Californian "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger strode into the school meals debate this week by announcing he wanted to ban junk food in the USA's state schools.

Following in British chef Jamie Oliver's footsteps, the former film star said he wanted to replace unhealthy options in school vending machines with healthy foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables and milk.

Speaking at a body-building event he said: "You've got to make an effort. What you feed a child is exactly what we become.

"So the more garbage you put in there, the more they're going to look like a garbage disposal."

Some 33% of American children consume fast food every day while nine million are obese.

The Terminator's chief of staff, Pat Clarey, later added: "I wouldn't say we're going to ban all junk food. We are just looking at additional bills that will deal with snack food at high schools... we're looking for healthy snacks."

by Jessica Gunn

Buy this week's Caterer magazine for more industry news and analysis