1906: The government allowed local authorities to provide free school meals for poor children. It was later made compulsory set out in the 1944 Education Act, which made it a statutory duty rather than an optional service for local authorities to provide.

1945: School meals are described as having "a vital place in national policy for nutrition and well-being of children" and became a key part of the creation of the welfare state.

1946: The Free Milk Act was passed, providing one third of a pint to all children under the age of 18, under Labour leader Clement Attlee.

1968: Labour government scraps free milk for secondary school pupils, under Harold Wilson.

1971: Margaret Thatcher in her term as education secretary vows to scrap free milk entirely, which passed under the Conservative government by 281 votes to 248.

1980: Statutory duty of free school meals was reversed by the 1980 Education (Scotland) Act, except for children entitled to free school meals, and abolished the need for meals to meet any nutritional standards.

1986: Thousands of children lose entitlement to free school meals as a result of The Social Security Act of 1986, under Margaret Thatcher.

1988: The 1988 Local Government Act obliges local authorities to open the provision of meals to market testing. This increased the use of pre-prepared and processed food, a loss of kitchen infrastructure in schools and fewer catering staff with reduced skills.

2003: Quality of school meals and food education begins to improve after a £137m ring-fence funding for the Hungry for Success initiative. School meal provision is redefined as a best value service, not just a commercial trading activity.

2009: Scotland's first National Food and Drink Policy (2009) is implemented, which deals with food in an holistic way and promotes sustainability.

2014: New guidance (Better Eating, Better Learning) lays out guidance for the coming decade to drive improvements in school food and food education.

2015: Scottish government rolls out free school meals for all children from P1 - P3 on January 5.

2016: An estimated 135,000 pupils in P1-3 across Scotland benefited in the first year of the free meal policy introduction.