Change in Anganwadi food menu: No more Chikki

Team Udayavani, Jan 7, 2024, 10:28 AM IST

Image credit: Reuters

Udupi: The food menu for children in Anganwadi centers is transforming and a new nutritious food plan is set to be implemented this month.

The alterations include replacing chikki with cereal laddu and substituting rice and sambar with khichdi made with gram.

Amid allegations of insufficient nutritious food for children in Anganwadis, the state high court, followed by the Supreme Court, directed the government to revise the menu. As a result, under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, Anganwadis across the state are now adhering to the new food menu.

Starting from January 10, all Anganwadis will receive a renewed supply of food items aligned with the updated menu.

Old Menu:

Previously, mid-day meals for children included rice sambar, with additional provisions such as eggs, chikkis, and nutritional powder. The quantity of eggs distributed varied depending on market rates and grant availability.

New Menu:

Under the new menu, for children aged 6 months to 3 years, normal and malnourished, nutritional powder with or without jaggery is provided daily (135 gm.). Children aged 3 to 6 years, whether normal or malnourished, receive Wheat Laddu, nutritional powder, Cereal Laddu (25 gm. daily), along with rice sambar, uppittu, or rice kichidi. Regional variations are allowed. Pregnant women and new mothers receive with jaggery-free nutritional powder and few other items.

DFRL Approval:

The Defense Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) in Mysore has approved the new menu. A food supply agreement has been established between the Mother and Child Health Project (MSPC) and three qualified BIS-licensed women’s groups. The department sources indicate that food will be supplied according to the formula approved by licensed women’s groups and DFRL.

Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department, Udupi, Shyamala, mentioned: “A new menu will come to Anganwadis as per the court order. After January 10, the food material will reach all Anganwadis. The difference in supply was that some time was required to provide the food items as per the new menu.”