An important change is set to take place in Gujarat’s midday meal scheme for school children starting September 1. The state education department has directed district collectors to implement a new menu that eliminates the morning snack component, focusing solely on providing lunch.

The department claims this decision is aimed at increasing the intake of vegetables among children. Currently, around 43 lakh students across the state benefit from both morning snacks and lunch under the scheme. However, the introduction of the Prime Minister’s Nutrition Power Scheme will lead to a revised menu based on children’s preferences, with the morning snack being discontinued. This update replaces a 2017 directive from the education department with a new mandate.

The new weekly menu, designed to maintain nutritional standards while ensuring operational efficiency, includes a variety of dishes such as vegetable pulao, dhokli, khichdi, dal-dhokli, and more. 

To ensure compliance with the daily nutritional quotas set by the PM Nutrition Scheme, district-level committees, chaired by collectors, will oversee and approve menu adjustments based on local preferences. If certain ingredients are unavailable, the menu will be adapted to use available lentils, pulses, or chickpeas to meet the required calorie and protein levels.

This change aims to streamline the meal programme while maintaining nutritional standards amid ongoing challenges.

While the change is expected to have a positive impact on children’s nutrition, it remains to be seen how students and their parents will adapt to the elimination of the morning snack.

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