrates (like wholegrains) because evidence suggests Welsh children aren’t getting enough fibre
• limit pastry, sweetened baked goods and desserts, and fried foods based on the latest dietary advice
• tailor portion sizes based on age group which could reduce food waste
• reduce processed meat and limit processed alternatives to fish and meat which can be high in salt and saturated fat
• safeguard red meat in moderation to ensure children benefit from the nutrients it provides
• prohibit sugary drinks, which are linked to obesity and tooth decay

Healthy eating promotion: Clearer guidance on responsibilities

This will:

• clearly define the duties of local authorities and school governing bodies in promoting healthy eating
• provide practical examples of how schools can effectively promote healthy eating habits
• clarify who is responsible for specific duties in different school settings
• explain how schools can demonstrate they are meeting their legal requirements
• support a whole-school approach to creating healthier food environments

Secondary schools: A call for evidence about current food and drink

We know that the way learners in secondary choose to access school food has changed. It looks different to primary schools where most children sit down together for a traditional two-course plated lunch. 

Secondary learners have more choice, greater autonomy, and a variety of “grab and go” foods alongside a plated meal. 

We are gathering more data on secondary school food. We are also seeking evidence to help us understand how best to achieve a nutritionally balanced, appealing food offer in secondary schools.

How your feedback will be used

Your responses will help us create:

• new regulations for primary school food and drink (starting in 2026 to 2027)
• new guidance on promoting healthy eating in schools (coming December 2025)
• future plans for improving secondary school food regulations.

Current school food provision

Wales offers extensive food and drink support to learners:

• Around 20 million portions of free or subsidised milk served yearly.
• About 10 million free primary breakfasts provided annually.
• Free school meals for more than 120,000 learners from families receiving certain benefits or through transitional protections.
• Universal free meals for all primary pupils, benefiting an additional 175,000 learners.

Together, about two-thirds of Welsh learners can access a free lunch daily, with many more using the paid meal service.

Research shows school meals can:

• raise educational achievement
• help develop healthy eating habits and reduce health inequalities
• fight child hunger and poverty
• improve family finances

These benefits are greatest when meals follow strong nutritional standards.

Policies supporting health through school food

Our approach to school food is guided by:

• The Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Measure 2009.
• The Healthy Eating in Schools (Nutritional Standards and Requirements) (Wales) Regulations 2013.
• Healthy eating in maintained schools: statutory guidance.
• The Curriculum for Wales.
• The Welsh Network of Health and Wellbeing Promoting Schools.

 Why this matters for education

Good health and wellbeing are important to enable successful learning. We want all learners to understand the importance of a nutritious diet, the impact of their choices on their physical health and wellbeing, and to develop positive informed behaviours. Eating a nutritious meal in school can improve learners overall mood, and energy levels increasing their engagement in education, attendance and boosting achievement. Bringing learners together to eat can improve social and communication skills plus building friendships through sharing food.

Why this matters for health

We're committed to improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities. Currently:

• most children's diets don't meet national recommendations ^{[footnote 1]}
• one in four children (about 9,000) start school with overweight or obesity^{[footnote 2]}
• children living in areas of socio-economic disadvantage are more likely to have overweight or obesity. 

School meals can make up a third or more of a child's weekday food intake. They provide a crucial opportunity to increase access to healthier food, support healthy eating habits, and make healthy choices easier.

This work supports our "Healthier Wales" goal creating a society where people's physical and mental wellbeing thrives and where healthier choices become easier.

The wider benefits

School food also supports:

• children's rights: Fulfilling Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - every child's right to good health, clean water, nutritious food and health education
• local economies: Our Universal Primary Free School Meals programme is boosting local food production and distribution through sustainable public procurement
• environmental goals: Supporting our Net Zero strategy by promoting healthier diets, reducing food waste, decreasing food miles and tackling deforestation
• community food strategy: Working within our framework to maximise healthy, sustainable, locally-sourced food while addressing food poverty and creating opportunities for local economic growth
• local partnerships: Food partnerships in every Welsh local authority are connecting farmers with the wider food supply chain, complimenting the objectives of the Sustainable Farming Scheme

Progress so far

Since introducing the current regulations in 2013, we've seen significant improvements in school food. Caterers have reduced sugar in desserts, promoted more vegetables, and introduced more wholegrains. 

Many schools and caterers have embraced sustainability and local sourcing. Through funded pilot activity, we are seeing an increase in the amount of locally sourced food on school menus. The Curriculum for Wales, especially through the Health and Well-being Area of Learning, provides a holistic approach to understanding health.

