And schools standards minister Stephen Twigg has rejected a call from a local MP to revoke the 1999 education order that has allowed Essex council to make its move.
Some schools have already begun to decommission kitchens and make staff redundant.
Essex Council told Children Now that from April, 66 of the county's 350 primary schools will only provide cold meals at least until September.
For the rest, 160 schools had decided to take out contracts with other providers, 39 were looking to extend existing contracts and 68 would prepare their own hot meals. The rest were undecided.
Bob Russell, Labour MP for Colchester, said he knew of two cooks at one school in his constituency - North primary - who had been told they would lose their jobs in response to the council's decision.
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