British Education Secretary Alan Johnson vowed on Friday to stop feeding pupils the "rubbish that they have been given for decades" with new rules cutting levels of sugar, fat and salt in English school meals.
Rules taking effect in September will ban low-quality meat, chips and chocolate, require pupils to eat at least two portions of fruit and vegetables with every meal, and limit them to two portions of French fries a week.
The nutritional standards follow a high-profile drive by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who hosted a popular television programme in 2004 that illustrated the poor quality, pre-packaged, fatty foods prepared in many school canteens.
The standards apply only to English schools since the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set separate policies for schools.
"These new standards will start to undo decades of neglect and ensure that healthy eating is the norm in every school," Johnson said when he published the new rules on Friday.
"Providing pupils with a healthy balanced meal that will give them the energy, vitamins and minerals they need to learn and play is essential," he said in a statement from the Department of Education and Skills.
"But we will go further, helping schools to teach every pupil skills in diet, nutrition, practical food preparation and cooking to ensure they make the right choices throughout life," he said.
In an interview with GMTV television, Johnson denied claims that schools would struggle to find contractors to cook the new healthier meals.
"If you put the investment in -- which we're doing -- if you insist on the quality and you insist that our kids can no longer be given the kind of rubbish that they have been given for decades, you will find the contractors," he said.
"Or you will employ locally-employed catering staff to do it themselves. The money's there and it's up to schools and local authorities to use it."
The rules -- based on consultations with professional associations, dieticians, health charities, and food and drink organisations -- ban fizzy drinks, low-quality meat products, potato chips, chocolate and other confectionery.
They require schools to serve high-quality poultry, meat and oily fish regularly, as well as a minimum of two portions of fruit and vegetables with every meal.
The rules restrict any deep-fried items to a maximum of two portions each week.
Ministers have also announced plans to ban junk food and fizzy drinks from vending machines in schools, which will be expected to offer healthier snacks and drinks like water, milk, fruit and yoghurt drinks.
From September 2008, elementary schools will be required to abide by nutrient-based standards which set out the essential vitamins and minerals children should receive, the education department said.
Secondary schools will follow a year later.
Britain has the fastest-growing problem of obesity in Europe, with cases increasing almost 400 percent in 25 years. Three quarters of adults are now either overweight or obese and the nation's children are catching up.
As well as poor diets at home, the problem has also been blamed on junk food eaten by children in schools.