FEWER children who are entitled to free school meals daily are taking up the offer.
One in four pupils are spurning the support, according to a new Department of Education analysis.
The drop is being blamed partly on Covid-19 lockdowns which forced schools to switch to remote learning.
Some schools were unable to provide a full service which led to an increase in the proportion of children making other lunch arrangements.
Close to 100,000 young people are eligible for free school meals (FSM), 28 per cent of all pupils.
They are usually provided to those whose parents receive benefits or whose family income is less than £16,190.
The department has produced a detailing report that has examined the level of uptake in the current academic year.
It found that pupils from the least affluent schools - as measured by FSM entitlement - were more likely to take a meal.
Uptake increased as the level of FSM entitlement rose. For example, 64.3 per cent of pupils in primary schools with 40 per cent or more FSM eligible children took a meal compared to 39.9 per cent in primary schools where the proportion of entitled children was 10 per cent or less.
Across all school types, including special schools, 97,631 pupils were eligible, an increase of 945 on the previous year. The overall percentage has remained the same as 2019/20.
There were slight decreases in eligibility in non-grammar and special schools while there were increases in nursery, primary and fee-paying prep schools. Grammar schools remained constant at 13.7 per cent.
The overall uptake level was 74.9 per cent - 5.6 percentage points lower than the previous year.
The department said there was "likely a direct impact of the Covid-19 crisis, resulting in fewer pupils wanting to take a free school meal".
Pupils engaged in distance learning were recorded as making other lunch arrangements, unless they were in receipt of a free food parcel. Just 231 young people received these parcels.
Uptake was highest at nursery level (82.5 per cent), followed by primary/prep (77.1), special (74.7), non-grammar (72.2) and grammar (70.3).
The executive has agreed to cover the cost of meals for eligible children during all school holidays until April 2022.
A £40 million initiative will see about 100,000 families receive payments when schools are closed.
Grants will be paid directly to families to cover holiday periods, including mid-term breaks - approximately 20 weeks - until Easter 2022.
