A PILOT project giving free school meals in Bolton to new starters is to be extended by town hall bosses.

The one-term initiative for reception class children is being extended for a further term at a cost of about £180,000.

The move means youngsters will be able to enjoy tucking into school meals at no cost to their parents.

The decision was made following the success of the trial, which started at the beginning of this academic year.

Initial results showed that 87 per cent of new school starters took up the offer of free school meals, which exceeded the council’s target by seven per cent.

Council chiefs say that extending the scheme through the spring term will give parents of children who have not taken advantage of free school meals to do so.

Cllr Nick Peel, Bolton Council’s executive member for environmental services, said: “The success of the pilot scheme is testimony to the quality and appeal of today’s school meals.

“So I’m delighted to be able to announce an extension of this scheme for reception children so we can really start to assess the benefits for children of this age group.”

The initiative to provide all new school starters with free school meals for one term was designed to introduce children to healthy eating in school from an early age.

The council also hoped it would help to develop good eating habits and reduce childhood obesity in Bolton in the future.

School meals are guaranteed to contain one third of the recommended daily nutrition requirements for primary school children.

A typical menu for the week includes dishes such as tender garlic chicken served with a yoghurt dip, home-made beef burgers and chunky, soft-roasted vegetables served in pasta and sauce.

There are also healthy wraps and crusty bread filled with sliced meats and each week finishes with Fruity Friday, featuring seasonal fresh fruits.

Bolton Council is carrying out an exercise to gauge the opinions of parents and guardians on the trial and whether eating healthy school meals at lunchtime has affected the health, behaviour and attitude to food of reception class children.

Officers say extending the scheme for an additional term will allow more detailed analysis of the impact of school meals on reception class children.

Bolton School Meals produces a weekly menu showing the nutrient breakdown.

It can be viewed at www.bolton.gov.uk/schoolmeals.