The British government published on Friday a new set of standards on school meals, banning high-salt, high-fat lunches from English school menus to ensure healthy eating.

From September, low-quality meat, fizzy drinks, crisps, chocolate and sweets will be replaced by high-quality meat, poultry and oily fish. And pupils will be served two portions of fruit or vegetables with every meal while deep-fried food will be restricted to two portions per week, Sky news reported.

The new standards would "undo decades of neglect" and improve pupils' health, said Education Secretary Alan Johnson.

The government has set aside some 220 million pounds (440 million U.S. dollars) to help schools and local education authorities adapt to the new standards.

The money will fund training for cooks as well as better kitchen facilities.

Elsewhere in Britain, the Scottish Executive is also planning to ban junk food from schools and to create a law encouraging more pupils to eat school meals.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, similar proposals are also to be put forward.

Source: Xinhua