Adam Ingram, the minister for children and early years, had lunch with youngsters from P1 to P3 — and announced that the free school meals pilot scheme in which they've been taking part is to be extended until the summer holidays.

Fife is one of five local authority areas involved in the initiative, which aims to promote nutritious eating and improve pupils' health, social skills and behaviour.

On the menu at St Columba's on Tuesday was a range of wholesome options that included chicken curry and rice, baked potatoes, a choice of vegetables, toasties, fruit and a salad bar.

Mr Ingram joined the youngsters of primary one for lunch, along with North East Fife MSP Iain Smith and Fife Council's education committee chair Douglas Chapman.

Having set a good example by finishing all his broccoli, Mr Ingram said he had been encouraged by the uptake of the free school meals, which had been around 85 per cent since the trial began last August.

He said he hoped that the scheme would be rolled out across Scotland by August 2009 and that the eligibility for free school meals would be extended.

He said: "Our children need good, healthy, nutritious food to get them through the school day, but cost is a factor for many parents, especially if they have more than one child.

"But it's not just about changing eating habits in schools.

"What our children eat out of school is just as important and I'm sure that many families are already seeing the direct benefits this programme provides.

"We will use the information gathered in this trial to see whether the provision of free meals is having a positive impact both in schools and in the home.

"We are focusing on primaries one to three at the moment because the early years are the key years in terms of developing healthy eating habits.

"But we are hoping to extend the eligibility for free school meals to more families who are on low incomes, with around 100,000 children in Scotland eventually receiving free meals."

St Columba's headteacher Jo Boggan said that the trial had made the youngsters much more adventurous in their choice of food and they were enjoying the free fruit they were given at break-times.

Parents had also been invited to the school to have lunch with their children to help get the healthy eating message across to the wider community.

The most popular choices with the children on Tuesday were chicken curry and toasties.

Eight-year-old Harry Main had opted for a ham toastie followed by a pear, while Thomas Nelson (8) and Caitlin Small (7) both chose fruit smoothie ice cream to follow their toasties.

All three said they really enjoyed their school lunches and there was always plenty choose from — with one declaring that the meals were 'better than mum's packed lunches!"