Wild Foods & Child Health

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

Give children forest food or good food available from the forest in school.

— Puspanjali Nag

The naturally available wild forest food is highly nutritious. The forest has a large amount of leafy greens and also fruits. Pitin also has high nutritional value.

— Rajesh Mallik · Boudh, Odisha

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

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

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

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

Local forest produce like Kendu, Chaar, Jamukoli, and Mahul are rich in nutrients. Wild leafy greens and traditional foods should be included in school midday meals to provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children. During festivals, we do not provide packaged food and market/shop items to guests.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha

We can give fruits found in the forest like :- Tendu, Char, Aonla in our lunch.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

Fanjan greens, Panjaniyaan greens, and Vochhateen greens from the forest are beneficial for the body.

— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

Local forest produce like Kendu, Char, Jamun berries, Mahula contain nutrients. To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, wild leafy greens and traditional foods from the forest should be included in school mid-day meals. During festivals, we do not include packaged food and items from markets/shops to offer to guests.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, 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

From the forest, we also get many things as vegetables, such as

— Kekti Tekam

Local forest produce such as Kendu, Chaar, Jamu Kali, and Mahul contain nutrients. To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, wild leafy greens and traditional foods should be included in school mid-day meals. During festivals, we do not include packaged food and items from markets/shops to offer to guests.

— DASHARATH SINGH · Sambalpur, 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

We get various greens and various fruits from the forest.

— Laba Kumar sabar · Bada Baridi, Rayagada, Odisha

Local forest Kendu, Char, Jamu Kali, Mahul contain nutrients. To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, wild leafy greens and traditional foods should be included in school mid-day meals. During festivals, you do not include packaged food and food from the market/shop to offer to guests.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha

From the forest, we get leafy vegetables, tubers, mushrooms, and fruits. All these kinds of things are available.

— Laba Kumar sabar · Bada Baridi, Rayagada, Odisha

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

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

Mahua is found in the forest, it is a very vitamin-rich food, it would be good to give this to children.

— Laxmi Bagh · Subdega, Sundargarh, Odisha

Local forest Kendu, Char, Jamu Kali, Mahul are rich in nutrients. Wild leafy vegetables and traditional foods should be included in school mid-day meals to provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children. During festivals, you are not including packaged foods and items from markets/shops to offer to guests.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, 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

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

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

In addition to the lentil dish (dialunda) served to the children of our Anganwadi during midday meals, they should also be provided with our forest-based products, such as seasonal leafy greens.

— Parsuram Sa · Sundargarh, Odisha

Nutritious local tubers like Pitikanda, Charendakanda, and Naangalakanda, found in the forest, can be included in dishes.

— Padmalochan Majhi · Ratachua, Rayagada, Odisha

Local forest produce such as Kendu, Char, Jamun berries, and Mahul are rich in nutrients. Wild edible greens and traditional foods should be included in school mid-day meals to provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children. During festivals, you don't include packaged foods and market/shop items to offer to guests.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha

The most nutritious forest foods are Kolyar Bhaji, Mokha Ki Bhaji, Segwa, etc.

— Kachala Choudhary

Fruits obtained from the forest are also important for the physical and mental development of children and for providing nutrition; the government should include them as traditional food items in school mid-day meals.

— Anil Pargi · Maliya Dokar, Banswara, Rajasthan

Local forest products like Kendu, Char, Jamu Kali, and Mahul are rich in nutrients. To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, wild leafy greens and traditional foods should be included in school mid-day meals. During festivals, you do not include packaged food and items from the market/shop to offer to guests.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha

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