Wider context

The draft regulations and guidance we're sharing represent our next step forward. But good school food isn't just about what's on the plate, it requires a whole-school approach including:

• Food education in the curriculum
• Supportive dining environments
• Appropriate lunch break lengths
• Strong partnerships

This consultation doesn’t directly deal with these wider factors but they do form part of the bigger picture. We also recognise that school food is affected by the market availability of ingredients, supply chains, procurement processes, and cost management.

How we developed these proposals

We established expert groups including: learners, schools and governing bodies, local authority caterers, the Welsh Local Government Association, Public Health Wales, dieticians, public health experts, Estyn inspectors, and academic researchers.

These groups considered:

• how the current regulations could be updated to align with the most recent UK dietary recommendations
• what would be practical to deliver
• impact of changes on school food services
• how medically prescribed diets and special dietary requirements could be met
• best practices for promoting healthy eating

For primary schools, we've developed proposals that align with dietary recommendations and appear deliverable by our partners. We welcome your views on these draft regulations and guidance.

For secondary schools, we need more information. The eating patterns in secondary schools are more complex due to the popularity of grab-and-go options, and the wide variety of foods being available during both morning and lunch breaks.

We're gathering data on consumption habits and issuing a call for evidence as part of this consultation to better understand these settings.

The evidence for change

While many factors influence children's health outcomes, evidence shows that strong food requirements and nutritional standards, implemented as part of a whole-school approach, can significantly improve dietary habits. Strengthening these standards is a vital step toward ensuring school food shapes lifelong healthy eating behaviours and improves health and education outcomes.

Current Regulations

The Current Regulations set out what school breakfast and lunch should consist of for nursery, primary and secondary learners in Wales^{[footnote 3]}. They include food and drink requirements which describe:

• Food and drink that must be provided within schools
• Food and drink that must be limited within schools
• Food and drink that are not permitted in schools

They also include nutritional standards that set out how much energy and nutrients an average school lunch must contain. 

Current Guidance 

Alongside the regulations, there is statutory guidance divided into two chapters:

Chapter 1 

Explains the duties that local authorities and governing bodies of maintained schools must fulfil under the Healthy Eating in Schools Measure, including their responsibility to promote healthy eating and drinking.

Chapter 2

Provides practical guidance to school caterers on implementing the food and nutritional standards.

Together, these documents help ensure learners can access appetising, nutritionally balanced meals while learning about the benefits of healthy eating and drinking.

Why we're updating primary school food regulations 

Since the current regulations were introduced, several developments have occurred:

• UK dietary guidelines have been updated based on recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) ^{[footnote 4]}.
  • The universal provision of free school meals in primary schools has created a renewed opportunity to continue improving school food and healthy eating.
  • Demand for special diets has increased with the universal offer in primary schools.

We've recognised that the current guidance doesn't adequately address:

• When to provide food for 'medically prescribed dietary requirements'.
  • Other important dietary considerations.

These areas have been reviewed as part of our work to update the regulations and guidance. 

Proposed changes for Nursery and Primary School Lunch

An overview of the following proposed changes are set out in ’Annex A: proposed changes’ on the main consultation page. 

It is proposed that these regulations will apply to nursery children provided with school lunch as well as primary aged children in full time maintained education. 

Fruit and Vegetables

What we're proposing and why

Current regulations require one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables daily.

Fruit and vegetables should make up over a third of a healthy diet as they provide essential vitamins, minerals and fibre. Most Welsh children don't eat the recommended five portions a day, with children from poorer households eating the least^{[footnote 5]} Research^{[footnote 6]} shows vegetable consumption is lower than fruit consumption among primary pupils.

Our proposed changes

• At least two portions of vegetables must be provided daily.
• At least six different vegetable varieties must be provided weekly.
• Daily fruit portion requirement continues, with at least four different varieties provided weekly.

Starchy carbohydrates

What we're proposing and why

Currently, there are no standards for starchy carbohydrates.

According to the Eatwell Guide, the UK's official healthy eating model, meals should be based on starchy foods, preferably higher fibre or wholegrain varieties. These provide energy and important nutrients, including fibre. The UK dietary recommendation for ages 5 to 11 is 20 grams of fibre daily^{[footnote 7]}, but few children meet this target.

Our proposed changes

• A portion of starchy carbohydrates must be provided at least three times each week.
• At least one portion of pasta, noodles or rice must be provided each week and must contain at least 50%. wholegrain. Bread must be at least 50% wholegrain.

