THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has this week launched a public consultation on new school food regulations aimed at improving children’s health and well-being by ensuring all pupils have access to nutritious meals.

The proposed changes focus on increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in primary school meals and reducing the availability of sugary desserts and fried foods. The plans align with UK dietary guidelines and are part of a broader strategy to promote healthy eating habits from an early age.

Evidence shows that many children in Wales consume too much sugar and not enough fruit, vegetables, or wholegrains. This imbalance contributes to childhood obesity, with one in four children starting school already overweight or obese.

These new proposals support the Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales strategy and follow the completion of the rollout of universal free school meals for all primary pupils. They mark the next phase in the Government’s commitment to making the healthy choice the easy choice.

Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, said: “Good nutrition is vital for helping young people perform at their best – whether in the classroom, on the pitch, or chasing their dreams. Our evidence-based updates to school food rules will give children the best start in life, support Welsh food producers, and nurture a generation of healthy eaters to safeguard the future of our NHS.

“Schools and catering teams across Wales are already working hard to provide nutritious meals. I want to build on that progress and hear directly from parents, teachers, suppliers and young people. By working together, we can shape food standards that benefit every child in Wales – both now and in the future.”

Rachel Bath, Consultant in Public Health at Public Health Wales, added: “Public Health Wales welcomes these proposals for primary schools. Evidence shows that robust food standards in schools can have a lasting positive impact on children’s health and well-being. Strengthening these regulations is a vital step toward building lifelong healthy eating habits.

“These changes not only benefit children’s health but also support a more sustainable food system and local economy. Through collaboration and oversight, school food can become a powerful tool for improving public health in Wales.”

However, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, has highlighted the need for more practical solutions to ensure taxpayer money is used effectively while supporting children’s health and well-being. This comes after concerns were raised with Natasha by kitchen staff in schools within South Wales who are concerned by the amount of wasted food at the end of each lunchtime. In response, the Welsh Conservatives have called for improved monitoring systems to identify inefficiencies and optimise spending on the nearly £100 million Free School Meals scheme.

The Welsh Conservatives acknowledge the importance of healthy eating and have also welcomed aspects of the consultation, particularly the focus on more appropriate portion sizes tailored to pupils of all ages—a concern raised numerous times by the Welsh Conservatives.

Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, said: “Whilst we welcome the consultation on healthy food options and appropriate portion sizes, we recognise the need to balance nutritional aspirations with practicality.

“Offering a balanced meal is the right thing to do. However, many parents may worry that overly restrictive meal choices may leave some children hungry, as fussy eating remains a challenge.

“The current costs of free school meals is nearly £100 million, a staggering amount of money, when you consider the amount of wasted food scraped into bins at the end of every lunchtime, Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Lib dems are literally throwing taxpayers money in the bin and it is imperative that a sustainable, long lasting and efficient financial solution is established.”