Mundhe effect? Idli replaces vada pav in Mumbai school canteens

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is mandating healthier food options in school canteens across Mumbai. As part of a broader food safety campaign under the leadership of FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, schools previously offering fried snacks and aerated drinks are now serving healthier alternatives. Traditional Indian breakfast dishes such as idli, dosa, poha, sheera and upma have replaced vada pav and samosas.

Deep-fried foods have been phased out, and aerated drinks have been banned. Idli and its counterparts are preferred due to their steaming process and lower fat content compared to deep-fried counterparts. Buttermilk has replaced cola and other soft drinks in some canteens. The campaign follows a warning from Maharashtra FDA against selling junk food on school premises and mandates adherence to the Food Safety and Standards (Safe food and balanced diets for children in school) Regulations, 2020.

Schools have been instructed to remove high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods from their premises within a 50-meter radius. Parents are also encouraged to pack healthier tiffin boxes for their children. The changes are part of a larger crackdown on hygiene violations, with over 1,100 inspections and suspensions of licenses conducted in the first two months.

Maharashtra's approach extends beyond school premises to involve checking vendors within 50 meters of schools and proactively engaging with gram panchayats and sarpanchs in rural areas.