July 2026 • Special Issue 001

Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Regulations 2025

The Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Regulations 2025 for maintained nursery and primary schools will come into force on 31 October 2026. The updated Regulations considered the latest scientific dietary advice, strengthening requirements for healthier menu choices and limiting foods high in fat, sugar and salt, so that learners have access to nutritious food that supports their health, wellbeing and attainment. For further information, please see the anticipated Statutory Guidance:- Healthy Eating in maintained School statutory Guidance.

The supply chain plays a key role in supporting schools and caterers deliver compliant, healthier and more sustainable food choices across nutritionally analysed menu cycles. An average school lunch must provide 30% of the total daily energy requirement for Primary school age children, within a 15% daily tolerance and a 5% tolerance over one full menu cycle (1-4 weeks). Whilst the Regulations set out a range of micronutrient levels for both infants and juniors; we would like to draw your attention to the updated free sugar and sodium levels:

• Free Sugar - Infant = 5.7g. Junior= 7g
• Sodium – Infant = 360mg. Junior = 499mg   

The updated nutrient standards place greater emphasis on reducing sodium (salt) and free sugars in age-appropriate meals. Suppliers can support schools and caterers by:

• Engaging on menu design at an early stage and support product testing events with the school community
• Providing or reformulating products with lower levels of free sugars and sodium
• Providing clear information on product specifications where possible
• Ensuring products are suitable and available for both infant and junior portion sizes and the nutritional profiles.
• Sharing of good practice

For further information contact: FoodinSchool@gov.wales

Or, if your business requires any further support to reformulate products in line with the new regulations, then please contact Food Division: FoodDivisionalBusiness@gov.uk