Chartwells, the UK’s leading school and education catering provider, has launched its new spring/summer 2026 menus across partner primary and secondary schools, with a strong fibre-forward focus. The launch comes as the Department for Education consults on updates to the School Food Standards (SFS) for the first time in over a decade, reflecting changes in children’s diets and growing concerns around sugar and nutrient gaps.
As a key supporter of Veg Power and The Food Foundation’s Big Bean Boost Initiative, Chartwells’ new menus place greater emphasis on wholegrains, beans and pulses, fruit and vegetables, while limiting items high in fat, salt and sugar. Designed to help caterers and pupils transition closer to the proposed changes due to come into effect in September 2027, the menus also support pupils to stay fuelled and focused.
Shaped by feedback from clients, parents and pupils, the new menus developed by Chartwells’ culinary and nutrition specialists build on dishes pupils know and love while improving nutritional balance. Firm favourites such as bolognese, pasta with homemade sauces, fish and chips, and traditional roast dinners will remain a core part of the menu to ensure familiarity and appeal, sitting alongside new fibre-forward and plant-based options.
For primary schools, fibre-forward menu innovations include: lasagne enriched with lentils; Tex-Mex vegetable fajitas with wholegrain rice and red kidney beans; pizza with added fibre in the base; and a beef burger made with 60% meat and 40% bean and lentil mix. The menu also adds new options for pupil-favourite dish jacket potatoes, with a bean and vegetable chilli providing plant-based protein and two of pupils’ five-a-day.
Secondary school pupils’ feedback has shown they prioritise variety, the ability to eat on-the-go with friends, and value for money. Chartwells has responded with a refreshed offer inspired by global street food and high street trends. New concepts such as Pitta Republic, That’s a Wrap, Spice is Nice, a Burger Bar, and an expanded vegan range bring greater choice with seasonal specials and promotions to maintain pupil engagement throughout the term.
Meg Hughes, Director of Nutrition and Sustainability at Chartwells, said: “The review of the School Food Standards marks an important step forward and aligns closely with the approach we’ve taken in developing our new menus. The way we eat has evolved since 2015, and, by prioritising wholegrains, fibre-rich breads and more beans and pulses, the proposed standards address one of the most significant gaps in children’s diets: fibre.
At the same time, we’ve been careful to balance this with the dishes pupils know and love, with popular, everyday favourites continuing to play a key role on our menus. Our offer already reflects the direction set out by the SFS, while supporting our wider commitment to increase our usage of beans and pulses by 15% over the next three years.”
Across both primary and secondary schools, menus deliver daily portions of fruit and vegetables, include wholegrain options each week, and adhere to SFS limits on deep-fried, pastry based and high fat items. The menus reflect Chartwells’ continued focus on helping pupils stay fuelled and focused, supporting cognitive performance, classroom engagement, and longer-term wellbeing through carefully balanced nutrition.
Rob Kennedy, Chef at Chartwells, said: “Our new menus are about more than just meeting SFS. By using ingredients such as beans, pulses, and wholegrains in familiar, well-loved dishes, we have improved nutrition while keeping pupils engaged with meals they genuinely enjoy. These everyday food choices play an important role in helping pupils build positive relationships with food and establish healthy habits that last a lifetime.”
Lisa Priestley, Chief Executive Officer of Chartwells Schools, said: “We’ve worked closely with pupils, parents, and schools to develop Spring/Summer menus that balance great taste with strong nutritional foundations. By championing fibre rich, plant forward ingredients, we’re ensuring that our meals nourish pupils to fuel their learning, engagement, and enjoyment every day.”