About the awards

Starting in 1906, Britain has one of the oldest school meal systems in the world. It now has a workforce larger than the Royal Navy and Air Force combined, serving about 5 million meals every day; that equates to around 41 meals per second.

It’s no secret that not all lunch trays are created equal. Schools operate on vastly different playing fields – some boast state-of-the-art kitchens and ample resources, while others face an uphill battle with limited support. 

But we know that there are many brilliant, positive stories from schools across the country of those going above and beyond to make sure our kids – the future of our country – get the start they deserve. 

So our Awards celebrate the amazing people and programmes within the system that make sure Britain’s school children are well nourished – the heroes that make school food brilliant.

But just imagine what could be accomplished if ALL schools had the right support and resources, what that would mean to the success of every child in the school system? Through the Good School Food Awards, and showcasing the amazing things being done – often through sheer hard work and being brilliantly creative – we want to empower parents, teachers and catering staff and ultimately the government.