Maharashtra Orders Government Offices, Canteens To Replace Junk Food With Nutritious Meals

Keeping changing lifestyles and health concerns in mind, the Maharashtra government has directed a gradual shift from unhealthy junk food to nutritious food options in government office canteens. The order was issued via a Government Resolution (GR) on September 2.

This is a significant move by the government for its officials and employees. From now on, only nutritious food will be available at government meetings and in canteens.

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This new rule applies to food served at meetings, events, training sessions, conferences, and canteens across all government and semi-government offices.

Reportedly, the "healthy menu" will follow guidelines set by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), focusing on dishes prepared with lower levels of salt, sugar and oil.

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In view of the rising cases of lifestyle-related ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease, the government has decided to promote a balanced diet for employees and office visitors.

Instructions have been issued to provide seasonal fruits, roasted or boiled chickpeas, low-salt peanuts, sprout salads, vegetable poha, upma, idli-sambar, bajra khichdi, thalipith, boiled eggs, dry fruits, and fruit salads at meetings.

Priority will be given to coconut water, buttermilk, solkadhi, unsweetened milk, green tea, and herbal tea over regular tea and coffee. Additionally, serving lemonade made with less sugar or jaggery has been recommended.

Lunch and dinner will mandatorily include rotis made from jowar, bajra, and ragi, as well as multigrain rotis, brown rice, lentils (dal), sprouted legume dishes (usal), green and seasonal vegetables, curd, buttermilk, and salad.

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A menu inspection committee will monitor the implementation of the directive in departmental canteens, while a nodal officer will be designated to oversee the process. According to the Government Resolution, periodic canteen audits will also be carried out in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration. 

Catering and food procurement contracts will further mandate the display of nutritional information for food items.

These will be curbed. The government has issued directives to gradually phase out the consumption of foods high in sugar, salt, and oil, as well as ultra-processed and packaged junk foods.