A dimension within Local Foods for Child Health
Examines the intersection of traditional foods, nutrition, and food security within school meal initiatives.
150 voices speak to this
Positive
Overall Community Sentiment
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
Our traditional crops like Kodo, Kutki, maize, Rahar, Kurthi, chickpeas, and other pulses should also be given in schools and Anganwadi centers under the Midday Meal Scheme, and they should also be promoted by the government.
— Rupesh Maravi · Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
It would be good to provide traditional food to school children in their mid-day meal.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK
Mandua, a traditional food item, should be included in the Mid-Day Meal for the physical and mental development of children in schools.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Nutritious food items like ragi should be introduced in mid-day meals and PDS.
— Sunil oraon · Gumla, Jharkhand
The traditional nutritious food of our community like Kodo, Kutki, maize, sorghum, wheat, arhar, sesame, masoor, moong, chana, batla etc. should be included in PDS (Public Distribution System) and mid-day meals, and the government should promote them.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Amla pickle should be included in mid-day meals among local forest food items, and traditional produce like Kodo, Kutki, maize, and pulses like Kurthi, Moong, Chana, and Rahar should be included in PDS.
— Rupesh Maravi
It would be good to provide traditional food to the children of our region in school midday meals.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Mohana, Gajapati, Odisha
It would be good to give traditional food to children in school. Midday meal.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Adaba, Gajapati, Odisha
Traditional food should be served in the school's midday meal.
— Bijayalaxmi sabar · Karnapadu, Rayagada, Odisha
Traditional food should be served in the school's midday meal.
— Bijayalaxmi sabar · Khilapadar, Rayagada, Odisha
Kodo, kutki, maize porridge, along with horse gram, moong, and rahat dal, should be given in mid-day meals and also included in the PDS.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Coarse food items, Batti Ravi, Kulthia's Ghugri, etc., should be added in schools and Anganwadi centers.
— Surajsingh Parmar · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
It would be good to provide traditional food to our school children in school.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Lobersing (Phuntsokling Tibetan settlement), Gajapati, Odisha
It would be good to provide traditional food to children for their midday meal.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Gajapati, Odisha
The most nutritious locally available moong dal and urad dal should be included in PDS and mid-day meals.
— AbhiLL Ipsa
It would be good if traditional food is given priority to children in mid-day meals at school.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Gajapati, Odisha
Hemant Sha village Nilaji: Forest-based millets and Gurji traditional food should be included in PDS and mid-day meals. This will help in the mental and physical development of children.
— RUDRA PRASAD BAG · Jagānpadar, Nuapada, Odisha
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
To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, ragi and mandua should be included in school midday meals.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Our native little millet, kodo, maize, sorghum, arhar, urad, kulthi, moong, and soybean should also be included in the government's ration card and in our school's midday meal.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
While promoting our traditional grains, the government should also include them in PDS and mid-day meals.
— Rupesh Maravi · Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
It would be good to give traditional food to our school children.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Mohana, Gajapati, Odisha
It would be good to provide traditional food to school children for lunch.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK
Now, not much food is available in the forest, but our community's traditional grains like Kodo Kutki khichdi, dalia, and Tur, Chana, and Masoor dals should be included in the PDS, and our children should also receive these in their midday meals.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
It would be good to give traditional food to children in school.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Gajapati, Odisha
It would be good to provide traditional food to school children during lunch.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK
It would be good to serve local food to school children for midday meals.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Adaba, Gajapati, Odisha
The government should include millet in PDS or mid-day meals.
— Kusha Mahakud
It would be good to provide traditional food to school children during lunch time.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Gajapati, Odisha
Include forest-based food items such as Mahua laddoo, Chaar laddoo, Fuljhi, etc., in the Public Distribution System (PDS) and mid-day meals.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, 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
It would be good to provide a traditional meal to children in school.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Mohana, Gajapati, Odisha
It would be good if our school children were given traditional food for their midday meal.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Gajapati, Odisha
Providing traditional food to school children in their mid-day meal will keep them healthy.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Gajapati, Odisha
Local forest produce such as Kendu, Char, Jamun berries, Sarala leaves, and Mahul contain nutrients. To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, traditional foods like millet porridge should be included in school mid-day meals. During festivals, do not include packaged food and food from markets/shops to offer to guests.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
Herbal medicines and traditional food should be introduced for school children and in Anganwadis.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
Our traditional crops like Kodo, Kutki, Maize, Jowar, Bajra, Kangni, Rahar, and Kurthi should be included in mid-day meals and the PDS, and if the government also promotes them, it can definitely happen.
— Rupesh Maravi · Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
It would be better to provide local food to school children in midday meals.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK
It would be better to provide traditional food in school midday meals.
— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK
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.
To preserve our health and culture, we advocate for the inclusion of native, nutritious grains in public food programs.
By embracing our ancestral foods, language, and traditions, we can nourish our children and strengthen our community's identity and well-being.
