Older pupils seek global flavours as pizza remains school canteen favourite, Sodexo finds

Sodexo’s 2026 School Dinner Index reveals increasing demand for global cuisines among secondary students, while pizza continues to dominate across age groups amid efforts to improve nutritional value and diversify menu options.

Pizza remains the school canteen champion, but Sodexo’s latest School Dinner Index suggests older pupils are increasingly looking well beyond the usual staples.

The catering group’s 2026 survey drew on 7,259 responses from primary, secondary and sixth-form pupils, together with operational data from 107 primary schools covering 237,835 meals served in July 2026. Among younger children, cheese and tomato pizza led the way with 438 votes, ahead of roast chicken and potatoes, fish fingers and chips, pasta bolognese and mac and cheese. In secondary schools, pizza slab topped the list among dishes pupils said they recognised, taking 1,063 votes, followed by mac and cheese, roast chicken and Southern baked chicken, according to Sodexo’s published findings.

The same research shows a clear widening of tastes with age. Primary pupils tended to choose familiar comfort food, finger foods and predictable meals, while secondary pupils were more open to global flavours and customisable dishes. Their wish list included katsu curry, fajitas, tacos, jollof rice, biryani, noodles and African-inspired meals, reflecting the influence of street food and more adventurous eating outside school.

Rebecca Bridgement, managing director of schools at Sodexo UK and Ireland, said the message from pupils was that novelty does not have to mean food that feels unfamiliar. She said the aim was to keep popular dishes appealing while improving their nutritional value, pointing to pizza as an example: Sodexo’s chefs are using wholemeal bases, more vegetables and pulses in sauces, and other changes designed to make favourites healthier without losing their appeal.

The timing matters. Ministers are due to publish updated School Food Standards later this month, in the first major overhaul in more than a decade, with a stronger emphasis on healthy and nutritious food through the school day. Sodexo says its refreshed AiP school food offer is already being rolled out, with new dishes including a vegetable-rich chilli bean stack, an adobo chicken roti wrap and a plant-based gochujang lentil and bean bolognese. The findings also sit alongside wider concerns about what pupils are choosing: a Guardian-backed report in March said grab-and-go items such as pizza slices and paninis are becoming more common in English schools, often replacing more traditional sit-down meals.