UK caterers think limited comparisons can be made between them and caterers in countries with more technologically advanced school meals services.
Underinvestment, coupled with mismatched levels of meal uptake, mean it is difficult to draw direct comparisons with more cost-efficient systems, such as those in Finland.
Geoffrey Harrison, managing director of school caterer Harrison's, said: "It's like comparing apples and caviar. Having a 100% uptake in Finland changes what you can do enormously.