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School food standards and labelling requirements

Understand what the food standards are, when your school has to follow them and how you can check that you're compliant. Get to grips with Natasha's Law and allergen labelling requirements, including what's good practice for cake sales.

Last reviewed on 13 May 2026See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 10929
Contents
  1. School food standards: requirements 
  2. Extra requirements for nutrition in EYFS
  3. Natasha's Law: allergen and food labelling requirements 

School food standards: requirements 

There are legal standards for school food, set out in The Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. The legislation specifies which types of food and drinks should be served at school and how often.

These regulations are compulsory for:

  • All maintained schools, including PRUs (as set out in the regulations)
  • Certain academies depending on when they were opened (check your funding agreement)

Academies that don't have the school food regulations covered in their funding agreements are only expected to comply with the regulations. It's best practice for you to do so.

However, from 29 June 2026, all academies will be legally required to follow the school food standards, under section 31 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

The standards cover all food and drink you provide pupils on and off school premises up to 6pm

This includes:

Lunches provided to other people on your premises