Children & young people


Food-based standards for school food other than lunches FAQs

These are questions we frequently answer about the standards that apply to food provided at times other than lunch.

We provide ‘meal deals’ at mid morning break for those children who participate in sporting (or other) activities at lunchtime. Can they include cakes?

‘School lunch’ is defined within the Education Act (2002) as meaning ‘food made available for consumption by the pupil as his midday meal on a school day’. Where a school deems the food chosen by a pupil is to be consumed as their ‘midday meal’, the food would need to meet the lunchtime standards including, when introduced, the standards for school lunches. We are aware that in an effort to reduce queues or to benefit those who attend lunchtime activities, some schools offer a form of pre-ordering/early pick-up service. This is usually a 'meal deal' which may contain a cake or biscuit, provided that cakes and biscuits are not offered as individual items at mid morning break.

How do we manage the fact that some standards apply across the school day?

The three food-based standards that apply across the school day are starchy food cooked in fat or oil, meat products and deep fried food. For example, if sausage rolls are served at mid morning break on Monday, then no other meat products from group 3 can be served for the rest of that fortnight, at mid morning break or any other time of the school day. It is important that everyone involved with school food provision works together to ensure that these standards are met across the school day.

Are flavoured milks allowed?

It has proved very difficult, at this stage, for manufacturers to produce milk and fruit juice combination drinks. Therefore, to ensure that there are sufficient milk drinks available to provide children with the calcium they need, the final School Food Regulations (2007) allow flavoured milk drinks. These drinks must contain at least 90% low fat or lactose reduced milk (milk where the fat content has been reduced to no more than 1.8%) and may contain vitamins and minerals. Less than 5% added sugar or honey may be added to the milk component of the drink. Flavoured milk drinks may also contain additives and flavourings permitted by EU law.

For flavoured milk drinks to be permitted in schools, do they need to contain less than 5% added sugar/honey overall, or less than 5% added sugar/honey in the milk part of the drink?

Flavoured milk drinks are permitted in schools, providing they contain not less than 90% low fat (milk with a fat content of no more than 1.8%) or lactose reduced milk by volume, and contain less than 5% added sugar or honey to the milk component of the drink. Therefore, a flavoured milk drink containing 90% milk is permitted to contain 4.5g added sugar per 100g of flavoured milk drink.

For full details of the drinks permitted in schools, please refer to the drinks table in section 6 of the guide to the nutrient-based standards.

I want to serve a drink which combines fruit juice and water. What are the rules for these types of drinks?

This type of combination drink must contain at least 50% juice, and may not contain added sugar. These types of combination drinks are classified as non-alcoholic flavoured drinks under EU law and are allowed to contain the additives and flavourings as specified by Council Directives 89/107/EEC and 88/388/EEC. However, schools are strongly encouraged to provide drinks that are additive free, in line with the original intention of the School Meals Review Panel which was for children to drink ‘pure’ drinks which offer nutritional benefit.

For further clarification please see the updated list and definition of drinks permitted in schools at the foot of this page

What is the difference between the healthier drinks standard and the Voluntary Code of Practice for drinks (the SFT Drinks Code)?

All drinks provided in schools are required to meet the food-based standard for healthier drinks. Permitted drinks include plain drinks (such as water, pure fruit juice and low fat milk) and combination drinks (including flavoured milk, and combinations of fruit juice and water). Under current EU legislation combination drinks are permitted to contain additives. More information about the drinks meeting the healthier drinks standard, and which can be provided in schools, is available from:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/healthierdrinks

The School Food Trust encourages the provision of healthier drinks that are unsweetened and additive free wherever possible, and has developed a voluntary code of practice for drinks provided in schools to support this. Schools can sign up to the drinks code to commit to providing only drinks which meet this code. Manufacturers and suppliers of drinks can sign up to the code to commit to supplying only drinks which meet the voluntary code, or to offer these,

More information about the voluntary code of practice is available from:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/vcop

Do we have to provide fruit and vegetables in all school food outlets?

