Food systems must transform to address global social and ecological crises. However, the nature of this transformation is deeply contested. The effectiveness of research is hampered by the fragmentation of diverse conceptual approaches to food systems transformation. This thesis poses two research questions to contribute to addressing this challenge, employing Scoones et al.’s (2020) structural, systemic, and enabling approaches to transformation. Firstly (RQ1), how do different conceptualisations of transformation compare among food systems policy actors? Secondly (RQ2), what analytical insights can be derived from examining different approaches to food system transformation in isolation and as complementary lenses? RQ1 was addressed with a survey and document analysis of UK and global food systems actors. Mainstream actors (government, agribusiness) typically favoured systemic approaches, whereas alternative actors (civil society, small-scale producers, grassroots entities) had greater focus on structural and enabling approaches. The asymmetric use of certain transformation approaches in government and industry decision-making risks locking in some forms of knowledge at the expense of others. RQ2 was addressed with quantitative and qualitative methods through three case studies that looked at degrowth, food loss, and dietary change. The structural case study demonstrated the broad appeal of degrowth among alternative food system actors, the systemic case study successfully quantified the interaction between energy and nutrition for grain storage losses in India, while the enabling case study showed how the dynamics of individual bottom-up agency can lead to emergent dietary shifts. However, no single approach can adequately respond to the complex challenges of food systems transformation. This thesis supports the need to nurture integrated and pluralistic research by proposing an assessment framework for food systems transformation research. Food systems transformation requires the widest possible analytical and narrative lens with which to navigate pathways to sustainable, healthy, and just food for all.