Children are shunning healthy meals across the UK, leading to fears the school meal service could collapse.

The Telegraph has reported that ever since Jamie Oliver's award-winning programme exposed the poor quality of school dinners, some schools have seen a 30 per cent reduction in their takings from meals and vending.

Fresh ingredients to replace reheated ready meals have put up the cost of school dinners, while labour costs have also gone up, according to a report by the Local Authority Caterers Association.

“In 2007, the picture is one of considerable concern over the future viability of the school meals service, particularly in secondary schools,” its report says.

Chairman Sandra Russell will tell the association's conference in Birmingham today that her worst fears have been realised as pupils vote with their feet and take their money elsewhere.

“We cannot expect to reverse an embedded eating culture overnight nor can we convert teenagers to a healthier regime by force,” she is expected to say.

“We are in danger of the secondary school meal service fragmenting or dying altogether if we are not careful.” The news comes as Scotland announces free meals for 35,000 primary school children in a pilot to provide evidence for future policy on improving health and nutrition.

Two thirds of local authorities in England report that they are making a loss on school meals, according to a survey for the LACA, which represents companies providing meals under contract.