Kerala rolls out revamped healthy menu for anganwadi kids

Pathanamthitta: In a major step towards enhancing child nutrition, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday unveiled a revised, state-wide unified menu for children attending anganwadis. The new menu, designed to be more diverse, delicious, and nutritious, aims to improve children's health by reducing sugar and salt content while boosting the intake of protein-rich foods.

George, who also holds the portfolio of Women and Child Development, announced the revamped menu during the state-level "Praveshanotsavam" (reopening ceremony) of anganwadis held in Pathanamthitta.

According to an official statement, this is the first time Kerala will implement a uniform menu across all anganwadis. The revised menu includes breakfast, lunch, and general feeding options, featuring a wide range of dishes such as egg biriyani, pulav, dal payasam, soya dry curry, and nutri laddu, which will be served on different working days.

The menu also outlines the ingredients used and the nutritional value of each dish, helping to ensure a balanced and health-focused diet for children under anganwadi care.

Earlier this year, George had promised a menu revision following the circulation of a viral video showing a child, Shanku, expressing his wish for biriyani and chicken fry instead of the standard upma served at his anganwadi. The minister had shared the video on her official Facebook page and assured the public that changes would be made to better suit children's tastes while maintaining nutritional standards.

With PTI inputs