A dimension within Forest Food Foraging
This theme explores the benefits of incorporating natural and forest-derived foods, like millet, into healthy eating habits and daily meals.
150 voices speak to this
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In our forest, fruits, roots, leaves, flowers, and leafy vegetables grow naturally. There are no chemicals in them, and they are completely nutritious. It would be good to serve them for lunch.
— Paradeshi Mirdha · Sambalpur, Odisha
Using all the fruits, flowers, leaves, greens, and root vegetables obtained from nature's forests in lunch can provide more nutritious food.
— Paradeshi Mirdha · Sambalpur, Odisha
It would be good to serve millet food, which is the most nutritious forest food, for lunch.
— PRADEEP KUMAR KANHAR · Boudh, Odisha
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
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
Mahua flowers and other foods obtained from the forest are very nutritious. Therefore, it is appropriate to include these foods in PDS or mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
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
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
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
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
From the forest, we collect ruguda mushrooms, mudhi saag, kuiler saag, girel flowers, bhindua kadi, and so on. If all these are nutritious foods for us, they should be included in the midday meal.
— RINA BEHERA · Hemagiri, Sundargarh, Odisha
We can give fruits found in the forest like :- Tendu, Char, Aonla in our lunch.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
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
Forest fruits like Kendu, Char, and Mahul, found in the forest, are rich in nutrition. It would be beneficial to include them in students' midday meals.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, 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
It is true that bringing vegetables and leafy greens from the forest provides nutritious food for a growing body.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
It would be good if the government provides forest foods like honey, Chaar, and Kendu as food in the midday meal.
— Priti majhi
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
In the forest, there are many types of food, such as various nutritious tubers (kandha), which can be given during midday meals in schools and also protect against various diseases.
— Deepanjali Nayak
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
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
The most nutritious local forest foods. It would have been good if we had included Kangu, then mushrooms, Kendu, then Karadi, etc. in the lunch.
— jitendra khila · Lachery, Malkangiri, Odisha
Including Mahula laddus made from Mahula found in our forests in school's midday meals can provide nutritious food to children.
— Anjana Khadia · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
Including ladoos made from Mahua, a food found in our forests, in the school's mid-day meal will be nutritious for children.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
Including food items like mahua ladoo made from mahua found in our forests in the school's midday meal can provide nutritious food to children.
— Anjana Khadia · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha
The forest contains nutritious foods like Pitalu, Baya, Tunga, Water Yam, Elephant Foot Yam, Bitter Ginari greens, Putukuli, Honey, Amla, Bahada, and Kendu. The government should consider adding some of these to the PDS (Public Distribution System).
— Prasanna Pradhan · Mayurbhanj, Odisha
Nutritious diet includes forest vegetables like Mocha Kolyar greens.
— Kachala Choudhary
It would be good if forest products like Mahul, Char, and Kendu are provided through the PDS system for mid-day meals.
— 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
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 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
The most nutritious locally edible forest food items should be included in PDF mid-day meals, and the government wants to promote their nutritional value for children.
— Laxmanlal
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
The most nutritious forest foods are Kolyar Bhaji, Mokha Ki Bhaji, Segwa, etc.
— Kachala Choudhary
By bringing the greens found in the forest, powdering them, and including them in PDS, they can be used as nutritious food.
— sudhir gamanga · Birikota, Rayagada, Odisha
It would be good if forest products like Mahula, Char, and Kendu were provided in mid-day meals through PDS.
— Priti majhi
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
We get our nutritious diet from the forest, such as Mahua fruit Doli oil in the form of fat, Kodo, Bhaddi, Kulthia, Mahua flowers, Jamun, Mahua kheer, Bhaji, etc.
— Surajsingh Parmar · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
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
In our forest, mushrooms, ruguda, karadi, and giril flowers are found. These should be served in mid-day meals at PDS schools.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, 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 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.

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

Our ancestors lived long and healthy lives by cultivating traditional crops without chemicals and consuming nourishing forest roots, a practice many now wish to revive.

By integrating diverse farming practices with deep knowledge of local forest foods, we ensure our community's sustenance and future well-being.