Stephanie Slater MBE shares a week in her life as CEO of School Food Matters, the charity she founded as a grassroots parent campaigner in 2007.

School Food Matters wants a school food system that delivers for all children, so they can enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food and leave school with an informed and positive relationship with food. To achieve this, the charity campaigns for a better school food system and delivers fully funded food education and school food improvement programmes in schools across the country.
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Monday
I started the week a little earlier than expected when I ran into a journalist on my commute. I had planned to dive into Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo" but instead spent 23 minutes discussing school food policy. With the government’s announcement that revised school food standards are coming in September 2026, interest in school food policy has surged. It is encouraging to see that the importance of delivering good school food becoming national conversation again.

Once at my desk, I tried to quickly order a new desktop computer but got scuppered by our overzealous bank which blocked the payment. Seventeen minutes [GU1.1][SZ1.2][FM1.3]on the phone later, the mission was thankfully accomplished.

From there, I moved into a thoroughly enjoyable Monday Morning Meeting – our weekly whole-team catch-up – followed by our six-month strategy review. It was brilliant to hear our team of 29 school food enthusiasts reflect on how we can increase our impact.

The afternoon was spent in a Department for Education advisory group meeting discussing the roll out of the universal primary school breakfast programme, followed by a lovely send-off for our Policy and Advocacy Manager who was heading off on maternity leave.

Tuesday
Tuesday began with an early morning run and a moment to enjoy some spring sunshine.

My working day started with the School Food Review – a coalition of charities, unions, academics and education specialists working to improve the school food system in England. Today’s focus was on eligibility for free school meals.

Next came a funding meeting, followed by some protected time (earphones in!) to work on a funding bid with a fast-approaching deadline.

In the afternoon, I chaired a School Food Alliance meeting, which brings together organisations and individuals with an interest in school food. Today included presentations on dinner money debt, new allergy regulations and findings from research School Food Matters [GU2.1]conducted with the University of Birmingham exploring how our Nourish school food transformation programme [GU3.1]can be effectively delivered in secondary schools.

Wednesday
I started the day with yoga, followed by an impromptu coffee in the sunshine with a fellow yogi – an unexpected silver lining [GU4.1]of the tube strike. Next was an interview with a trade magazine on school food funding and the changes ahead. To support schools with the changes coming in September, School Food Matters has joined forces with four other leading organisations in school food – Bite Back, Chefs in Schools, Jamie Oliver Group and The Food Foundation – to form the School Food Project coalition. Together, we will be providing practical guidance and support to help schools navigate the new standards.

After the interview, I went straight into a kick off meeting with a new funder. Then came a complete change of pace. With the tube still disrupted, I drove to Belazu in Greenford for our annual Fresh Enterprise tasting panel. One of our funded food education programmes, Fresh Enterprise teaches young people about careers in the sector by giving them the opportunity to develop and create their own food products.

The panel had the challenging task of choosing a winning paste created by students from eight secondary schools in Ealing. It was such a treat to spend time with these enterprising young people. The winning paste – Barberry Burst Blend created by Belvue High School – will now go into production and be available for purchase on the Belazu website!

Back at home, it was a late night finishing that funding bid.

Thursday
It was another early start (and a chilly one!), this time with Sadie the border collie, as we both got some exercise in the park.

I then hopped on the train to meet our funders at Impact on Urban Health to reflect on the conclusion of our five-year Nourish programme in Lambeth and Southwark schools. Following its success in London, we are now expanding the programme to work with schools across the country. This year, we will be working with schools in Birmingham, Cumberland, Hertfordshire and Worcestershire to support them to transform their school food environment.

Back at the office, it was time for our monthly quiz! This month was ‘Food in Films’ which prompted plenty of debate. In Pulp Fiction, what did fast food represent?

The afternoon moved quickly from ‘Royale with Cheese’ to a meet and greet with a new recruit, a quick senior leadership catch-up and preparation for an upcoming funder review. I ended the day with a two-and-a-half hour trustee meeting. Thankfully, the evening was rather more zen with music at Union Chapel.

Friday
I began the day with yoga before heading into what I try to keep as my catch-up day. I keep meetings to a minimum so I can dive into my emails. The goal was to clear the inbox in time for an early finish to enjoy the sunshine. Mission accomplished at 16.55.

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