Pizza remains the favourite school canteen choice among pupils, but older students are increasingly seeking global flavours and more varied dining options, according to new research from Sodexo.
The Sodexo School Dinner Index 2026 draws on 7,259 survey responses from primary, secondary and sixth-form schools alongside operational data covering 237,835 meals served across 107 primary schools in July.
Among primary school pupils, cheese and tomato pizza was the clear favourite, receiving 438 votes.
Roast chicken and potatoes followed with 223 votes, ahead of fish fingers and chips with 205, pasta bolognese with 151 and mac & cheese with 150.
Pizza was similarly popular among secondary pupils who recognised the newer dishes available, with pizza slab receiving 1,063 votes.
Mac & cheese received 392 votes, followed by roast chicken with 267 and Southern baked chicken with 263.
The findings indicate, however, that pupils’ tastes become considerably broader as they move through school.
Secondary pupils expressed interest in dishes including katsu curry, fajitas, tacos, jollof rice, biryani, noodles and African-inspired food.
Sodexo’s analysis found that primary-aged children generally favour familiar flavours, traditional dishes, finger foods and predictable choices, while older pupils demonstrate greater willingness to try customisable, globally influenced and trend-led options.
The research comes as updated School Food Standards are expected to be published later this month, representing the first major overhaul of the standards in more than a decade.
Rebecca Bridgement, Managing Director of Schools at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “School food has changed enormously, but what pupils are telling us is that new doesn’t have to mean unfamiliar.
“Younger children understandably gravitate towards dishes they know and trust, while as pupils get older, we see much more appetite for global flavours, street-food influences and food they can personalise.
“The opportunity is to bring those two things together – serving the familiar favourites pupils love but making them work harder nutritionally and introducing exciting new choices that reflect the food and flavours young people experience outside school too.
“Pizza is a perfect example. We know children love it, so rather than simply taking a popular dish away, our chefs look at how we can make it healthier – from using wholemeal flour to building more vegetables and pulses into sauces.
“Ultimately, it isn’t enough to know what children like to eat. Our job is to use our culinary and nutritional expertise to make those favourites healthier and more balanced while keeping them appealing enough that pupils genuinely want to choose and eat them.”
The research suggests pupils are not abandoning traditional school meals in favour of international cuisine.
Instead, familiar formats are increasingly being combined with different influences through dishes including katsu chicken, loaded burgers, wraps and jerk-inspired meals.
Sodexo is applying the findings through its refreshed AiP school food offer, which combines familiar dishes with healthier ingredients, international influences and more sustainable choices.
New Hero dishes include homemade pizza featuring a 50% wholemeal base and vegetable-based sauce, Mexican-inspired chilli bean stack, Filipino-inspired adobo chicken roti wrap and a plant-based gochujang lentil and bean bolognese.
Sodexo provides catering and facilities management services across hundreds of schools, academies, colleges and universities throughout the UK.
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