1 hr ago
MCD Schools Plan More Varied, Child-Friendly Midday Meals
Delhi’s municipal schools plan to offer children more variety in their midday meals starting in November.
The new menu may include fruit, kheer and oats cookies.
Sambar rice will also be added, while familiar meals like puri-aloo and dal-rice will stay.
Wheat or ragi halwa is planned twice a week.
Officials say children may enjoy nutritious food more when it is prepared in different ways.
The city is preparing to bring in new agencies to run school kitchens.
Thirteen vendors are expected, and their kitchens are being surveyed.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi plans to introduce a more varied school meal menu from November.
The changes will cover nearly 1,500 MCD schools, officials said.
Possible additions include oats cookies, fruit and kheer, while sambar rice will join the menu.
Wheat and ragi halwa is planned twice weekly; existing meals such as puri-aloo, dal-rice and chole-rice will continue.
The MCD expects 13 new kitchen vendors, with shortlisted kitchen surveys underway and agencies likely to be finalized next week.
- Who
- The Municipal Corporation of Delhi and agencies that will run its school kitchens.
- What
- A more varied, child-friendly midday meal menu is planned, with a daily special item requested from kitchen agencies.
- Where
- Nearly 1,500 Municipal Corporation of Delhi schools.
- When
- The changes are planned from November; new agencies are likely to be finalized next week.
- Why
- Officials want to make nutritious meals more appealing and reduce children’s boredom with repetitive food.
Menu changes
Continuity
Adding child-friendly options
Menu changes
Officials want agencies to offer at least one special item daily and prepare food in ways children may enjoy, such as cookies or other varied preparations.
Continuity
The MCD plans to retain familiar meals, including puri-aloo, dal-rice and chole-rice, rather than simply remove popular items.
Key facts
- Schools affected
- Nearly 1,500 MCD schools
- Planned start
- November
- Expected new vendors
- 13
- Possible additions
- Oats cookies, fruit and kheer
- New meal
- Sambar rice
- Halwa frequency
- Wheat and ragi halwa planned twice a week
- Existing meals continuing
- Puri-aloo, dal-rice and chole-rice
Quotes
Senior MCD official
A senior official of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi discussing the planned school meal changes.
“We are asking the companies to do something additional. Children get bored if they keep eating the same thing. If the same ingredients are made into something like a cookie or prepared in a way that children enjoy, they are more likely to eat it.”
thehansindia.com
“On days when puri-aloo is served, children like it. We want them to eat everything, so the effort is to change the preparation rather than simply remove an item from the menu.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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