A dimension within Midday Meals & Local Nutrition
Addresses child malnutrition prevention and food security through school meal programs.
150 voices speak to this
Positive
Overall Community Sentiment
It would be good if the government provided highly nutritious foods like banana, sweet potato, yam, and sago through PDS in mid-day meals.
— anita khora · Sutipadar, Koraput, Odisha
It would be good if all the nutritious foods found in the forest such as Lepherasā, Kachar sāg, Gukurijīv sāg, Kaḍī, Heḍuā, Chhati, Ruguḍā are added to the Mid-Day Meal PDS.
— RINA BEHERA · Hemagiri, Sundargarh, Odisha
It would be good if the government provides forest foods like Mahua, Chhar, and Kendu as food in the MDM (Mid-Day Meal scheme).
— Priti majhi
It would be good if the government provides forest foods like honey, Chaar, and Kendu as food in the midday meal.
— Priti majhi
It would be good if the government promoted these most nutritious forest foods like bananas, karadi, and kandhamula in PDS (Public Distribution System) and mid-day meals.
— anita khora · Sutipadar, Koraput, Odisha
It would be good if forest products like Mahula, Char, and Kendu were provided in mid-day meals through PDS.
— Priti majhi
Our traditional nutritious food like kodo, kutki, maize, sorghum, wheat, etc., as khichdi and dalia should be given in mid-day meals, and it would be great if the government also includes such grains in PDS.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
It would be good if forest products like Mahul, Char, and Kendu are provided through the PDS system for mid-day meals.
— Priti majhi
Request to the government: It would be good if food prepared from ragi/millet is provided in PDS midday meals.
— PRADEEP KUMAR KANHAR · Boudh, Odisha
If the government provides forest food like honey and some other forest produce as part of the midday meal, it would be good.
— Priti majhi
Request to the government: It would be good if forest products like Mahua, Char, Kendu, and Kaku were made into ladoos and provided in the BDS mid-day meal.
— Priti majhi
Among forest products, Mahua is also a nutritious food. It would be good if the government utilizes this Mahua in various ways and provides it in school mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
It would be good if forest products like Mahua, Chaar, and Kendu were included in the preparation of our children's Mid-Day Meal.
— Priti majhi
If millet, maize, cashew, pigeon pea, Judung, etc., are included as forest foods in the mid-day meal, it will encourage the government.
— Samana Mandangi
Request to the government: It would be good if forest products like Mahul, Chara, Kina, and Kaku were made into ladoos and given in BDS midday meals.
— Priti majhi
If forest-based foods like Mahua, Chironji, and Kendu were prepared and given to our school children in their Mid-Day Meal, it would be beneficial.
— Priti majhi
In our school, in the mid-day meal that is provided, if we bring a beneficial extract from our forest and add those seeds, I will prepare it so that it contains many vitamin-rich things, and eating that would be very good.
— Parikshit Majhi
The aquatic plants, tubers, mushrooms, and all other forest products found in the forest are nutritious food. Therefore, if we can add this food to PDS and school mid-day meals, it would be very good.
— Sushama Digal · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
Kodo, kutki, maize, and sorghum porridge, and also indigenous pulses, should be included in the midday meal, and it would be very good if the government promotes them.
— Rupesh Maravi · Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
The roots, herbs, and water chestnuts found in the forest are very vitamin-rich and nutritious foods. It would be good if these were provided in PDS and as midday meals for school children.
— Sushama Digal · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
The government is giving new things to eat in MDH, which means that if we add some of our forest-based foods, like fried items (such as fried ridge gourd, fried wild yam), and also add greens and lentils, it would be good.
— Ulapi Sahu · Balangir, Odisha
Sir, what kind of nutritious food should the government provide us through PDS? And in schools, definitely in the midday meal, and millet, root vegetables, then forest produce, which are fruits, if these are definitely given to the students as encouragement, then the children's malnutrition can be eliminated.
— Dillip pujari · Phiringia, Kandhamal, Odisha
If forest foods like Char, Mahua, Kendu, Mango, and Jam are added to PDS and mid-day meals, consumers will get nutritious food.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, Odisha
If herbal Tendu leaves, seeds, and millets can be included in the mid-day meal.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
If ragi, millet, drumstick leaves, and jute leaves were included in the school midday meal, it would provide more nutritious food to children.
— Parsuram Sa · Sundargarh, Odisha
It would be beneficial if forest fruits, roots, Char, Dumer, and Kuddu fruits are given to school children as part of the midday meals provided in schools. Whatever term applies.
— Parikshit Majhi · Balangir, Odisha
Nutritious food items like ragi should be introduced in mid-day meals and PDS.
— Sunil oraon · Gumla, Jharkhand
If we talk about the most nutritious food, if the government provides our forest products like Mahul, Char, and Kendu as food in MDM (Mid-Day Meal), then children will eat it and become intelligent.
— Priti majhi
It would be good if foods like ragi, millet, and Sua are given to school children in the mid-day meal two days a week.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK
It would be appropriate if forest products like Mahua ladoo are prepared and served as part of the Mid-Day Meal in schools.
— Priti majhi
The government should promote the most nutritious foods easily available in our region, such as kodo, kutki, maize, along with tur dal, gram, and horse gram lentils, and include them in PDS and mid-day meals.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Speaking of the most nutritious food, if the government provides our forest products like Mahul, Char, Kendu, etc., as food in MDM (Mid-Day Meal), children will eat them and become intelligent/wise.
— Priti majhi
It would be good if the government distributes the four valuable Kendu fruits found in the forest as food for children in areas where midday meals are not available.
— Priti majhi
Forest produce fruits found in the forest like Kendu, Char, and Mahula contain abundant nutritious food. It would be good to include them in students' mid-day meals.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
The government should include millet in PDS or mid-day meals.
— Kusha Mahakud
To include forest-based foods like Mahua ladoo, Char ladoo, Phuljhi, etc., in PDS and midday meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Forest fruits like Kendu, Char, and Mahul, found in the forest, contain abundant nutritious food. It would be good to include them in the mid-day meals of students.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
It would be good if the government provides food to all students through the Midday Meal (MDM) scheme.
— Priti majhi
Forest yam is a nutritious food. So, we request the government to add it to PDS and Midday Meal programs.
— Sita Behera · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
Forest-produced fruits like Kendu, Char, and Mahula, found in the forest, contain a large amount of nutritious food. It would be excellent to include these in students' midday meals.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
AI-synthesised pieces woven from many community voices on this theme. They may contain errors or interpretation — they're a reflection of the stories, not a record of fact.

By incorporating local, traditional grains like ragi and millet into school lunch programs, communities can significantly improve children's health and well-being.

Our community advocates for the integration of traditional, locally sourced foods into public programs to nourish children and preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

By embracing our ancestral foods, language, and traditions, we can nourish our children and strengthen our community's identity and well-being.

By cherishing and utilizing the traditional foods and herbs found in our forests and lands, we can sustain ourselves and combat malnutrition while preserving our natural heritage.