Data throughout the year shows more students taking up packed lunch
The number of primary school pupils opting for a school meal has fallen by around 20 percent over the course of the year.
Data provided in response to a Question for Written Answer from Onchan MHK Julie Edge shows more students have been turning to packed lunches.
In September the education department announced a shake up of school menus, cutting the amount of ultra-processed foods and swapping desserts for fruit and milk.
But Education Minister Daphne Caine says the figures relating to take-up of school meals can fluctuate like this throughout the year for a number of reasons including changes in the weather which increase and decrease demand for each meal type.
Ms Edge asked for numbers from January, September and October 2025.
In January, 3,245 children had a school meal, while 1,624 took a packed lunch; this meant around two-thirds were eating food prepared at school.
In September, this dropped to 57.4 percent (2,798 eating school meals with 2073 taking packed lunches), while October's data showed less than half of primary school pupils were eating school meals (2,534 school meals versus 2,562 packed lunches).
All but one school saw the percentage of children eating school meals fall between January and October, with only St Thomas's recording a small increase from 45 percent to 50.October's figures showed Laxey had the lowest percentage of students eating school meals with 34 percent, just below Ballacottier (35 percent) and Andreas (36 percent).
Sulby (69 percent), Jurby (68 percent) and St Mary's (63 percent) had the highest uptake in October.
Reception children don't have lunch at school during the first week of the academic year in September, and at the end of term there are seasonal events - such as the Christmas dinner.
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