Junk foods to be banned in school canteens
Posted on: 05/Jun/2014 11:09:55 AM
Maneka Gandhi who is the Union minister for women and child development (WCD) is all set to propose to ban junk food from school canteens and substituting it with healthy options.
Ministry officials say that the minister is considering to take up the matter with the ministry of human resources development (HRD) and the health ministry. While, the mid day meal scheme comes under the HRD, the health ministry’s Food Safety and Security of India (FSSAI) is already working on guidelines for the schools proposing healthy snacks in the school canteens.
The idea is to recommend guidelines to make available good quality, safe food to students in school canteens. It is learnt that in their recommendations, experts have suggested whole wheat roti, poori with seasonal vegetable, multi-whole grain roti/poori with seasonal vegetable, rice and dal, vegetable pulao, rice and red beans, rice and black chana, sweet dalia, rice and white chana, idli, vada, sambar, kheer and milk products like curd, buttermilk and lassi to be substituted from the exisiting menu that includes samosas, bread pakoras etc.
Experts, including Ms. Sunita Narain, along with paediatricians and nutritionists worked representatives of industry associations submitted a document titled “Guidelines on Wholesome Food and Nutrition for School Canteen” to the expert group on January 16, 2013.
