Parents lead the push for healthier school food

Parents are leading push for healthier and happier school meals with launch of new Fuel for Learning toolkit. 

Co-developed with parents, the toolkit comes at a time of growing national focus on school food. The Department for Education is currently consulting on updates to the School Food Standards, including how they are monitored and implemented, reflecting increased attention on the quality, consistency and accessibility of food provided in schools.

Dr. Rounaq Nayak, parent of a 4 year old & a 10 year old says:

"Like many parents, I want my child to grow up healthy not just in terms of what they eat, but in how they think and feel about food. School plays a big role in that. What children eat during the day can shape their energy, their focus, and the habits they carry with them as they grow. But when it comes to school food, it’s not always clear how decisions are made or how parents can get involved. It can feel complicated, and sometimes a bit out of reach. This toolkit helps change that by making the system easier to understand and giving parents a clearer way to engage and have their voices heard."

Alongside these developments, there is increasing recognition of the important role parents play as partners in creating positive change within school communities. Across the UK, parents are already demonstrating strong interest in improving school food and supporting healthier environments for their children. Polling by the Children’s Food Campaign found that nearly 8 in 10 (77%) support nutritious school meals for all children, while 89% back stronger monitoring of school food standards. Together, these findings underline a clear message: parents value school food and want to be part of meaningful change.

The Fuel for Learning toolkit is grounded in lived parent experience and reflects a shared need for clearer communication, greater transparency and realistic, achievable steps for engagement. It helps parents and carers understand how school food systems operate, build confidence in engaging with schools, and work collaboratively with school staff, caterers and PTAs to support improvements.

Florine Nikound, parent of a 4 year old & a 5 year old says:

“When we first visited our son’s school, everything was explained clearly except when it came to food, which felt vague and harder to understand. Once he started Reception, we began to see how much school meals shaped his experience, from what he would and wouldn’t eat to how he talked about food at home, but it wasn’t obvious how to influence change. That’s why our Fuel for Learning parent toolkit is so needed - it reflects those everyday realities parents recognise and helps turn them into something practical we can act on together.”

As many families receive confirmation of school places and begin preparing for the new academic year, this represents a valuable opportunity to connect with school communities including engaging with issues such as food, wellbeing and the wider school experience.

Importantly, the toolkit promotes a partnership-based approach. Rather than placing additional pressure on schools, it emphasises shared goals and recognises that meaningful, sustainable change is most effective when schools and families work together.

Gemma McFarlane, parent of a 14 year old and a 17 year old says:

"With children spending around 190 days a year in school, it’s only right that parents have a voice in what fuels their learning. We develop lifelong eating habits as children, so it’s important that school food supports our children’s wellbeing now and into the future. When we pay attention to school food, we’re really paying attention to the foundations of children’s daily experience and wellbeing. This becomes even more important as children move into secondary school, where the quality and consistency of school food can vary. There are so many factors influencing the food our teenagers eat, and school food has a key role in helping to support and encourage positive food options."

Fuel for Learning Toolkit: a parent-led guide to healthier, happier school meals.

Special recognition for Children's Food Campaign parent ambassadors who have worked with Sustain in co-designing this amazing piece of work. Agnieszka Stanczak, Ben Jones, Beatrice Adeyemi, Clare Frewin, Emma Slade-Jones, Florine Nikound, Lauren Morley, Gemma Mcfarlane, Mary Carlton, Mandy Mazliah, Rounaq Nayak, Sofia Gallo, Victoria Mortimer, Zoe Wright. Thank you!