Guidance

School food standards: portion sizes and food groups for secondary schools

Published 14 September 2026

Applies to England

These are the school food standards for secondary school pupils aged 11 to 18.

Typical portion sizes given are in grams (g), millilitres (ml) and household measures for raw and cooked foods.

Starchy foods

This includes:

• all breads
• potatoes
• rice
• couscous
• bulgur wheat
• semolina
• tapioca
• maize
• cornmeal
• noodles and pasta
• oats
• millet
• barley
• buckwheat
• rye
• spelt
• plantain
• yam
• sweet potato
• cassava

Bread

This includes 80g to 100g of any of the following:

• white, wholemeal, granary, brown, wheatgerm, multigrain, potato bread: 2 thick slices of bread
• chapattis, rotis: 1 large
• plain baked naan: half of 1 large
• rolls: 1 large roll or sub roll
• bagels: 1 large bagel
• pitta, wraps: 1 large pitta, 1 x 12 inch wrap

Potatoes or sweet potato

This includes:

• boiled and mashed potatoes: raw, 200g to 250g
• jacket and baked potatoes: raw, 330g to 410g

Other starchy root vegetables

This includes 150g to 200g raw:

• yam
• plantain
• cocoyam
• cassava

Pasta and noodles

This includes 65g to 80g (based on average weight change of wholemeal and white spaghetti, pasta shapes and noodles) dried:

• white and wholemeal spaghetti
• noodles
• pasta shapes

Rice

This includes 55g to 65g dried white and brown rice (based on average weight change of dried rice).

Other grains

This includes 60g to 70g dried:

• couscous
• bulgur wheat
• maize (polenta)
• cornmeal

Starchy foods where fat or oil has been added before or during the cooking process

This includes 120g to 150g raw:

• roast or sauteed potatoes
• chips
• potato wedges
• pre-prepared potato products
• fried rice
• bread
• noodles
• hash browns
• garlic bread
• Yorkshire pudding
• chapattis and naan made with fat
• pancakes and waffles cooked in oil

Garlic bread

As an accompaniment: 40g or 2 slices.

Bread

Bread with no added fat or oil must be available every day.

All types of plain bread with no added fat or oil, including:

• brown
• wholemeal
• granary
• white
• mixtures of white and wholemeal
• pitta
• rolls
• chapattis
• naan
• ciabatta
• herb bread

Wholegrain

Starchy wholegrains including:

• wholemeal and granary flours
• wholemeal and granary breads and bread products
• whole-wheat pasta
• brown rice and oats

Also look out for higher-fibre white bread, half and half wholegrain and white mixes, such as 50/50 mix of brown and white rice, 50/50 whole wheat and white pasta.

Fruit and vegetables

This includes vegetables in all forms, including 80g raw:

• fresh
• frozen
• canned
• dried
• juiced
• pulses such as beans and lentils

Vegetables or salad should be offered as an accompaniment to every meal, in addition to any vegetables used as ingredients in composite dishes such as casseroles and stews.

Potatoes are classed as a starchy food and are not included in this food group.

Vegetables

This includes 80g or 2 to 3 tablespoons cooked:

• peas
• green beans
• sweetcorn
• carrots
• mixed vegetables
• cauliflower
• broccoli
• swede
• turnip
• leek
• brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• spinach
• spring greens

Pulses

This includes dried, 30g, or cooked, 80g or 3 tablespoons (based on average weight change):

• lentils
• kidney beans
• chickpeas

Baked beans in tomato sauce

As an accompaniment, cooked, 90g to 100g or 3 tablespoons.

Vegetable-based soup

Cooked, 250g to 300g.

Fruits in all forms

This includes:

• fresh
• frozen
• canned
• dried
• juiced

Fruits can be provided within other dishes – for example, fruit-based desserts such as crumbles.

