School food menu analysis to assess the adherence of primary schools to the School Food Standards in England

Abstract Background School meals contribute to children’s daily dietary intake in England, yet evidence of compliance with the statutory School Food Standards (SFS) remains limited and geographically constrained. Scalable approaches to monitoring compliance are needed to better understand how consistently these standards are implemented across schools and contexts. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using publicly available lunch menus from state-funded primary schools across three regions of England (n = 105). A structured menu interpretation framework was applied to assess compliance with the 22 SFS via a binary scoring system. Overall compliance was calculated as the percentage of standards met. Descriptive analyses were used to examine variation by region and food group. Associations between compliance and school characteristics, including deprivation (Index of Multiple Deprivation [IMD], Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index [IDACI]), the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM), and the type of food provision, were explored via Tobit regression models to account for the bounded nature of the outcome (0–1). Results The mean compliance with the SFS was 66% (SD 8.3), indicating moderate but incomplete adherence. Most schools (91%) were classified as mostly compliant, whereas only 8% met the criteria for full compliance. Provision-based standards, particularly those related to fruits, vegetables, and core food groups, consistently showed high adherence. In contrast, lower compliance was observed for restrictive standards related to foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS), as well as for wholegrain provision and lower fat milk availability. Tobit regression indicated a negative association between the IMD score and compliance (β = −0.013, p = 0.007). External food provision was positively associated with compliance at the 10% significance level (β = 0.029, p = 0.017). No significant association was observed with FSM at the 5% level. Conclusions Compliance with the SFS in English primary schools remains incomplete, with consistent differences between provision-based standards and restrictive standards. Deprivation may influence compliance, although relationships appear context dependent. Menu-based analysis offers a feasible and scalable approach for monitoring school food provision, but further research is needed to understand the barriers to implementing restrictive standards and the role of structural factors such as catering models and procurement systems.