WE'VE nearly all had them. And not so long ago there was a clip round the ear if we didn't eat them.

But now, it seems, kids have more reasons than ever before to shun school dinners.

Lancashire County Council has threatened to axe the contract run by BET Catering Services unless standards are quickly improved.

It claims the company's performance in several areas is still unsatisfactory.

Changes in menus, and deficiencies in food portions and quality are top of the grumbles list.

And now there is concern over whether children are eating a nutritional meal at lunchtime.

That issue was less of a problem before compulsory competitive tendering.

The service was operated by education authorities, and, while meals were not always exactly what the kids thought they should have, they were at least balanced.

Competition means profits, which in turn means cost-cutting and sacrifices in quality.

The temptation to serve up chips with every meal in a bid to boost profits means some children are surviving on chips, chips and more chips. No vegetables, no protein. Just chips.

Hardly the diet to build young bodies and brains.

The county council is right to demand the best for our youngsters. But it should also be looking to educate our young people, many of whom, faced with the option of a crunchy salad or pie and chips will go for the latter each time.

A return to the old system, a couple of decades ago, where children were served a ready plated meal, would be no bad thing.

With everything already on the plate, youngsters more often than not ate the lot - including the veg.

And the rewards for finishing the main courses were magnificent. Remember jam roly poly? Chocolate sponge and pink custard? Are these delicacies lost to our youngsters of today?

Bring back traditional school dinners.

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