Maharashtra Govt Makes Healthy Food Mandatory At Official Meetings And Canteens

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has mandated healthy food options at official gatherings and canteens, as announced during a state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The objective is to foster healthy eating habits and a balanced lifestyle among government employees. Departments are instructed to serve nutritious food during meetings, events, and training sessions, thus integrating healthy dietary practices into employees' daily routines.

The new guidelines endorse seasonal fruits like bananas, apples, guavas, and papayas, as well as boiled eggs, pulses, poha, idli-sambar, hot milk upon request, and sugar-free green tea as ideal snack options. Traditional, locally produced healthy foods such as nachni bhakri, jowar, bajra bhakri, buttermilk, salads, vegetables, dals, and usals are also encouraged. The government encourages limiting oily and highly processed food items in snacks, while promoting nutritious local and traditional fare.

Catering contracts for government and semi-government entities will now incorporate health standards. Prior to the guidelines' implementation, institutions are advised to converse with their employees regarding health-related matters and dietary practices. Institutions must also raise awareness among employees about healthy lifestyles and nutritious diets, and create guidelines for wholesome food menus.

The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) guidelines may be utilized for finalizing menus.

This initiative has already been partially executed at Mantralaya's canteen, where healthier food alternatives like fruits, boiled eggs, pulses, poha, idli-sambar, hot milk, and green tea have been incorporated. This has led to a reduction in oily snack availability and consumption, with nutritious items such as dal, usal, leafy vegetables, buttermilk, salads, and pulao added to meals.

The government believes that introducing healthier food choices in official workplaces will motivate employees to adopt better dietary habits, thereby promoting a healthier work environment across government institutions.