Children will be asked their views on food, portions and queuing

In 2006, the council said the service was "no longer financially viable," after 100,000 fewer pupils took school meals than in 2005.

It will now ask the county's 15,250 primary and secondary school children how the service can be improved.

The council said it hoped to find a way to "address the issue".

Last year, Denbighshire revealed one in seven primary pupils had given up school meals in just three years, reducing the take-up rate to 48%.

It said demand rose by 40% on days when fast food was served.

'Way forward'

The authority plans to send out questionnaires to all the county's primary and secondary schools, asking children's views on menus, queuing systems, portion size and dining room atmosphere.

It said the findings would be used to determine school meals policy for 2008.

Hugh Evans, chair of the council's School Meals Action Group, said: "This survey is extremely important, and will provide us with excellent information direct from the pupils as to why there has been a drop in the take-up of school meals.

"This survey will help us find a way forward to address the issue."

Steve Parker, Denbighshire's head of environmental services, added: "There are a lot of factors at work, and we need to understand the reasons why the take-up of school meals has been falling."

Pupils responding to the survey will be entered into a draw to win shopping vouchers.