Yes, schools must provide at least one option of fruit or vegetables in all school food outlets. However, we would recommend that schools offer both fruit and vegetables in all school food outlets.

Fruit juice and dried fruit are both high in sugar. Why are they being encouraged as healthy snack options?

The standards aim to improve children's diets, and fruit juice and dried fruit provide healthier alternatives to sugary soft drinks and crisps, chocolate and sweets. Both fruit juice and dried fruit contain important nutrients (e.g. antioxidants, vitamins) and so they are useful foods for schools to offer. However it is also important to be aware that dried fruit and fruit juices contain sugars, and consuming sugary food and drinks too often contributes to dental decay. Therefore individual schools may decide to offer these items at mealtimes only, and offer other alternatives such as water and fresh fruit as snacks during the rest of the school day.

Can we serve dried fruit with a small amount of glazing?

Yes. Dried fruit may contain up to 0.5% vegetable oil as a glazing agent. This type of glazing agent has a food safety role in allowing mechanical sorting of the fruit to remove stones. This is not possible in unglazed fruit which tends to clump. This minimal amount of glazing is insignificant in terms of total fat intake.

Why aren't processed fruit bars allowed, especially as they can provide one of your 5 A DAY?

The fact that fruit bars have been classed as one of the ‘recommended 5 a day portions' only indicates how much fruit a bar contains, not the processes used during production or what the remaining non fruit proportion of a bar's ingredients are. Usually the physical form of the fruit has changed, so it is worse for teeth and does not contain many of the nutrients that fruit does (e.g. fibre). We want to encourage children to eat fruit in its natural form.

Are any fruit bars allowed?

Fruit bars that are made up purely of compacted dried fruit are permitted in schools. Dried fruit contains sugar in the cell walls, which is less damaging to teeth than the added sugar in confectionery. Fruit bars that have been processed or extruded into a 'leather' texture are not permitted in schools. This type of processing releases the sugar from the cell walls so it can do more damage to teeth.

How can we tell how a fruit bar has been made?

It is important to check with the manufacturer whether the dried fruit has been extruded or simply compacted.

Why can't we serve breadsticks at mid-morning break?

Breadsticks (and crackers) can be provided at lunch time, with fruit, vegetables, yoghurt or cheese, but not at other times of the school day. The reason for this is that in primary schools in particular, crackers are often served with cheese and fruit/vegetables as a popular dessert option. Allowing breadsticks and crackers is a practical way to further encourage young people to eat more fruit, vegetables and dairy food.

Breadsticks (and crackers) can be high in salt, and therefore the amount and frequency of provision of breadsticks and savoury crackers may be restricted in practice, to help schools to meet the maximum standard for sodium.

Are yoghurt covered nuts and raisins allowed?

No, dried fruit and nuts must have no added sugar, salt or fat (with the exception of up to 0.5% vegetable oil added to dried fruit as glazing). Yoghurt coating would count as added fat and/or added sugar.

Lots of children are allergic to nuts, so why are you promoting them?

We do understand the difficulties of managing a nut allergy, but fortunately this does affect only a minority of children. Nuts provide a healthy alternative to crisps, chocolate and sweets for many children. They are not only filling but also a good source of protein – this is why we list them in our guidance. The guidance does draw attention to the issue of allergies wherever nuts are mentioned. However, individual schools may choose to remove nuts from their menus if they feel that this is in the interests of their school. Other schools may prefer to increase awareness of the importance of hygiene (e.g. hand washing) and encourage considerate behaviour around children with allergies.

More information on the provision of nuts in schools can be found at www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/nuts

Are we allowed to serve homemade cookies and flapjacks?

Only at lunchtimes. Cookies and flapjacks (either homemade or bought in) count as cakes and biscuits, which are not permitted at other times of the school day.

Can we serve croissants at our breakfast club?

