For the first time in over a decade, England's School Food Standards have been updated - creating a major opportunity to improve children's health and wellbeing through the food they eat at school.
With Free School Meals now available to 3 million children across the country, the potential impact is huge. Children eat around a third of their daily food at school, so making sure that food is nutritious, balanced and enjoyable can make a meaningful difference to children's health at scale.
But turning new standards into better food on every school plate will take action.
A healthier future starts at lunchtime
Today, around a third of children under 11 are overweight or experiencing obesity. Tooth decay is also the leading cause of hospital admission for children aged 5-9.
School food has an important role to play in addressing these challenges.
Every school lunchtime is an opportunity to give children the nourishment they need to learn, grow and thrive - while helping them develop positive relationships with food that can last a lifetime.
The updated School Food Standards are an important step forward. With plans to monitor the quality of school food, there is also a real opportunity to make sure these standards translate into meaningful change in schools across the country.
Introducing the School Food Project
The School Food Project exists to help schools and caterers transform school food for future generations.
The project is being delivered by a coalition of organisations with expertise in outstanding food and food education: Bite Back, Chefs in Schools, The Jamie Oliver Group, School Food Matters and The Food Foundation.
Together, the coalition is working to give schools the practical support they need to make great school food a reality.
This includes in-school support through the Beacon School Programme, as well as the School Food Project Hub - an online resource offering free training and practical resources to help schools deliver high-quality food and meaningful food education.
Whether you're a school leader, caterer, teacher, parent or other school food stakeholder, support is available.
What happens when school food gets it wrong?
To launch the School Food Project, Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett joined forces with young activists for a bold and deliberately uncomfortable experiment.
Famous foodies, influencers and sports stars were invited to an exclusive dining experience at Centena. But instead of the meal they were expecting, they were served a beige, cold lunch designed to represent the kind of uninspiring school meal that too many children experience.
Their reactions were immediate - and often hilarious. But behind the laughs was a serious message: children deserve better.
The guests were then served a nutritious, delicious meal, showing what school food can and should be when schools have the right support, resources and standards in place. The resulting video brings the issue to life in a way that is impossible to ignore.
Help turn policy into reality
Updating the School Food Standards is an important milestone. But standards alone won't transform what children eat at lunchtime.
Schools and caterers need access to the right training, resources and support. Parents and the wider school community also have an important role to play in championing better food for children.
That's why we're asking schools, parents, supporters, food lovers and anyone who believes children deserve the best possible start in life to get behind the School Food Project.
Watch the video. Share it with your networks. And help us make sure the new standards lead to better food on children's plates.
Schools can access free training and resources through the School Food Project Hub: www.schoolfoodproject.org.uk/registration
Together, we can turn updated standards into lasting change - and make nutritious, delicious school food the norm for every child.