Beans, Pules, Fish, Eggs, Meat and Other Protein

What we're proposing and why

Current regulations require meat cuts at least twice weekly (this does not stipulate whether red or white meat), limit processed meat to no more than twice weekly, and require fish once weekly with oily fish every two weeks. There are no requirements for other protein sources.

Protein is essential and provides important vitamins and minerals. We need a balanced approach offering various protein sources throughout the week, including fish, lean white and red meat, pulses and beans.

UK dietary recommendations advise limiting red and processed meat consumption as eating too much is linked to an increased risk of cancer. However, red meat, in moderation, is a good source of beneficial nutrients like iron, zinc and B vitamins.

We propose reclassifying ham, gammon and bacon from meat cuts to processed meats, as they're classified as processed in UK dietary advice.

While oily fish (high in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids) is currently required every two weeks, evidence shows high food waste when it's served and lower meal uptake on these days. Reducing the frequency while still offering exposure to oily fish helps address waste issues.

There is also evidence that non-meat alternatives provided daily are often cheese-based. Also, that there have been increases in the availability and variety of processed alternatives to meat or fish. These can be high in salt and(or) fat and low in fibre and aren’t required as part of a healthy balanced diet. Non-meat protein alternatives that are high in fibre and low in fat such as beans, pulses, and eggs, as recommended in the Eatwell Guide, are healthier choices. We want to ensure school food supports healthy balanced meals for vegetarians and those that choose non-meat options.

Our proposed changes

• At least one portion of red meat (but no more than two) must be provided each week.
• Processed meat or products containing meat limited to once a week.
• No limits on white meat cuts.
• Oily fish must be provided once every four weeks.
• Processed alternatives to meat and fish limited to twice weekly.
• Lunch where cheese is the main protein source limited to twice weekly.

Potatoes cooked in oil and fried foods

What we're proposing and why

Currently, potatoes or potato products cooked in oil and deep-fried or flash-fried products are limited to twice weekly each.

These foods contribute significantly to calories, fat and trans fats. UK guidelines advise reducing all fats. Children should get most calories from fruit, vegetables and wholegrain starchy foods.

Our proposed changes

• Potato or potato products cooked in fat or oil limited to twice weekly, with no more than one of those portions being deep-fried.
• Deep-fried or flash-fried food limited to once weekly (including manufactured products or those prepared on school premises with coating or breadcrumbs containing oil).

Pastry and pastry products

What we're proposing and why

Currently, there are no requirements for pastry products.

Pastry is generally high in saturated fat and may contribute to salt and sugar consumption. Too much saturated fat is bad for children's health.

Our proposed change

• Pastry or products containing pastry (sweet or savoury) limited to once weekly.

Desserts

What we're proposing and why

Currently, there's no limit on sweetened baked goods and desserts, though fruit-based desserts must be provided twice weekly.

Traditional primary school meals include a main dish and dessert. While desserts can provide nutrients and are often children's favourite part of the meal, they can be high in sugar, fat and saturated fat. They can also establish the habit of expecting sweet treats with every meal. Evidence shows that children in Wales exceed the recommended intakes for free sugars and saturated fat

The Eatwell Guide shows that high-fat, high-sugar foods should be occasional treats in smaller portions, not regular parts of the diet.

Our proposed changes

• Sweetened baked products and desserts limited to three times weekly (excluding milk-based desserts like yoghurt, custard and rice pudding).
• All desserts must contain or be served with a dessert portion of fruit or vegetables.
• Other dessert options like fruit, yoghurt, and cheese and crackers can continue to be offered as healthier alternatives.

Drinks

An overview of the following proposed changes are set out in ’Annex A: proposed changes’ on the main consultation page. 

What we're proposing and why

Currently, a range of drinks, including water, milk, fruit or vegetable juice, plant-based drinks, and combination or blended drinks are permitted.

The most appropriate drinks for children are water and milk. Children should avoid sugary drinks completely. A quarter of children's daily sugar comes from sugary drinks, which are linked to obesity and tooth decay.

Our proposed change

• Only plain water, plain milk and plain plant-based drinks will be permitted.
• Fruit juice will no longer be permitted due to its sugar content.

Portion sizes (Nutritional standards) 

An overview of the following proposed changes are set out in ’Annex A: proposed changes’ on the main consultation page. 

What we're proposing and why

Currently, a universal portion size is provided for all learners.

The nutrient standards are based on lunch providing 30% of daily macronutrient requirements and an increased percentage for micronutrients, reflecting the importance of school lunch for children's nutrition.

