Having conducted a pilot project in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) run schools, wherein they introduced dietary supplements at no extra cost, they are now carrying out a state-wide training programme after the government accepted their proposal in the Vadodara Collector's office.

Earlier, a team led by Vanisha S. Nambiar conducted a survey in the city schools where they found that due to working conditions of the school and quality of kitchen staff, coupled with the unavailability of supplies, a proper diet prescribed by the Union government could not be made available to the students.

“According to the Central government's MDMS, the meal should have 450 calories consisting of 100 grams of cereal, 20 gram of pulses and 50 gram of non-tuber vegetables or green vegetables per day per child. However, when our team conducted the survey, we found that these directives were not followed, as the nutritious content was very less than the prescribed calorific value,” said Nambiar.

Keeping the survey in mind, Nambiar along with two Masters students, Natasha Gandhi and S. Nithya, initiated a move to improve the MDMS in urban Vadodara. With potatoes, onions and an occasional brinjal becoming the staple fare, they instead sought the inclusion of green leafy and other vegetables in the meal at no extra cost and within the available infrastructure and staff.

“The cost of one mid day meal per child is Rs. 2.21, including transportation. However, according to our survey, there were roots and tubers given to the children instead of non-tuber or green vegetables. So, now we have come up with a new diet at the same cost,” Nambiar said. They also pressed for the kitchen gardens in the school premises to grow different seasonal vegetables. With anaemia rampant among the children, they are also recommending the use of drumsticks, which is an iron rich affordable vegetable.

Lamenting on the quality of the food that was served to schoolchildren across the state, he said, “In our survey, we found that most of the workers in the MDMS were not well trained and could not prepare a meal with the right nutritious value. However, if they receive proper training, they will be able to produce nutritious food for children”.

After conducting laboratory tests to know about the nutritious facts of the new meal, Nambiar and his team experimented at a larger level by introducing the meal in some of the schools on November 26.