Frequently Asked Questions
What were the Good School Food Awards?
Launched in 2023, Jamie Oliver’s Good School Food Awards celebrated the unsung heroes working every day to make sure children get brilliant food and food education at school. Over four years, we found and celebrated incredible winners, built up real evidence of what great school food looks like — and used that evidence to campaign for change.
Why have the Good School Food Awards come to an end?
Jamie Oliver’s Good School Food Awards were launched to celebrate the amazing heroes of school food and show that great school food is possible, affordable and happening right now, so we could use that evidence to campaign for wider change.
With that evidence, along with the whole school food sector, we’ve done exactly that. We’ve celebrated extraordinary people, built the evidence, and seen that ripple all the way to government.
In September 2026 the Government announced new School Food Standards and proper enforcement to help make sure every child gets a lunch as brilliant as an award-winning one.
So, with enormous pride and thanks, we made the difficult decision to wrap up the Good School Food Awards and focus our efforts on the School Food Project — supporting schools to deliver these brilliant new standards.
Did the Good School Food Awards actually make a difference?
Yes! Over four years over 5,000 heroes were nominated, we celebrated 28 amazing winners, and reached over 750M people with gorgeous stories. And, in doing so, helped build the evidence base that fed directly into the government’s new School Food Standards. Winning schools have told us it’s helped with everything from kitchen recruitment to local networks of change
What happens to past winners?
Nothing changes for them, they remain Good School Food Award winners, and many continue to work with us, and the School Food Project, and continue to campaign for amazing school food for everyone.
Can I still make a nomination?
No, the Good School Food Awards are no longer accepting nominations.
Where can I go for support with school food now?
We are a member of the The School Food Project coalition, together with BiteBack, Chefs in Schools, School Food Matters and The Food Foundation. We offer support and free training to support schools and teachers to deliver amazing school food and food education.
https://schoolfoodproject.org.uk/