Food Improvement Goals in Schools (FIGS I): a qualitative evaluation of a whole-school approach to healthy food provision in primary schools

Abstract Background Free school meals offer a crucial safety net for children facing poverty and food insecurity. In the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in England, where over half of local children experience poverty, child-centred policies like universal free school meals have been implemented to support all children, regardless of family income. Despite World Health Organization recommendations for whole-school approaches to food, many schools have yet to implement them. The Food Improvement Goals in Schools I study, funded by ActEarly, evaluated the “Fantastic Food in Schools” programme, aiming to improve whole-school approaches to healthy food, including universal free school meals, in Tower Hamlets’ primary schools. Methods Informed by material, relational and symbolic factors, we explored how food provision and interventions were perceived and practiced in six primary schools. A focused ethnography was conducted over 210 h across seven months in 2023, involving observations of interventions, sharing lunches with children and over 100 informal conversations. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 16 staff, 20 parents and 12 mini-groups with 43 children, using creative methods. Data were analysed thematically and interpreted through panels with community researchers. Results Universal free school meals were perceived to promote equity and health, particularly given the UK cost-of-living crisis. Child-centred interventions engaged children and families, encouraging healthy eating at school and at home. Schools served as spaces to explore food’s cultural significance, helping navigate the complexities of children’s preferences, familiarity, identities, healthier eating and needs in a diverse community. School menus improved, given collaborative efforts from catering services and kitchen staff. Yet, resource challenges and growing parental expectations to address systemic issues like food insecurity highlight the need for greater funding and policy-based support. Conclusions Universal free school meals and whole-school approaches to food can enable equitable cultural inclusion in diverse, urban areas like Tower Hamlets, supporting Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. However, these initiatives require increased funding and targeted financial incentives for schools to implement them effectively. Local authorities need the backing of educational policy to prioritise and secure the necessary resources to promote healthy eating and ensure equitable access to nutritious food for all children.