Current standards were calculated based on 60% of pupils being ages 4 to 6 and 40% ages 7 to10.

We don't intend to change the nutritional contribution of school lunches, but we want to better reflect children's different dietary needs by age. Young children often get too much food, leading to overeating or waste, while some older pupils report feeling hungry after meals.

Our proposed changes

• Two different portion sizes: one for infants (Nursery to Year 2) and one for juniors (Year 3 to Year 6).
• Maximum portion sizes for foods that should be limited, minimum portion sizes for foods to be promoted.
• Supplementary bread (50% wholemeal) must be available to all learners (not included in nutritional analysis).
• Average school lunch calculation based on 1 to 4 week menu cycle rather than weekly.
• Daily 15% tolerance for energy provision.

To further support learners with larger appetites, the Guidance will propose minimum or maximum quantities for portions rather than including suggested portion size ranges. This will encourage meals that are based on starchy carbohydrates with plenty of fruit and vegetables, as suggested by the Eatwell Guide. 

Proposed changes for Primary School Breakfast 

An overview of the following proposed changes are set out in ’Annex A: proposed changes’ on the main consultation page. 

What we're proposing and why

Currently, four food categories must be provided at breakfast:

• Milk-based drinks and yoghurts.
• Cereals (not coated with sugar/chocolate/cocoa powder).
• Fruit and vegetables.
• Breads and toppings.

UK dietary recommendations state free sugars should not exceed 5% of energy intake, and fruit juice contributes significantly to free sugar intake. Additionally, few children meet the 20g daily fibre recommendation for ages 5 to 11.

Our proposed changes

• Fruit juice no longer included in the fruit definition due to its free sugar content.
• All bread must be 50% wholemeal.
• Separate portion sizes for juniors and infants provided in statutory guidance.

Understanding the Regulations Guidance

Clear information for caterers

We've made the guidance simpler with clear definitions and straightforward terminology.

For each requirement, we provide:

• Specific portion sizes for infants and juniors.
• One portion size for both age groups where pre-prepared products can't be divided.
• Recommendations for exceeding the standards.
• Encouragement to be aspirational and continuously improve.

The guidance also includes:

• information about medically prescribed dietary requirements
• clarity about other dietary needs
• which foods served during the school day must follow the regulations
• details about exemptions for medical diets and school trips

Special diets

We've addressed two key issues:

1. Inconsistent practices for Medically Prescribed Dietary Requirements (MPDR).
2. Confusion about supporting children with non-prescribed dietary needs.

The revised guidance clarifies that:

• without a medically prescribed diet, any adjusted food must still comply with the Healthy Eating Regulations
• school caterers should assess any risks when adjusting meals
• professional advice should be sought when appropriate

For medically prescribed diets:

• the Healthy Eating Regulations don't apply to food and drink provided as part of MPDR
• medical practitioners or dieticians may prescribe specific foods or advise avoiding certain foods
• school meal providers should still encourage healthier options that align with the regulations and guidance where possible
• meal providers can still apply reasonable restrictions at their discretion

New guidance for schools and local authorities 

The current guidance (Chapter 1) outlines responsibilities for local authorities and school governing bodies under the Healthy Eating in Schools Measure. These duties include: 

• Taking action to promote healthy eating and drinking in schools.
• Including information about healthy eating and drinking promotion in annual governing body reports.
• Ensuring free drinking water is available on school premises.
• Encouraging pupils to take up school meals and milk.
• Making sure eligible pupils receive their free school meals and milk.
• Protecting the identity of pupils eligible for free school meals and milk. 

Estyn also has a duty to keep Welsh Ministers informed about actions taken in maintained schools to promote healthy eating and drinking. 

Why we're making changes 

Through discussions with our partners, we've learned that the current guidance doesn't: 

• provide clear enough advice on how to fulfil these duties
• clearly explain who is responsible for specific duties in different situations 

The new approach 

We've created a new, standalone guidance document that: 

• clearly sets out the duties of local authorities, governing bodies and Estyn
• applies to all maintained schools in Wales
• explains what actions must be taken to meet these requirements
• provides practical examples of how to demonstrate compliance 

This clearer guidance will help ensure that healthy eating and drinking is promoted effectively in all Welsh schools. 

Understanding today's secondary school environment 

Since the current Regulations and Guidance were introduced in 2013, secondary school eating patterns have changed dramatically. We need more information to fully understand this complex landscape. 

