Children’s food movement unites at national awards to celebrate changemakers  

The Children’s Food Awards have once again celebrated the pioneering and courageous champions challenging the food system and working to ensure healthier, fairer and more sustainable food for children.At an awards ceremony held as part of the Children’s Food Summit in Westminster on 25 February, teenage activists Esmee, Elsie and George from Howden School in Yorkshire were named Young Changemakers of the Year, whilst Stephanie Slater, the founder and CEO of School Food Matters scooped the School Food Legend Award for 2025. Leicester Mammas, the Breastfeeding network, and the Scottish Government’s early years team all scooped wards, as did Tower Hamlet council and Aberdeen’s Give Peas a Chance! Project.

Children’s Food Campaign Manager Barbara Crowther said:

“What an incredible bunch of winners! We were blown away by the imagination, creativity and sheer persistence of our award nominees this year. We’re delighted the Children’s Food Awards is able to shine a spotlight on these yummy heroes who are making a huge difference whether it’s transforming school food, lobbying for policy change, providing advice and support with infant feeding, or connecting UK farmers with healthy eating initiatives, or protecting children from junk food advertising locally. We all have the power to create a healthier food nation for our children, and our winners this year truly demonstrate that!”  

Dubbed the Yummies and the Yuckies, nominations were sought during Autumn 2024 from amongst Sustain networks, via members and partners and via social media across 10 different award categories. Judging was chaired by Sustain Trustee Katharine Jenner of the Obesity Health Alliance and a panel of drawn from partner organisations.

Early years in focus

It was notable in 2025 to see several winners involved in work to support early years feeding, which has often been an overlooked area in Government obesity policy and food strategy work, but vitally important in addressing pre-school dietary and oral health. The Breastfeeding Network took the Early Years Legend Award for its incredible peer support including a 24-hour helpline, whilst the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion award went to Leicester Mammas, for its work supporting food insecure families, including refugees and migrants. The Scottish government’s early years team, led by Carolyn Wilson, also took the political leadership award for their work to create Scotland’s guide to address infant food insecurity.  

Heroes of School Food

Campaigning for better school food was in focus, as Ellie, George and Esmee from Howden School in Yorkshire were named Young Changemakers of the Year for their campaign to transform their school canteen, starting when they were just 13-14 years old, involving fellow students across the year groups. Stephanie Slater, the founder and CEO of School Food Matters won the School Food Legend Award, for her incredible journey starting in 2007 as a parent of two children trying to improve the food in her school, and building an organisation now running practical programmes with hundreds of schools whilst also campaigning for healthy school food for all.  

Local councils go the extra mile

Two local councils scooped top awards at this year’s ceremony. Tower Hamlets took the Best Local Healthy Advertising Award, for a comprehensive policy and clear implementation plan as well as support and advice to other councils. Aberdeen City Council’s partnership with Balmakewan Farm, Soil Association Scotland and other partners in the Give Peas a Chance! Project took the Best Local Initiative award for its work integrating locally grown peas into school meals across 61 different sites.

All the awards were presented at a ceremony at the end of the Children’s Food Summit, a gathering of 140 representatives from children’s health and food organisations, local councils and food partnerships, parenting groups, MPs and local charities. The event featured a panel discussion chaired by Dev Sharma, a young food activist and former member of the Youth Parliament, alongside Emma Lewell-Buck MP, Ellie Chowns MP and Jess Brown-Fuller MP as well as a keynote speech from Baroness Rosie Boycott, a patron of Sustain and member of the recent Lords' Committee on food, diet and obesity.

Read about the winners of our Yucky awards

All the award winners revealed

Yummy Award: School Food Campaign Legend (Award partner: Bremner & Co)

Winner: Stephanie Slater

As the founder and CEO of School Food Matters, Stephanie Slater has become a true champion for school food and driven meaningful policy changes. Transforming a local initiative into a nationally recognised movement, she tirelessly campaigns for equitable access to healthy meals in schools.

Runners Up:

• Professor Greta Defeyter
• Fiona Black

Yummy Award: Children’s Food Young Changemaker (Award partner: Bite Back)

Winners: Elsie, Esmee, and George
Elsie, George and Esmee are Year 10 students from Yorkshire who led the way with an ambitious campaign to transform their canteen environment and school food offer.

Runners Up:

• Saf
• Brooke

Yummy Award: Political Leadership in Championing Children's Healthy Food

Winner: Carolyn Wilson and team at the Scottish Government
Carolyn Wilson and the Scottish Government’s early years team won for their pioneering work on infant food insecurity, creating practical policies to support breastfeeding, improve formula access, and strengthen support schemes.

Runners Up:

• House of Lords Select Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity
• Tower Hamlets Council

Yummy Award: Championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Children's Food

Winner: Leicester Mammas
Leicester Mammas earned the award for their innovative peer support model, which provides non-judgmental breastfeeding and formula feeding advice. Their work has significantly impacted vulnerable families in Leicester, influencing advocacy for stronger marketing restrictions on breastmilk substitutes and better support for families.

Runners Up:

• Changing Realities project
• The School Meals Service

Yummy Award: Early Years Nutrition Legend (Award partner: First Steps Nutrition Trust)

Winner: The Breastfeeding Network
The Breastfeeding Network won for its vital, volunteer-led support services, including the 24-hour National Breastfeeding Helpline and expert advice on breastfeeding and medication. Their inclusive, collaborative approach ensures more parents get the support they need to feed their babies with confidence.

Runners Up:

• Early Start Nutrition
• Tiny Tums Best Practice Award

Yummy Award: Best Local Initiative Championing Children’s Healthy Food (Award partner: Soil Association)

Winner: Give Peas a Chance!
This imaginative initiative transforms healthy eating into an adventure through interactive workshops, school gardens, and creative cooking classes that engage children directly.

Runners Up:

• Cegin y Bobl
• Food for Thought

Yummy Award: Best Local Healthy Food Advertising Policy (Nominations led by Sustain’s Commercial Determinants Coordinator Fran Bernhardt)

Winner: Tower Hamlets Council
Tower Hamlets have been actively pursuing a strong implementation of their policy and as they are the council that most closely aligns with Sustain recommendations on robust implementation, they are setting new ambitious precedents for others to follow.

Runners Up:

• Knowsley Council
• Hounslow Council

Yucky Award: Commercial Villain

Winner: Kentucky Fried Chicken
Aggressive marketing tactics that target children have earned KFC the dubious title of Children’s Food Commercial Villain, spotlighting practices that contribute to unhealthy eating habits.

Runners Up:

• Ella’s Kitchen
• Ferrero Rocher

Yucky Award: Worst Example of Healthwashing of Children's Food

Winner: Aptamil 3 Toddler Milk

Misleading marketing and unnecessary composition, for this toddler milk targetted at 1-3 year-olds, which contains numerous health claims but actually contains as much sugar as a chocolate milkshake. These products are not necessary for early child development according to NHS guidance.

Runners Up:

• Kiddylicious
• Burger King

Yucky Award: Recipe Most in Need of Change

Winner: Farley's Rusks Reduced Sugar biscuits

Despite being described as 'reduced sugar' these biscuits still contain one third more sugar than the average digestive biscuit, and they are specifically targetted at babies as young as six months, who should not be having added sugar.

Runners Up:

• Gourmet Burger Kitchen children's meals
• Fruit Bowl Strawberry Yoghurt Flakes