The menu of the mid-day meal being served in Telangana schools is a formidable example of how healthy food catered to children should be. Nutritious meals help children in fighting hidden hunger because they take care of essential minerals and vitamins that are important for the growth of a child.
The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is run by The Akshaya Patra Foundation in Telangana. The menu of the mid-day meal comprises of pulses such as toor dal, fortified soy dal, green gram whole, urad dal, peas, moong dal, cow pea, green gram sprouts, soy products like- chunks, flakes, gram dal, bengal gram whole, channa dal, etc.
These are high in fibre, low in fat and have complex carbohydrates which is healthy for the body. Pulses provide folate that is known for lowering homocysteine levels. It has been proven that high homocysteine levels damage the lining of arteries and promotes plaque build-up and blood clots. Eventually, this kind of damage can block blood flow to the heart or brain. Thus, when pulses are served to children from an early age, they develop stronger folate levels that fight the risk of heart attack as the children grow.
Read Also, Are we Prepared to Lead Our Country Towards Positive Development?
Children charity The Akshaya Patra Foundation is observing Hunger Action Month, as part of which, they are aiming at fighting against hidden hunger. In India, many children are deprived of nutritious meal. As a result, their growth remains stunted. A child is known to be suffering from hidden hunger when he is deprived of a wholesome meal.
At Akshaya Patra, the menu of mid-day meal is designed with utmost care, in order to make the food tasty and healthy. The menu is changed every day so that the children relish it with equal enthusiasm. Pulses form an integral part of the mid-day meal scheme in Telangana. They are also a rich source of iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and potassium.
While serving these mid-day meals to children in Telengana, the Foundation ensures that the food is cooked in hygienic conditions. The Foundation’s state-of-the-art kitchens which are equipped with latest technology enable the employees to cook food using a systematic procedure. It currently has 33 kitchens across the country. Over 1.6 million children benefit from this initiative.
Children need a lot of energy in their adolescence as they participate in a lot of sports. A meal that’s rich in pulses helps regulate the energy levels and manage digestive system. The meals served to children have enough nutritious value to ensure that the body gets a slow-burning and steady energy supply. The iron content in these diets helps transporting oxygen into the body which in turn boosts energy production and metabolism.
The mid-day meal scheme in Telengana aims at providing considerable amount of wholesome lunch to school children. The children’s charity is ensuring that children coming to Government and Government-aided schools don’t go home hungry. If you wish to join hands in the mission, be a part of this cause and donate to charity today.
