School meals provider Sodexo say a decline in the number of children eating healthier meals has reversed.

Following new nutritional standards to banish Turkey Twizzlers and reduce the frequency of chips on school menus introduced three years ago, schools across the country saw a reduction in demand.

The school meal revolution was prompted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s documentary on school dinners. It led the Government to introduce healthier school menus featuring more fresh vegetables and pasta and less fatty food but initially children rejected the new meals.

Sodexo, the country’s second largest school meals provider, has the school meals contract with Wiltshire Council and currently provides meals to children in 79 schools in Wiltshire.

Colm O’Mahony, Sodexo’s director for commercial education, was in Devizes last week to promote a new sustainable fish initiative.

He said: “There was a definite dip in take up of school meals when the nutritional standards were introduced but now the numbers of children eating school meals are getting back to the level prior to Jamie Oliver’s programme.”

Why was there a reduction in demand for school meals?

Mr O’Mahony said: “There are a number of reasons. Some of the old favourites were taken off the menu. Children love sausages but you can’t give them sausages every day.

"There’s nothing wrong with having something deep fried or a burger but not every day.

“Also, I think the menus almost got too complicated, the content was too fancy.

“We have taken the menus back to basics with a simplistic approach to the dishes to provide a nutritionally balanced menu.”

Sodexo launches a new school menu three times a year and their latest menu was launched last month.

New dishes include pork meatballs in tomato and basil sauce and mexican beef and bean chilli.

Chips/potato wedges feature on the menu once a week while fresh fruit is available every day.

Alan Bowley, operations director for Sodexo in Wiltshire, said: “Five years ago fruit uptake was very low but now there’s a good proportion of pupils eating the fruit that we provide.”

Sodexo is also providing fish dishes which are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, which means the fish can be traced back to sustainable stocks in a bit to combat overfishing.

The fish dishes are breaded salmon, breaded pollack and prawns.

So what was the verdict on the latest menu from youngsters at Southbroom Junior School in Devizes?

Chloe, seven, said: “I like fish and the salmon was very yummy. I eat school meals every day.”

Ruth, eight, said: “I eat fish rarely and I loved the salmon.”

Amber, seven, had vegetable lasagne and said: “I really liked it.”

Megan, nine, enjoyed the salmon and for dessert had mandarin cheesecake. Diplomatically she said: “My mum makes cheesecake and this cheesecake at school tasted the same as my mum’s.”

Ashley, nine, said the salmon was delicious but said his favourite school meal was roast pork with potatoes.