NUT-free meals with healthy ingredients are tempting more Hampshire primary schoolchildren to eat school lunches.

New figures from Hampshire County Council show more primary schoolchildren than ever before are now tucking into the healthy lunchtime fare provided by the council’s catering service HC3S.

An additional 0.6million meals were dished up in Hampshire’s primary schools by the HC3S, compared with last year, making a total of 7.4m meals served during 2012-13.

The figure represents an increase of eight per cent on the previous year.

With almost 39,000 primary school pupils across the county now eating HC3S meals every lunchtime, this is the highest figure recorded by the service. Throughout the year, youngsters can select a main meal, vegetables and salad together with either potatoes, pasta or rice. Dessert is a choice of fresh fruit or handmade pudding such as chocolate beetroot brownies, or cherry jumble biscuit.

Every meal is designed to make up a third of the recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals for a child over the weekly menu.

Around £2m a year is spent by the county council on sourcing local produce, and Hampshire’s school meals contain ingredients such as beef from Laverstoke Park, free range eggs and ice cream from the New Forest, apple juice from Selborne, and fish from well-managed, sustainable fisheries.

The meals are nut-free and free from 70 artificial colours and flavours.

The new figures were reported to members of the county’s buildings, land and procurement panel (BLAPP).

Panel chairman Councillor Mel Kendal, who is also a member of the council’s Cabinet, said: “These latest figures show that school meals in Hampshire have never before been so popular, and are going from strength to strength.”

He said the meals offered excellent value for money for parents as the price of a meal has remained at £2 for the last five years. Cllr Kendal added: “Following a successful scheme last year, we are again looking at offering all reception class pupils at Hampshire primary schools, lunches to enjoy free, for two weeks during the 2013 Autumn Term.

“By listening to pupils and parents, and asking them about their preferences, the county council continues to serve high quality menus in schools.”