Maharashtra Govt Makes Healthy Food Mandatory At Official Meetings And Canteens

Mumbai: Healthy snacks, nutritious meals and balanced menus will now be mandatory at government and semi-government meetings, official programmes, training sessions, conferences and canteens in Maharashtra. The decision was taken at the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The move aims to promote healthy eating habits and a balanced lifestyle among government officers and employees. All departments will be directed to ensure that nutritious food is served during meetings, official events and training programmes, making healthy dietary practices a part of employees’ daily lives.

Nutritious Snacks On Official Menus

Under the new guidelines, seasonal fruits such as bananas, apples, guavas and papayas, boiled eggs, boiled pulses, poha, idli-sambar, hot milk on request and sugar-free green tea will be among the preferred options for snacks. Traditional and locally available nutritious foods such as nachni bhakri, jowar and bajra bhakri, buttermilk, salads, vegetables, dals and usals will also be promoted.

The government has stressed the need to reduce the use of oily and highly processed food items in snacks while encouraging nutritious local and traditional food. For meals, departments and institutions will be advised to include dal, usal, leafy vegetables, buttermilk, salads, vegetables and a balanced combination of grains, wherever required.

Catering Contracts To Include Health Norms

The provision of healthy menus will also become a mandatory component of new catering contracts entered into by government and semi-government offices. Before implementing the guidelines, institutions have been asked to discuss health-related concerns and dietary practices with their employees.

Government and semi-government institutions will also be required to create awareness among employees about healthy lifestyles and nutritious diets and prepare guidelines for providing balanced food menus. The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) guidelines may be used while finalising the menus.

The initiative has already been partly implemented at the canteen in Mantralaya, where healthy food options including fruits, boiled eggs, boiled pulses, poha, idli-sambar, hot milk and green tea have been introduced. The move has helped reduce the availability and consumption of oily snacks, while nutritious items such as dal, usal, leafy vegetables, buttermilk, salads and pulao have been included in meals.

The government believes that introducing healthier food choices at official workplaces will encourage employees to adopt better dietary habits and contribute to a healthier work environment across government institutions.

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