Juggling needs and nutrition: making good school food accessible to all children

Join one of our fun sensory food exploration sessions, led by charity TastEd, where the motto is ‘no one has to try, and no one has to like!’ Visit our stand to get your hands on a free fidget spinner (while stocks last!), tell us what’s ‘rubbish’ about eating at school and vote on what ‘better’ school food looks like to you.

You can also learn more about TastEd’s approach, our Adapt-Ed research on improving access to school food for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the Nourish school food improvement programme, that is led by charity School Food Matters. Take away some top tips and further information about evidence-informed resources!

In an ideal world, all children would be able to access and enjoy nutritious food in a relaxed environment at school. But frustratingly, this doesn’t always happen.

Many children are ‘cautious eaters’, particularly when they have sensory needs. They need foods that are safe for them and to eat in an environment that feels safe too. This can be especially true for children who are neurodiverse and have SEND. This can make accessing school meals especially difficult for some children – meaning busy parents have to juggle the extra cost and effort of buying and making packed lunches they will eat.

Through the Adapt-Ed project – led by University of Hertfordshire, with the charity School Food Matters - we learned from children with SEND, parents, carers, school staff and others about what might help and what needs to change so that more children with SEND can access school food. This includes things like more funding for school food, involving children and families in school food policies, having flexibility in where children can eat, serving foods separately at mealtimes, and enabling them to order foods in advance. One area that is also important is the use of ‘sensory’ food education methods to allow children to explore fruit and vegetables outside of mealtimes, with no pressure to eat them. This can take some of the stress out of mealtimes and help children and young people to become more familiar with a wider range of foods. In the long run it can mean they may become more adventurous with trying different fruit and vegetables too – and this could mean they are able to access and enjoy more nutritious foods at school as well as at home.

Come along to participate in fun sensory activities, find out more, and chat to the researchers and representatives from TastEd and School Food Matters about your experiences and views.

Please note: As with any food-related activities, allergies and choking are risks for children. A list of foods included in the activities will be provided to parents/carers. Parents/carers are responsible for children and must supervise them at all times. 

Professor Rebecca O'Connell

Children and families 

Fussy eaters, children with nutritional needs

We will be running the SEND event twice during the day on the 30th October 2025, 11AM - 12PM and 2PM - 3PM. 

Meet the Researcher, Professor Rebecca O'Connell in the Research Hub, on the 30th October, 1-2PM & on the 31st Oct, 12-1PM.