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Despite Jamie Oliver's best efforts to provide better quality meals in school canteens across the country, schools in the borough of Waltham Forest have shown a 10% reduction in the number of pupils opting for the Dinner ladies best nosh. The figures show a decline for both paid and free meals among primary, special and nursery sector schools in the area.

"School meals provide a healthy, affordable and varied choice for school pupils," says council leader Clyde Loakes. He also points out that encouraging pupils at a young age that healthy foods are best, is very important, "Once we get the young children interested in school meals, we've pretty much got them hooked."

And with meals at Mayville Primary school costing around 拢1.70, Cllr Loakes hopes this will entice parents to make sure their children are eating healthy by the time they move into Year 7. The figures currently show the uptake of all school meals (both paid and free) within secondary schools in the borough has reduced by almost 30%.

Cllr Loakes says: "We know we've got a general issue with secondary school age young people as well... cause there we're also having to campaign about young people going out at lunch times and maybe engaging in a take-away food culture."

The task ahead requires lots of determination from staff as well as students, and initially wasn't widely accepted by pupils, something that has changed, "It was a little bit hard to introduce, but now they get used to it... chips and everything's gone out of the menu," says Mayville Primary school Cook Supervisor, Yazmin.

Cllr Loakes adds that parents are the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle within the borough's schools, "Getting parents involved is crucial...they need to understand that their children are being looked after." He also hopes that once the New Year, and new term start, parents will be more willing to opt for the healthy school dinners.