Food Health & Nutrition

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

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

In my village, there are many wild fruits and vegetables that should be included in school meals, in the midday meal. This is a request to the government.

— Jaya · Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

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

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha

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

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

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

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

It would be good if the government provides forest foods like honey, Chaar, and Kendu as food in the midday meal.

— Priti majhi

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

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

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

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 forest foods like Mahua, Chhar, and Kendu as food in the MDM (Mid-Day Meal scheme).

— Priti majhi

I think Nija Pradhan, Raike, Kandamula, and generally for lunch for children, we are requesting the government to include Mandia, Kandamula, forest fruits, Kendu, Sadhe Ganga, Amla, and various other types of roots which are Loeraka and Napanga, and when given to children, children get protein, because these are not refined foods, therefore we are requesting the government to include them in the mid-day meal.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

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

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

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

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

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

Fruits found in the forest such as Jamun, Custard Apple, Mahua, Chawar, etc., should be added to the Midday Meal.

— Gopal

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 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

Local forest produce such as Kendu, Chaar, Jamu fruits, and Mahul contain nutrients essential for children's physical and mental development. Therefore, wild leafy greens and traditional foods should be included in school midday meals to provide more nutrition. You are not including packaged foods and items from markets/shops to offer to guests during festivals and celebrations.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, 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

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

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

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

It would be good if forest products like Mahula, Char, and Kendu were provided in mid-day meals through PDS.

— Priti majhi

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

It would be good if forest products like Mahul, Char, and Kendu are provided through the PDS system for mid-day meals.

— Priti majhi

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

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

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

Local forest products like Kendu, Char, Jamu Kali, Sarala Sag, and Mahul are rich in nutrients. To provide more nutrition for the physical and mental development of children, traditional foods like millet should be included in school mid-day meals. During festivals, are you not including packaged food and food from the market/shops to serve guests?

— DASHARATH SINGH · Sambalpur, Odisha