School is a good place for children to eat and meals are improving all the time, according to an official report.

What’s more, school canteens help children discover a varied and healthy way to eat in a social context, and pupils may even take home important culinary lessons to their family, the Institut National de la Consommation concluded in its study.

At least half of all children eat in the school canteen. Rather than coming home with tales of “yukky school dinners”, that many of us might remember, most children look forward to lunchtime.

From November 1, all schools must serve one fully vegetarian meal a week as part of a two-year experiment to see what impact it will have on food waste, cost and take-up of school meals.

This measure was introduced in the October 2018 EGalim law on agriculture and food, which gave public authorities a year to introduce the change.

In Rouen, Normandy, all primary schools have offered a daily “meal without meat” since the beginning of this school year following an experimental period last year in seven schools.

Officials say changes in society mean many children ...