MORE Renfrewshire pupils will enjoy a healthy school meal each day without it costing their parents a penny. 

From Thursday, January 6, primary five pupils will join those in primaries one to four in receiving a free school meal as part of the universal school meals expansion by the Scottish Government. 

Councillor John Shaw, convener of finance, resources and customer services, says the expansion will help more children to enjoy a healthy, hot meal.

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He said: "When we first began providing universal school meals to all pupils in primary one, two and three, it was clear that this benefitted not only their health but also their capacity to learn and engage.

"Being able to increase the universal school meals offer to pupils in both primary four and five is an important step in ensuring that more children get the nutrition they need.

"School meals also support the language skills and friendships that children have, which is equally important."

Following feedback from parents and pupils, children will also be able to enjoy new menus when they return to school after the winter break. 

Favourites such as chicken poppers, sandwiches, hot dogs and vegetarian sausage rolls are back on the menu after they were reworked to meet the food in school legislation. 

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Elizabeth Moore, Renfrewshire Council school menu and nutrition coordinator, says it is important to find a balance between providing the foods children love while also ensuring they provide health benefits. 

She said: "It’s clear that children and parents missed some of their favourites when we launched our new school meal menus in August.

"As a team, we have worked hard to ensure that children can still get something they like while also ensuring that they are eating balanced meals.

"When you introduce something that is classed as less healthy in the regulations, it means we need to review other things we provide in our menus so there is that healthy balance.

"We also look at other ways of providing the same meal, like using healthier alternatives.

"The new menus will give children more of what they love while also being healthy overall, and I hope they enjoy it."