Croissants and other types of pastries are classed as cakes, and can therefore be provided at lunchtime only, and are not permitted at any other time of the school day.

Can we serve scones? They are not mentioned in the new guide.

Scones (plain, cheese, fruit or any other) count as cakes rather than bread type products. Therefore, scones may be served at lunchtimes only.

Can we serve malt loaf at our tuck shop?

Malt loaf and other bread type products (e.g. bagels, currant and fruit bread, crumpets, tea cakes and English muffins) are usually lower in fat and sugar than cakes and biscuits, and are permitted at any time of the school day.

Summer is coming! Can we serve ice cream and ice lollies?

Ice cream and ice lollies are permitted under the food-based standards, with the exception of those containing chocolate or other confectionery. We would suggest that schools choose real dairy ice cream, which contains calcium, or even frozen yoghurt as a healthier alternative. Ice cream cones count as biscuits so these can only be provided at lunchtimes. Schools may need to restrict the provision of products such as ice cream to help them meet the maximum standards for non-milk extrinsic sugar and fat.

Are ice cream vans allowed on school premises?

When considering allowing ice cream vans onto school premises, schools/governing bodies/LAs should consider the following:

Health and Safety:
Regulations already impose a duty on employers (in schools this is usually the LA or governing body) to ensure, as far as is reasonably practical, the health and safety of pupils, staff and visitors on the school premises. This also applies to staff, pupils and volunteers on off site school led activities. Health and Safety laws require an employer to ensure that risk assessments are conducted and measures are put in place to control any known risk, as far as is reasonably practicable. This should take all factors into account, including risks related to any decision to allow vehicles onto school premises.

In addition, schools need to consider whether it is necessary to carry out a Criminal Records Bureau background check on persons who come into contact with pupils, including any vendors that trade on school premises.

Standards:
The food and drink items available from ice cream vans (and any other mobile food outlet) must meet the relevant regulations for school food. If the food available is considered to be ‘for consumption by pupils as their midday meal’, it must meet the standards for school lunches, the most relevant of which, in practice, would be confectionery, drinks and snacks.  In this case, the food provided would have to be included in the nutrient analysis to determine whether the nutrient-based standards are being met from 2008/9.

If the food available is not considered to be providing food for lunch, then it must meet the food-based standards for all food other than lunch, the most relevant of which are as above, plus the fruit and vegetable standard which states that fruit and/or vegetables must be available in any food outlet.

The regulations do not restrict the serving of ice lollipops and ice cream per se, but for example, they must not contain confectionery.

If we serve sausage sandwiches at breakfast, does that count as a meat product?

Yes, if you serve any meat product at any time of the school day, it counts towards the meat products standard. This means that sausage sandwiches can be served once a fortnight at breakfast, provided that no other items from that particular group of meat products are offered at any other time in the same fortnight.

Can bacon sandwiches be served at breakfast clubs or at mid morning break?

Unlike sausages, bacon is not a meat product, and therefore the provision of bacon is not restricted. However we would recommend a variety of items are available at breakfast clubs and at mid-morning break services. Where hot items are to be provided, low sugar and salt baked beans or scrambled eggs could be a good alternative to bacon.

If serving bacon sandwiches, remember that the food-based standards state that condiments may only be provided in sachets or in individual portions of no more than 10 grams or one teaspoonful

Are birthday cakes allowed in schools?

Birthday cakes provided by the school must meet the standards and therefore should not contain confectionery and should be provided at lunchtimes only. It will be for schools to decide whether to have a policy that allows parents to occasionally bring food onto school premises to share amongst pupils (e.g. birthday cakes) and, if so, whether that food will need to meet the standards. Birthdays can be considered as occasional events, but we would urge schools to consider this decision in the light of the ‘whole school approach’ to healthy eating.

Can pupils bake cakes in cookery lessons?

