Healthy eating in schools: guidance 2020

Section 6: Summary of the Food and Drink Standards across the School Day

Table 6: Summary of primary school provision for food and drink across the whole school day including hostel evening meals

Primary School meals - Including: School Lunch

Outwith the primary School Lunch - Including: breakfast clubs, tuckshops, morning break, vending machines and after school clubs

Fruits and Vegetables

Primary School meals

• Not less than two portions of vegetables shall form part of the school lunch.
• Not less than one portion of fruit shall form part of the school lunch.
• A portion is 40g.
• A portion of dried fruit is 15g.

Outwith the primary School Lunch

• Portions of fruit and/or vegetables must be made available in any place within the premises where food is provided.
• A portion is 40g.
• A portion of dried fruit is 15g.

Oily Fish

Primary School meals

• Oily fish must be provided at least once every three weeks.

Outwith the primary School Lunch

• No standard.

Red and Red Processed Meat

Primary School meals

• No more than 175g of red and red processed meat is permitted over the course of the school week, of which no more than 100g should be red processed meat.
• This applies as a total to all outlets offering red and red processed meats for example a lunchtime salad bar offering ham pasta.

Outwith the primary School Lunch

• Red and red processed meat is not permitted.

Sweetened Baked Products and Desserts

Primary School meals

• Sweetened baked products and desserts cannot be served more than three times per week.
• When served they should contain no more than 15g of total sugar per portion.

Outwith the primary School Lunch

Only products meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• No more than 7g of total sugar per portion.
• No more than 13g of fat per portion.
• No more than 4g of saturated fat per portion.

Breakfast Cereals

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

Only breakfast cereals meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• No more than 15g of total sugar per 100g.
• No more than 440mg of sodium per 100g.
• No more than 1.1g of salt per 100g.
• At least 3g of fibre per 100g.

Deep Fried and fried Foods

Primary School meals

• Food that has been deep fried in the cooking or manufacturing process shall not be permitted more than three times in a week.
• Chips, if served, must be served as part of a meal.

Outwith the primary School Lunch

• No fried foods can be available outwith the school lunch, with the exception of savoury snacks that meet the criteria outlined in standard 7.

Savoury Snacks

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

The following savoury snacks can be provided:

• plain savoury crackers
• plain oatcakes
• plain breadsticks

Outwith the primary School Lunch

In addition, only pre-packaged savoury snacks meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• Pack size of no more than 25g.
• No more than 22g of fat per 100g.
• No more than 2g of saturated fat per 100g.
• No more than 600mg of sodium per 100g.
• No more than 1.5g of salt per 100g.
• No more than 3g of total sugar per 100g.

Bread

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

All Bread and bread rolls must contain a minimum of 3g of AOAC fibre per 100g.

Sweetened Yoghurts, Fromage Frais and other milk-based desserts

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

Only sweetened yoghurt, fromage frais and other milk-based desserts meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• Maximum portion size of 125g.
• No more than 10g of total sugar per 100g.
• No more than 3g of fat per 100g.

Pastry and Pastry Products

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

• Pastry and pastry products must not be provided more than twice a week across the school day.

Oils and Spreads

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

Oils must contain a total saturated fat content which does not exceed 16 grams per 100 grams and:

(a) a total monounsaturated fat content of at least 55 grams per 100 grams; or

(b) a total polyunsaturated fat content of at least 30 grams per 100 grams.

Fat spread must contain:

(a) a total saturated fat content which does not exceed 20 grams per 100 grams; and

(b) a combined total monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat content of at least 30 grams per 100 grams.

Salt and Condiments

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

• No salt shall be available to add to food after the cooking process is complete.
• Other condiments may be available to pupils only in individual portions of no more than 10 millilitres.

Confectionery

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

• No confectionery shall be made available in any place within school premises. Either as a separate item such as a chocolate bar or as an ingredient in products under any other standard such as sweetened baked goods or pastry items.

Drinks

Primary School meals / Outwith the primary School Lunch

The only drinks that can be provided are:

• Plain still or sparkling water
• Plain lower fat milk and calcium enriched milk alternatives
• No added sugar, lower fat milk drinks
• No added sugar, lower fat drinking yoghurts

Table 7: Summary of Secondary school provision for food and drink across the whole school day including hostel evening meals

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils. Including: the non analysed school lunch options, breakfast clubs, tuckshops, morning break, vending machines and after school clubs

Fruits and Vegetables

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• Not less than two portions of vegetables shall form part of the analysed school lunch.
• Not less than one portion of fruit shall form part of the analysed school lunch.
• A portion is 80g.
• A portion of dried fruit is 30g.

Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils. Including: the non analysed school lunch options, breakfast clubs, tuckshops, morning break, vending machines and after school clubs

• Portions of fruit and/or vegetables must be made available in any place within the premises where food is provided.
• A portion of salad or vegetables must be provided and included in the cost of any main lunch item.
• A portion is 80g.
• A portion of dried fruit is 30g.

Oily Fish

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• Oily fish must be provided at least once every 3 three weeks.
• This standard also applies separately to oily fish being provided as part of a school hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils.

Red and Red Processed Meat

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• No more than 230g of red and red processed meat is permitted over the course of the school week, of which no more than 130g should be red processed meat.
• This applies as a total to all outlets offering red and red processed meats throughout the school day for example breakfast provision, mid-morning break and a lunchtime salad bar offering ham pasta.
• In addition, where red and red processed meat is being provided as part of a school hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils, no more than 115g of red meat can be provided of which no more than 65g can be red processed meat.

Sweetened Baked Products and Desserts

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

Only products meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• No more than 10g of total sugar per portion.
• No more than 19g of fat per portion.
• No more than 6g of saturated fat per portion.

Breakfast Cereals

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

Only breakfast cereals meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• No more than 15g of total sugar per 100g.
• No more than 440mg of sodium per 100g.
• No more than 1.1g of salt per 100g.
• At least 3g of fibre per 100g.

Deep Fried and fried Foods

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• Food that has been deep fried in the cooking or manufacturing process shall not be permitted more than three times per week (with the exception of savoury snacks that meet the criteria detailed below).
• Chips, if served, must be served as part of a meal.
• This standard also applies separately to deep fried and fried foods being provided as part of a school hostel evening meal.

Savoury Snacks

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

The following savoury snacks can be provided:

• plain savoury crackers
• plain oatcakes
• plain breadsticks

In addition, only pre-packaged savoury snacks meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• Pack size of no more than 25g.
• No more than 22g of fat per 100g.
• No more than 2g of saturates per 100g.
• No more than 600mg of sodium per 100g.
• No more than 1.5g of salt per 100g.
• No more than 3g of total sugar per 100g.

Bread

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• All Bread and bread rolls must contain a minimum of 3g of AOAC fibre per 100g.

Yoghurts, Fromage Frais and Other Milk-based Desserts

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

Only sweetened yoghurt, fromage frais and other milk-based desserts meeting the following criteria can be provided:

• Maximum portion size of 175g.
• No more than 10g of total sugar per 100g.
• No more than 3g of fat per 100g.

Pastry and Pastry Products

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• Pastry and pastry products must not be provided more than twice a week across the school day.
• This standard also applies separately to pastry and pastry products being provided as part of a school hostel evening meal

Oils and Spreads

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

Oils must contain a total saturated fat content which does not exceed 16 grams per 100 grams and:

(a) a total monounsaturated fat content of at least 55 grams per 100 grams; or

(b) a total polyunsaturated fat content of at least 30 grams per 100 grams.

Fat spread must contain:

(a) a total saturated fat content which does not exceed 20 grams per 100 grams; and

(b) a combined total monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat content of at least 30 grams per 100 grams.

Salt and Condiments

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• No salt shall be available to add to food after the cooking process is complete.
• Other condiments may be available to pupils only in individual portions of no more than 10 millilitres.

Confectionery

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

• No confectionery shall be made available in any place within school premises. Either as a separate item such as a chocolate bar or as an ingredient in products under any other standard such as sweetened baked goods or pastry items.

Drinks

At the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils / Outwith the Secondary School Analysed Lunch and School Hostel evening meal for secondary aged pupils

The only drinks that can be provided are:

• Plain still or sparkling water.
• Plain lower fat milk and calcium enriched milk alternatives.
• Tea and coffee.
• No added sugar, lower fat milk drinks (e.g. flavoured and hot chocolate).
• No added sugar, lower fat drinking yoghurts.
• Sugar-free drinks (excluding high caffeine - 150 mg per litre).