Large-size fruit

Raw, 100g to 150g or 1 medium-sized fruit with skin. For example:

• apples
• pears
• bananas
• peaches

Medium-size fruit

Raw, 80g to 100g or 1 to 2 fruits with skin. For example:

• satsumas
• tangerines
• plums
• apricots
• kiwis

Small fruits

Raw, 80g or 15 to 20 fruits. For example:

• strawberries
• raspberries
• grapes

Dried fruit

Dried, 25g to 30g or 1 tablespoon. For example:

• raisins
• sultanas
• apricots

Fruit salad, fruit tinned in juice and stewed fruit

Raw or cooked, 130g (80g minimum fruit) or 3 to 4 tablespoons.

All fruit-based desserts should have a content of at least 50% fruit measured by weight of the raw ingredients (for example, fruit crumble, fruit pie, fruit sponge, fruit cobbler, fruit jelly). Fruit used as decoration or jam added to a dessert does not count towards this standard.

Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein

This includes:

• fresh and frozen meat
• poultry
• fresh, frozen and canned fish
• shellfish
• eggs

Meat alternatives

This includes products such as:

• soya and mycoprotein-based meat substitute Quorn
• tofu
• pulses such as beans (cannellini, kidney, pinto, borlotti, haricot, butter, but not green beans)
• chickpeas
• lentils (red, green, brown and puy)
• nuts

Roast red meat

Raw, 80g to 95g. This is also the portion size for fillings for baked potatoes and sandwiches.

This includes:

• beef
• lamb
• pork
• veal
• venison
• goat

Roast poultry

Raw, 85g to 125g. This includes dishes or products made from these meats. This is also the portion size for fillings for baked potatoes and sandwiches.

This includes:

• chicken
• turkey
• duck

Red meat or poultry

Raw, 75g to 90g. In dishes such as:

• casserole
• stew
• pie
• curry

Weight may be reduced proportionately in composite dishes if adding another protein based food, such as beans, cheese, or milk.

Meat-based soup

Cooked, 250g to 300g.

White fish

Raw, 90g to 125g. This includes:

• pollock
• hake
• coley
• cod
• haddock
• plaice

Whether cooked alone, or in a dish such as a casserole or fish pie, or as a breaded or battered product.

Oily fish

Raw, 80g to 110g. This includes:

• fresh, tinned or frozen salmon
• sardines
• pilchards
• mackerel
• herring
• fresh or frozen tuna

Tuna only counts as an oily fish when it is fresh or frozen because the omega-3 fatty acids are removed during the canning process.

Fish or shellfish

Cooked, 70g to 100g, served in a salad, baked potato or sandwich. This includes:

• tuna
• salmon
• mackerel
• prawns

Breaded or battered fish portions and products

Cooked, 85g to 95g. This includes:

• fish cakes
• fish fingers
• fish goujons

Egg

Cooked, 1 to 2 eggs, served in a:

• salad
• baked potato
• sandwich

Meat alternatives made from soya beans

Cooked, 70g to 100g. Made from:

• soya beans (such as soya mince and tofu)
• mycoprotein-based meat substitute (in dishes such as vegetarian casserole, stew, pie, or curry)

Weight may be reduced proportionately in composite dishes if adding another protein-based food such as beans, cheese or milk.

Pulses

Raw, 40g to 45g, or cooked, 100g to 120g or 2 to 3 heaped tablespoons. This includes:

• beans (cannellini, kidney, pinto, borlotti, haricot, butter, but not green beans)
• chickpeas
• lentils (red, green, brown and puy)

Vegetarian sausages, burgers, nut cutlets

Raw or cooked: 70g to 100g.

Meat products

Sausages

Raw, 75g to 95g or 1 or 2 sausages. Made from:

• beef
• lamb
• pork

Burgers

Raw, 80g to 100g.

