Challenges and solutions for school food

Jake Barwood, former Head Chef and Food Educator at The Totteridge Academy and the 2022 Public Sector Chef of the Year, has been visiting secondary school across England as part of the School of Artisan Food’s Education Mapping Project. His aim was to understand how young people learn about food. Building on that knowledge, Jake sets out the key challenges and solutions he saw in school food.

“According to the DfE (2025), a child’s healthy, balanced diet should consist of: Plenty of fruit and vegetables. Plenty of unrefined starchy foods. Some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein. Some milk and dairy foods. Limited amount of food and drink high fat sugar and salt.

“Below, I outline the most pressing issues and propose practical solutions that can make a meaningful difference.”

1. Leadership and Accountability. Many school leaders are unaware of the School Food Standards or feel they lack authority over what’s being served, particularly when external caterers are involved. Governors, though formally responsible for compliance, often lack the time or visibility to enforce standards.

SOLUTION: Encourage school leadership teams to work proactively with caterers to ensure compliance and create a positive food culture, with Governors asking for regular updates throughout the year.

2. The Illusion of Choice. Menus often present the same few options, creating the illusion of choice. A student might eat the same sandwich or pizza all week, limiting exposure to new meals and flavours.

SOLUTION: Streamline menus to offer fewer but higher-quality options that change daily, reducing waste and increasing engagement with healthy food.

3. The Dominance of Snacks Snack-based, high-fat, high-sugar items dominate break times, leaving the main meal of the day overlooked.

SOLUTION: Introduce healthier, freshly prepared snacks that are both compliant and appealing. At The Totteridge Academy, I implemented options like biryani with crispy onions, marinated chicken wings with slaw, and bagels with creative toppings, reducing waste and improving satisfaction, within school budgets.

4. Time and Environment Constraints Time pressures and limited dining space lead to reliance on disposable packaging and rushed meals.

SOLUTION: Prioritise communal dining experiences, reduce disposable packaging, and encourage staff to model healthy eating behaviours by joining students for meals.

5. Sixth Form Non-Compliance Non-compliant items such as sugary drinks and confectionery frequently reappear in sixth forms, undermining food standards and setting a poor example for younger students.

SOLUTION: Apply the same standards to sixth form as the rest of the school, ensuring a consistent and healthy food offer.