Assessment of quality of mid-day meal in Khamanon, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab

Background: Mid-day meal (MDM) is a scheme implemented by Government of India to combat the problem of malnourishment. Periodic assessment of the food and nutritional quality of mid-day meals being served to the school children for nutrient consumption is imperative. This study was designed to evaluate the quality of food served under MDM. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected 11 government schools of Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (May-July, 2018). The cooked food samples were evaluated for assessing the food quality of MDM in different schools with respect to colour, consistency and taste by a panel of 5-6 judges. The amount of food grains, pulses, vegetables, etc. provided to all the upper primary school children were recorded and then evaluated for the nutritive content (calories, protein, fat) of MDM and its contribution per day. Results: In the present study, energy as well as protein requirement was fulfilled by mid-day meal but was low for fat (2.4 gm). The quantity of mid-day meal provided was adequate except for the vegetables (leafy also). Usage of green leafy vegetables was low (42 gm), served once in a week. There was 76% adequacy of nutrient intake in the present study. Conclusions: The present study shows that improvement in the quality and quantity of the Mid-day meal is essential to fill the nutrient gap. There is a need to improve fat content of the meal, as it was low. More leafy vegetables should be included in the meal or their substitutes should be encouraged.