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With the aim of catching pupils who feel more comfortable outside or who are walking to the nearest unhealthy food outlet, it will offer hot and cold finger food, soup, sandwiches and drinks which all meet Scottish nutritional guidance.

Education and Children’s Service Convener, Cllr Fay Sinclair, said: “We are keen to do everything we can to help our young people make healthy choices. We know that many of them choose not to stay in school at lunchtime so we had to look at other ways to provide them with a healthy meal out of the school environment. These vans seem to offer the solution.”

The snacks will be priced similarly to food locally, and there will be four vans serving five schools in the area, which cost in the region of £26,000 to be fitted.

They will operate at morning break and lunchtime within the schools, as well being used for weekend and school events, such as sports days, which will reduce the operating costs. They will also be used during the summer in two country parks and will be available for emergency feeding, should the need arise.

Service Manager, Keith Breasley, said: “Not all pupils want to spend their lunchtime in school and by offering food to go in this manner we are ensuring those who want a break from the school environment can do so yet still take advantage of the nutritious food on offer from the school catering service.”