A new report published today reveals that weak enforcement of school food standards has allowed a growing “grab-and-go” market to dominate secondary schools, exposing young people to unhealthy food, while generating significant profits for school food providers, caterers and suppliers.
“Grab-and-go” refers to the quick, pre-packaged food that students can pick up and eat on the move — items like pizza slices, sausage rolls, paninis, pastries and sugary drinks. Designed for speed and convenience, these foods now dominate school canteens, replacing proper sit-down meals as lunch breaks shrink and queues grow leaving many students with little time to access a proper meal.
But while grab-and-go may be quick, it is often nutritionally poor. Typically high in fat, salt and sugar, these foods are built around cheap ingredients and lack the balance needed to sustain energy and concentration.
Evidence from the study shows that manufacturers and suppliers increasingly view secondary schools as a growing commercial market, designing products specifically for school environments and prioritising high-margin snack items.
Bite Back founder, chef and health campaigner, Jamie Oliver, said:
“What children eat at school shapes their health, how well they learn and their economic future—so when the food isn’t nutritious, it’s a massive missed opportunity. This report is a reminder we’re still not getting this right and profit is coming ahead of our kids’ futures.
“This report, from the voice of children, shows, without doubt, we need those in power to step up, set the right standards and make sure they’re enforced. And it’s on all of us too — parents and the public — to back young people and demand better. Every child deserves proper, nourishing food and the chance to thrive,” he explained.
Bite Back’s findings come at a pivotal moment, as the government considers updates to school food standards and their enforcement, and expands free school meals. The charity’s youth activists met with School Food Minister Olivia Bailey earlier this month, sharing first-hand experiences of what is really happening in school canteens across the country.
D’Arcy Williams, CEO of Bite Back, said:
“The real problem here is that no one is clearly responsible for enforcing school food standards, and in practice, that means they’re not being enforced at all,” he said.
“We have rules that are meant to protect children’s health. But without proper monitoring or accountability, they’re being undermined by a system that increasingly prioritises speed, convenience and profit. That’s how we’ve ended up with a grab-and-go culture taking hold in schools. Unhealthy, nutritionally poor food has become the easiest option.
“With short lunch breaks, long queues and limited healthier choices, young people are being pushed towards quick fixes. But these options are often leaving them hungry, tired and unable to focus in lessons.”
Williams further explained that: “The government has set out an ambition to create the healthiest generation ever. That ambition cannot be met while the food environment inside schools remains largely unregulated.
“What this report shows is a system where profit is too often prioritised over children’s health, and where no one is clearly accountable for enforcing the standards that already exist. Young people are speaking clearly. Schools and teachers need our support. The government must now act,” he said.
Bite Back says this is a critical opportunity to reset the system — ensuring school food supports health, learning and fairness, rather than reinforcing a culture of convenience and profit.