Food prepared during cookery lessons can include foods not otherwise permitted by the standards for school food other than lunches e.g. chocolate chip cookies. However, the food prepared should not be served as part of a school lunch. We would recommend that if the food prepared does not meet the standards, it should be taken home. Although it is good practice to allow children the experience of cooking a variety of items, we would recommend teaching children how to cook healthier items.

Can pupils bake cakes and sell them at tuck shops to raise money for charity?

The standards do not prevent children from selling food they have prepared (at home or during cookery lessons) to other pupils to raise money for charity. However, if the food does not meet the standards, it can only be sold on an occasional basis as part of a fundraising event e.g. Red Nose Day, Children in Need. A tuck shop raising money for charity on a daily or weekly basis cannot be considered an occasional event.

Are teachers allowed to give sweets to pupils as rewards?

The standards do not apply to food and drink given to pupils as rewards for achievement, good behaviour or effort, although it is good practice to reinforce a whole school approach by using healthier food or non-food items to reward good behaviour and academic performance.

As the standards now specify that only low fat milk can be provided in schools, can whole milk still be provided to pupils up to the year in which they turn 5?

There were some minor technical changes to the School Food Regulations (2007) that came into force in September 2008.

These technical changes include updating the definition of milk that can be provided in schools from “skimmed or semi-skimmed” to “low fat milk” (milk where the fat content has been reduced to no more than 1.8%). This has been updated to reflect the definition of low fat milk as defined in Council Regulation (EC) No. 2597/97.

The School Food Regulations, Schedule 2, paragraph 7 states that no milk other than low fat milk may be provided in schools, except that whole milk may be provided for pupils up to the end of the school year in which they turn five. This schedule remains unchanged, and therefore whole milk can still be provided for these pupils.

The Regulations do not apply to nursery schools or nursery units within primary schools, and whole milk can be provided to pupils in nursery schools or nursery units within primary schools.

What snacks and drinks can we provide at our after school club?

The food and drink provided at after school clubs held on school premises is required to meet the food-based standards for all school food other than lunches. There is more information about these standards in “A guide to introducing the Government’s new food-based standards for all school food other than lunches” which is available to download here.

Examples of snacks that can be provided at after school clubs (and throughout the school day) include whole, chopped or canned fruit, dried fruit (with no added fat, sugar or salt), yoghurts or fromage frais, bread type products (such as bagels, crumpets or tea cakes) and toast with toppings.

Depending on the facilities available, more substantial snacks such as filled sandwiches, baguettes or wraps, pasta or rice salads, soup and filled jacket potatoes can also be provided.

The restrictions on the provision of meat products, starchy foods cooked in fat or oil and deep-fried foods apply throughout the school day, so it is important to consult the provider of school lunches if you wish to provide any items that fall into these categories to ensure that these standards are met across all services operating throughout the school day.

For more details about the drinks that can be provided throughout the school day, please refer to the updated drinks table, available to download at the foot of this page.

What can we provide at our breakfast club?

The food provided at breakfast clubs must meet the food-based standards for all school food other than lunches. There is more information about these standards in “A guide to introducing the Government’s new food-based standards for all school food other than lunches” which is available to download here.

Examples of food that can be provided at breakfast clubs include breakfast cereals served with milk or yoghurt, porridge, wholemeal or white toast with toppings (such as spread, butter, jam, marmalade, peanut butter or yeast extract) or bread type products such as bagels and English muffins.

Depending on the facilities available, hot items such as baked beans or scrambled eggs could also be provided. The restrictions on the provision of meat products applies across the school day, so it is important to check with the provider of the lunch service if you intend to provide meat products (e.g. sausages) as part of a breakfast club to ensure that these standards are met across all services operating throughout the school day.

For more details about the drinks that can be provided throughout the school day, please refer to the updated drinks table, available at the foot of this page.

Download

sft_summary_drinks_table.pdf

List and definition of drinks permitted in schools

Further Reading

Food other than lunch

The standards for food provided in schools at times other than lunch.


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