Other items

Cooked, 110g. For example:

• scotch pies
• bridies
• sausage rolls
• cornish pasty
• encased meat pastry pies
• cold pork pie

Breaded or battered shaped chicken and turkey products

Cooked, 70g to 100g. For example:

• nuggets
• goujons
• burgers

Milk and dairy

This includes all types of:

• milk
• cheese
• yoghurt (including plain or fruit, frozen and drinking yoghurt) or fromage frais
• milk-based sauces
• custard (made with milk)
• puddings made from milk
• milk-based sauces

Lower-fat drinking milk

200ml to 250ml.

Milk puddings and whips made with milk

120g to 150g.

Custard made with milk

For example, served with fruit.

Portion size excludes fruit 100g to 120g.

Yoghurts

120g to 150g.

Cheese

30g to 40g. Added to:

• salads
• baked potatoes
• sandwiches
• crackers

Foods high in fat, sugar and salt

Deep fried foods, including those deep fried or flash fried in the kitchen or in the manufacturing process, such as:

• chips (including oven chips)
• potato waffles
• hash browns
• samosas
• plantain chips
• spring rolls
• doughnuts
• pakora
• bhajis

Refer to relevant portion size.

Batter-coated and breadcrumb-coated foods

This includes any bought-in or homemade products, such as:

• chicken nuggets
• fish fingers
• battered onion rings
• tempura

Refer to relevant portion size.

Pastry

This includes:

• shortcrust
• flaky
• filo
• choux
• puff

Used in:

• quiches
• meat pies
• fruit pies
• fruit tarts
• sausage rolls
• pasties
• samosa

Refer to relevant portion size.

Desserts

Cereal and starch based desserts

This includes:

• rice
• semolina
• tapioca pudding

Fruit-based desserts

This includes:

• jelly
• fruit compote
• crumbles
• sponge puddings

Vegetable-based desserts

This includes soya-based mousse.

Egg-based desserts

This includes ready-to-eat products and products prepared from egg, such as:

• flan
• egg custard
• custard fillings in pies
• meringues

Dairy-based desserts

This includes:

• puddings with dairy-based fillings
• fruit or flavoured yoghurt or other fermented milk and milk products
• ice cream
• mousse

Fat-based desserts

This includes ice cream, made with vegetable fats.

Fruit pies, sponge puddings or crumbles

100g to 120g.

Fruit jelly

Portion size excludes fruit: 100g to 120g.

Cakes and biscuits:

This includes:

• manufactured, bought-in products
• prepared from scratch cakes
• biscuits such as individual cakes, buns, pastries, scones, sweet and savoury biscuits

Cakes, tray bakes, muffins, scones, doughnuts

50g to 60g.

Biscuits and flapjacks

30g to 40g.

Ice cream

100g.

Pizza base

80g to 100g.

Savoury crackers, bread sticks (served with fruit, vegetables or dairy foods)

Portion size excludes fruit: 15g to 30g or 2 to 3 crackers.

Condiments

No more than 10g, or one teaspoonful. This includes:

• ketchup
• mayonnaise
• salad cream
• brown sauce
• chutney

Gravy

40g to 50g or 2 tablespoons.

Snacks

Snacks means pre-packaged items other than confectionery, sandwiches, cakes or biscuits that are ready to eat without further preparation and consist of, or include as a basic ingredient, potato, cereals, soya, nuts, seeds, fruit or vegetables.

Refer to relevant portion size for fruit, vegetables and crackers.

Confectionery

Confectionary is not permitted. No portion sizes provided.

This includes:

• cereal bars
• processed fruit bars
• non-chocolate confectionary (whether or not containing sugar)
• chocolate in any form (except hot chocolate)
• any product containing or wholly or partially coated with chocolate
• any chocolate-flavoured substance

Cocoa is permitted.

Healthy drinks

Fruit or vegetable juice

Maximum portion size: 150ml.

Drinking milk

200ml to 250ml.

Combination drinks

For example:

• fruit juice with water
• flavoured milk

Maximum portion size: 330ml.