Today's secondary schools feature: 

• a "grab and go" food culture
• time and space constraints
• staggered and shorter lunch periods (resulting from COVID-19 measures and behaviour management strategies)
• canteens designed for quick service
• cashless payment systems allowing flexible use of free school meal allowances
• wider food choices
• greater student autonomy over what and when they eat, (eg morning break vs lunchtime) 

This is very different from primary schools, where most children sit down together for a traditional two-course plated lunch. 

Gathering the evidence we need 

To create meaningful updates to the regulations for secondary schools, we need more information about what's actually happening in these settings and how young people are choosing to eat in schools. 

We've already begun collecting data on food consumption patterns to understand where new regulations could have the most impact. 

Your views matter

As part of this consultation, we're asking for your evidence and opinions about secondary school food. We particularly want to understand: 

How can we achieve a nutritionally balanced, appealing food offer in secondary schools? 

We welcome all evidence and insights on this topic. You don't need to provide formal research evidence, your relevant knowledge and opinions are valuable too. We especially want to hear directly from young people, as we recognize the importance of their autonomy, choice and food preferences. 

Things to consider when completing your response

This document attempts to provide sufficient summary information to help inform responses to the proposed changes. However, depending on your level of interest and role in the school food system, we would like to additionally draw your attention to the documents on the main consultation page to inform your understanding and response.

We would like to hear your thoughts on the draft proposals that have been developed. In responding, we would like you to consider: 

• Whether you agree or disagree with the change proposed and why.
• Whether there are implications with the proposals that need to be taken into consideration (for example, their potential impact on meal take-up, food waste, cost, deliverability, environment and sustainability, time required to prepare for implementation, compliance).
• whether you have any specific evidence to share with us that would support your feedback or views.
• Any other feedback you would like to offer.

Lunch in primary schools

1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals that relate to increasing the provision of fruit, vegetables and starchy carbohydrates?

2. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals that relate to meat, red meat and fish?

3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals that relate to processed meat?

4. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals that relate to non-meat options (specifically, restricting cheese-based dishes and processed meat and fish alternatives)?

5. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals that relate to potatoes cooked in oil, fried foods, sweetened baked goods and desserts, and pastry?

Drinks in primary schools 

6. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals that relate to providing only plain water, plain milk and plain plant-based drinks in primary schools?

Portion sizes in primary schools

7. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals aimed at providing more appropriate portion sizes in primary schools for those in nursery to Year 2 and Year 3 to Year 6? 

Breakfast in primary schools

8. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposals relating to breakfast provision?

The primary regulations guidance

9. Is the draft statutory guidance supporting primary school food caterers to implement the draft regulations sufficiently clear? 

Special diets

10. Is the draft statutory guidance on the provision of medically prescribed dietary requirements and other dietary requirements sufficiently clear?

Regulatory and wider impact assessment

11. What challenges, if any, do you feel should be further recognised within the draft regulatory impact assessment?

12. What positive effects, if any, do you feel should be further recognised within the draft regulatory impact assessment?

13. What comments, if any, do you have on the draft impact assessments, particularly the impact of the draft regulations on children, families living in socio-economic disadvantage and people with protected characteristics (including evidence you feel should be considered)?

14. What comments, if any, do you have on how costs would be impacted on (including evidence you feel should be considered)?

Promoting healthy eating statutory guidance: primary and secondary schools

15. Is the draft statutory guidance, aimed at supporting local authorities and governing bodies to deliver their duties to promote healthy eating and drinking, sufficiently clear? (Feel free to provide examples of anything you think is missing.)

Call for evidence: secondary schools 

16. How can we achieve a nutritionally balanced and appealing food offer in secondary schools? (Feel free to provide examples of good practice or evidence that supports your response.)

Mandatory questions 

17. What, in your opinion, would be the likely effects of the legislation on the Welsh language? We are particularly interested in any likely effects on opportunities to use the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English.

• Do you think that there are opportunities to promote any positive effects?
• Do you think that there are opportunities to mitigate any adverse effects?

18. In your opinion, could the legislation be formulated or changed so as to:

• have positive effects or more positive effects on using the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English; or
• mitigate any negative effects on using the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English?

Please use the consultation response form to respond to the above questions. 

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[1] National Diet and Nutrition Survey 

[2] Child Measurement Programme - Public Health Wales 

[3] Maintained schools

[4]SACN provides independent scientific risk assessments on nutrition and related health issues to the four UK governments based on the best available evidence

[5] National Diet and Nutrition Survey

[6] National Data - School Health Research Network

[7] Page 198 - Carbohydrates and Health