Sustainable food coalition urges expanding free school meals to support UK farmers

An upcoming UK government policy change in 12 months will enable all children of households in England receiving Universal Credit to be eligible for free school meals. A new report reveals how the program could benefit Britain’s food and farming economy, in addition to children’s health and education. 

The “Follow the Carrot” report, published by Sustain, Bremner & Co., and the Ampney Brook Foundation, with support from Impact on Urban Health, calls on the government to expand school meals in a way that also supports British farmers and sustainable food systems.

The report reveals that expanding to universal school meals would be a major turning point for children and British farming, increasing the number of meals served annually from one billion to 1.54 billion - an extra 540 million plates of food.

“We’re on the brink of the most important expansion of school meals in a generation,” says Barbara Crowther, Children’s Food campaign manager at Sustain, who commissioned the research.

“Our report shows we have a really exciting opportunity to use this to deliver a triple whammy of delicious, nutritious meals for children, investment in sustainable British farming, and benefits to our wider economy. The government simply cannot afford to miss it.”

“Win-win” for children and farmers

Investing in school meals is a “win-win for children, farmers, and the economy,” highlight the report authors. “The research proves that, with the right support and incentives, healthier school meals can boost both sustainability and economic viability of British farming,” they note.

Expanding to universal school meals in England may increase the number of meals served annually from one billion to 1.54 billion — an extra 540 million plates of food.The government expects the initiative to support an estimated 620,000 more children in its first year.

The program holds the potential to deliver 1,540 lorry-loads of carrots, boosting annual sales from £11 (US$14.9) million to £18 (US$24.5) million; 7.8 million sacks of potatoes, increasing sales from £155 (US$210.6) million to £250 (US$339.7) million; and 1.3 billion florets of broccoli to children, worth £68 (US$92.4) million, up from £42 (US$57) million.

Ahead of the National Farmers Union’s Back British Farmers Day on September ten, this surge in demand has the potential to unlock a £600 (US$814.5) million boost for UK agriculture by sourcing more carrots, broccoli, potatoes, and other ingredients from British growers, while helping the government meet its own target of 50% local, sustainable and UK produce in public sector food.

Tapping into “golden opportunity”

The report’s authors caution that this “golden opportunity will be lost without decisive government action,” underscoring that any significant impact would depend on proper funding, local supply chains and procurement infrastructure investments, and more substantial support for catering teams to deliver higher-quality food.

To secure these benefits, the report outlines five key recommendations for the government:

• Unlock growth for UK producers by continuing expansion toward universal school meals.
• Fund school meals properly to reflect the true cost of quality and invest in supply chain infrastructure.
• Raise standards and enforce compliance to ensure nutritious, sustainable food in every school.
• Scale up proven local models that deliver benefits for both children and farmers.
• Join up strategies across health, farming, and the economy to maximize the impact of public food spending.

“The government has set a great ambition of getting more British veg in our schools — a real win-win-win for our farmers and growers, for our kids’ health, and for sustainability,” says the report’s co-author Myles Bremner, former director of the School Food Plan.

“But we need to make sure the school food system is resilient and able to cope with more fresh produce in our kitchens. That means proper kitchens, well-trained staff, and appropriate funding.”

British chef, food writer, and broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall adds: “Expanding free school meals isn’t just about filling plates. It’s about filling them with fresh, sustainable, homegrown produce that supports children’s health and strengthens our farming economy.”

“With the right investment and leadership, we can turn 540 million extra school meals into a win-win for kids, farmers, and the planet.”

Farmer-backed initiative

Farmers and catering providers are also backing the call. David Simmons of Riviera Produce, a producer of British brassicas, says: “Great British healthy brassicas offer huge potential, with the right encouragement, to supply into schools and support giving children a healthy start to life. There’s such huge growth potential too - we’re currently missing a trick!”

Simmons highlights real-world case examples proving the program’s effectiveness. “In Blackpool, local authority caterers recently switched from imported frozen mash to Lancashire potatoes.”

“We’re now using British potatoes in the mash — no more frozen imports,” adds Derek Wright, Blackpool Catering lead. “We’ve stripped out additives and palm oil and reinvested the savings into our workforce. It’s healthier for children, better for farmers, and smarter for local economies.”

Recently, a US study highlighted several critical barriers school foodservice directors often observe, which inhibit student participation in the free school meals and school meals programs, such as students preferring home-cooked lunches or fast food instead of cafeteria meals.