Free meals should be offered to all pupils in primary and secondary schools in Scotland to help close the attainment gap, unions have said.
The STUC - the country's largest trade union body - has written to education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville to make the demand on the day classrooms reopen following the summer holiday.
It says expanding the provision of free school meals would remove the "stigma" associated with the benefit as well as offering health benefits to youngsters.
The move - which is backed by a coalition of trade unions and charities - could also boost classroom performance by ensuring no pupils are going hungry.
Free school meals are currently offered to all pupils in primaries one - four - and will eventually be expanded to P5, P6 and P7 by 2022.
But the STUC believes it should be offered to nursery pupils as well as older children in secondary schools.
STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “While the Scottish Government have made some welcome advancements on free school meals policy in Scotland, it does not stretch far enough.
"From this week, pupils in Primary 1 – Primary 4 in Scotland will be entitled to a Universal Free School Meal. Primary 5, 6, and 7 pupils will need to wait until 2022, while secondary school pupils and nursery have been discarded.
"Hunger, food insecurity, poverty, and stigma know no age boundaries, and action on poverty and inequality cannot be further delayed."
She continued: “Poverty and inequality were already at an unacceptably high level in Scotland well before the coronavirus pandemic struck. Hundreds of families are living below the poverty line each day but do not meet the threshold for a free school meal.
“If the Scottish Government are serious about significantly reducing child poverty by 2030 and meeting it’s own child poverty targets they must take action.
“Schools alone will not solve poverty and the roots of the attainment gap stretches well beyond the school gates, but the significant role our educational institutions play in tackling poverty, challenging inequality, and helping to build a healthier, more inclusive society cannot be underestimated.
“The momentum, the resources, and the capacity to deliver Universal Free School Meals to all is evident. What is missing is the will from the Scottish Government to be bold and take action on committing to the implementation of this progressive policy.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Ministers are committed to expanding free school meals to all pupils in primary and special schools during the next parliament, as well as introducing free year-round breakfast and lunch provision to support children outside of the school term. We are also committed to piloting approaches to universal meal provision in secondary schools.
“Already this year, we have agreed with local authority partners to introduce universal free school lunches for primary 4 and 5 children and have provided targeted support during school holidays for all eligible primary and secondary children and young people.
“From this month, all children in funded early learning and childcare will receive a free meal in every session, regardless of where they access childcare.”
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