In April 2026, the government announced the most significant overhaul of school food standards in over a decade. Among the headline changes are proposals focused on banning junk food in schools, high-sugar items will be heavily restricted, and desserts will need to contain at least 50% fruit for most of the school week.
The policy is driven by public health concerns and forms part of a wider effort focused on banning unhealthy foods in school environments. Especially since one in three primary school children is currently leaving school overweight or obese, and tooth decay linked to high sugar consumption is the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to nine. The ambition behind the reforms is clear and widely supported.
But for school caterers, kitchen managers and facilities teams, the announcement creates a very practical question: what does this mean for how school kitchens need to be set up? Removing deep-fried food from the menu isn't simply a matter of changing what goes on the plate. It has implications for equipment, workflow and school kitchen design that deserve serious consideration.
What's Actually Changing?
The new standards, which are expected to be finalised by September 2026 with a compliance oversight body in place by September 2027, will prohibit deep-fried items entirely from school menus. Grab-and-go staples like sausage rolls and pizza will no longer be available on a daily basis. Secondary schools have been given an additional transition period until 2028 to restructure their operations and supply chains.
The practical consequence is that fryers, which have been a core piece of equipment in most school kitchen designs for decades, will no longer have a place in a compliant school kitchen. For some schools, this may simply mean replacing ageing equipment. For others, particularly where frying has played a central role in food production, it may require a broader review of kitchen workflow and cooking methods. Either way, the deadline creates a clear window in which decisions need to be made, budgets need to be considered, and procurement needs to begin.
The Equipment Gap
School kitchens designed around a fried food offering typically have fryers as central infrastructure plumbed in, with associated extraction and fire suppression systems built around them. Removing that equipment creates space that needs to be repurposed and, in many cases, extraction or ventilation infrastructure that needs to be reconsidered.
More importantly, the menus that will replace fried food require different cooking methods: steaming, oven roasting, grilling, baking and combination cooking. That puts different demands on the kitchen's equipment portfolio. Schools that previously relied heavily on frying to produce quick, high-volume meals will need cooking equipment that can deliver the same throughput with healthier techniques. Getting the equipment specification right from the outset is important. The wrong equipment choice can create service bottlenecks, increase pressure on kitchen teams and reduce overall efficiency during busy periods.
Convection Ovens, Combi Ovens And Steamers
For most school kitchens looking to reconfigure around the new standards, the most practical investments are likely to centre on combi ovens and convection ovens. A combi oven in particular is well suited to the demands of school catering. It can handle high-volume production of proteins, vegetables and baked goods simultaneously, maintains consistent quality even when operated by staff with varying levels of culinary skill and can be programmed with preset recipes to simplify kitchen operations.
Steamers are another valuable addition to a school kitchen transitioning away from frying. They're fast, efficient and ideal for producing the vegetables, pulses and wholegrains that the new standards actively encourage. Countertop models can be added to an existing setup without significant infrastructure changes, making them accessible even for schools with limited budgets.
For schools that served large volumes of potato-based dishes, oven-baked alternatives using convection technology can produce results that are genuinely comparable in texture and appeal, particularly with younger pupils who may need time to adjust to menu changes. Getting the right equipment in place makes that transition considerably smoother.
Thinking About School Kitchen Design More Broadly
The policy change is also an opportunity to think more broadly about school kitchen design. Many school kitchens are working with layouts and equipment configurations that haven't changed significantly in 20 or 30 years. A redesign forced by the departure of frying equipment could (with the right planning) result in a more efficient, more flexible and better-ventilated kitchen that serves the school well for the next generation of food standards.
That needn't mean a full fit-out. Modular equipment choices, smart use of existing space and targeted investment in the right appliances can achieve a great deal without a wholesale renovation. Schools that begin planning early are likely to have greater flexibility when budgeting, specifying equipment and implementing changes ahead of future compliance deadlines.
If you're a school catering team or facilities manager thinking through what the new food standards mean for your kitchen setup, we're here to help. Get in touch with our team today.
