International Salt Awareness Week: 11th-17th May 2026

Every year, 'Action on Salt' run a national Salt Awareness Week to help raise awareness of the damaging effect of excess salt in the diet.

Evidence has shown that regularly eating too much salt increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. High blood pressure is the main cause of strokes and a major cause of heart attacks and heart failure, the most common causes of death and illness in the world.

A diet high in salt can also causes our bodies to lose calcium. This can be detrimental to our bone health and increase our risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. This is particularly relevant to children who require calcium during development to support bone and muscle growth.

Eating too much salt may also increase the risk of developing obesity indirectly by increasing thirst. How? Well, it can lead to higher consumption of drinks, especially sugar-sweetened ones. Currently around a third of drinks consumed by children are sugar sweetened, which further increases calorie intake. We do need some salt in our diet for our bodies to function. This can easily be obtained by following a healthy varied diet. However, the amount of salt we consume is often far more than we require.

What are the recommendations?

The Government currently recommend that adults consume no more than 6g of salt a day, which is around a teaspoon. Adults consume on average around 8.1g a day, most of which (75-80%) is hidden in processed and convenience foods. Much like adults, children are consuming too much salt in their diet and require even less than adults:

Recommended Maximum Salt Intakes:

• 0–6 months: <1g/day

• 6–12 months: 1g/day

• 1–3 years: 2g/day

• 4–6 years: 3g/day

• 7–10 years: 5g/day

• 11+ years: 6g/day

How can you reduce salt at home?

Many processed foods and snacks can be high in salt including some everyday foods such as bread, meat and sauces. You can help to lower your family’s salt intake by reading food labels and choosing lower salt options.

The traffic light system on the front of packaging can guide you - look for green for low salt choices, amber for moderate amounts and red for foods high in salt.

You can also look at the nutritional information per 100g found on the back of the packaging. A general rule of thumb is that more than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g is

considered high.

Another way to reduce salt intake is by using whole ingredients (such as vegetables, pulses, and meats) to create homemade meals where possible, which are naturally lower in salt. When cooking for children of any age, do not add salt to their food and try not to add salt at the table. You can use herbs and spices for flavour instead. Habits formed in childhood continue through to adulthood so give your children a good start by reducing their salt intake today.

How does HCL limit salt in our menus?

HCL is committed to providing healthy and nutritious meals to protect children’s health and promote healthier habits. We do not add salt during cooking, but instead use herbs, spices and vegetables (e.g. celery and onions) to add flavour. Salt is also not available during lunchtime to add to food.

We limit the amount of processed meat products we serve to once a week in Primary schools and twice a week in Secondary schools in line with the School Food Standards. Our meat products (such as our pork sausages and beef burgers) are made by a specialist education catering butcher who tailor their recipes to be suited to children.

We create ‘Homemade’ sauces (versus using bought in processed products) where possible, which also helps us to limit the salt content in our recipes. Where this isn’t possible, we use lower salt versions such as our ‘reduced salt and sugar baked beans’.

Eating less salt is one of the most effective ways of improving our health and at HCL, we’re proud to have a team of Nutritionists supporting our commitment to providing high-quality healthy meals. As part of their work, Nutritionists screen any new products we use, prohibiting any ingredients classed as high in salt.

In conclusion, reducing salt intake is essential for protecting long-term health, particularly for children. By choosing fresh ingredients, checking food labels, and avoiding added salt, families can significantly lower their risk of serious conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and osteoporosis. With consistent efforts at home and support from organisations like HCL, developing healthier, lower-salt eating habits early in life can lead to lasting benefits and improved wellbeing for the future.

Top Tip: Check out this useful resource - Salt intake and the health of your children