School Food Standards and HAF menus

HAF Programme and School Food Standards - a guide for organisations, their cooks and caterers

The School Food Standards are designed to make it easier to create nutritious menus, to help children develop healthy eating habits, and to ensure that they get the energy and nutrition they need across the whole school day. It is a requirement of the HAF Programme to meet the compulsory school food standards and to ensure nutritionally vulnerable children have access to a balanced and nutritious meal every day, preferably hot.

Find out more about School Food Standards here:

School Food Standard menus and recipes

A bank of resources to help you with planning and delivering hot meals that meet School Food Standards:

The School Food Plan recipe hub

Produced in conjunction with Public Health England, the What Works Well Recipe Hub brings together over 100 recipes for pupils’ favourite school meals and snacks, all checked against the School Food Standards. These tried and tested recipes have been created by school cooks and caterers and cover food served across the whole day: breakfast, mid-morning break, lunch, and after school. Go to the recipe thumbnail to access the full ingredients list, preparation time, method, portion sizes and top tips on how to adapt recipes.

HC3S Hampshire County Council - School catering recipes

Recipes to cook healthy meals on a budget based on Hampshire County Council's school catering service, all following School Foods Standards. Select from around 100 breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipes.

Leicester City Council – School catering recipes

Why not try cooking some of Leicester City Council's favourite quick, easy, and affordable recipes from their menus? All recipes follow the School Food Standards.

Food for Thought - School recipes 

Recipes developed for schools, by schools.

The Super Yummy Kitchen

Chartwells, a leading provider of catering and support services to schools have teamed up Chef Andrew with Chef Allegra McEvedy MBE of CBeebies and Junior MasterChef, to bring together a series of fun, educational cook-a-long videos, recipes and tips, for young children to follow along at home with their families.

The Super Yummy Kitchen

Example HAF School Food Standards Compliant Menu

Example 4 week menu

Most of the recipes in the menu can be found on the What Works Well Recipe Hub

HAF Cold Sample Option

HAF Hot Sample Option