Speaking in a House of Commons debate, education minister Stephen Twigg said he was talking to the charity Child Poverty Action Group on what could be done to ensure more meals were taken up.
Vera Baird MP said that 200,000 schoolchildren who were entitled to free school meals did not claim them.
Twigg's comments came as the Liberal Democrats called on schools and local authorities with low take-up rates to rethink how they deliver free meals.
Research by the party showed children prefer to "look cool" rather than face the social stigma of eating a free meal.
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