Schools decide what goes into students’ lunch boxes

COIMBATORE: With growing awareness about the importance of diet in determining healthy lifestyle and success, schools have started prescribing diet for students. Much importance is attached to the kind of food consumed that a diet chart is provided at the beginning of the academic year itself.

At K'SIRS International School here, head of the nutrition department Gayathri Raja works on preparing a diet chart during the summer vacation. "Food plays a major role in the growth of the child. With growing knowledge and availability of junk food today, children are vulnerable to such food. The diet chart is an attempt to prevent children from cultivating the habit of eating junk," said Gayathri.

The diet chart is prepared based on the age and activities of the students, said Gayathri. "The kind of activities children do differs from class to class. So, the food and quantity is decided based on that. Most of the diet includes vegetables, fruits and whole food," she added.

A similar protocol is followed at Yuva Bharathi School too. Principal of the school Geetha Jayachandran said, "We insist on parents to keep fruits and vegetables in the lunch box." While kids are drifting towards western food, Yuva Bharathi has found a way of making kids aware of the nutritious value of traditional food. "One day in a week is allocated for traditional food. The recipe for the dish is sent to parents through online resources," said Geetha Jayachandran.

Millets and grains are mandatory in the students' lunchbox at Yuva Bharathi. "We are flexible with the type of grain and millet in the box. This way parents can prepare with what is available at home," said Geetha Jayachandran.

Besides prescribing the diet, schools make sure they monitor this regularly. "There is a small team that includes senior students and teachers. They randomly visit classes and check lunch boxes," said secretary of K'SIRS Lalitha Prakash. "One day in the week does not have any diet prescribed. This is to allow children to eat what they wish to. At the same time, we ensure this is done with certain limitations," she added.

Nutritionists say the practice of schools hiring them is a welcome change. "There is little realisation among schools in India about the importance of diet. And, if schools have started doing it, this is a welcome change," said Nikhil Chaudhary, a Hyderabad-based nutritionist and public speaker.

School is the right place and time in life to develop the habit of a healthy lifestyle, Nikhil said. "Most youngsters and middle-aged people bring a lifestyle change only when they suffer a major health issue. At school, it is easy because you implement this in a group," said Nikhil.