More pupils 'eating healthy meals'

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The number of primary school children eating school dinners has risen for the first time since healthier meals were introduced, according to a study published by the School Food Trust and the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA).

Take-up across English primary schools now stands at 43.6% - an increase of 2.3% on last year.

The last time take up of school meals increased was in 2004 - the year before TV chef Jamie Oliver began his campaign for better quality school dinners.

After Oliver's campaign won huge public support, ministers banned junk food from school canteens and vending machines and in 2006, new rules to make food healthier were introduced in English schools.

But secondary schools are still not following the trend, with take up down 0.5% this year, the survey found.

Prue Leith, chair of the School Food Trust, said: "Teenagers are independent young people and changing entrenched eating habits does not happen overnight. They need food education and encouragement from schools to change their eating habits.

"Caterers need time to persuade them to accept new foods, which is one of the reasons that the nutrient-based standards have been phased over two years... This is not a quick fix. It is a long-term challenge that neither the School Food Trust nor caterers will shy away from. We have to succeed. What is the alternative? Back to Turkey Twizzlers?"

Last year's downturn, which saw the number of children eating school meals fall in three-quarters of council areas, was blamed on the soaring cost of the new healthier dinners.

The new Government rules require greater use of fresh ingredients cooked from scratch.