“A healthy mind resides in a healthy body.” As the quote rightly mentions, a healthy body is of prime importance for everyone in today’s world. The children are the future of every nation. Hence it is extremely necessary to provide education and nutrition. The Akshaya Patra Foundation works towards providing nutrition to the school children of India. The Foundation serves mid-day meals in 9 states and more than 9000 Government schools.
To suit the local taste, different menu is set for the North and South Indian locations. Both the menus ensure that the nutritional levels are maintained adequately. The nutritious meal comprises of dal, rice, roti and yogurt. Several vegetables such as sweet pumpkin, green beans, potato, lady’s finger, tomato, carrot, drum stick, etc. are added to thesambar and sabzi. The meal is rich in nutrients like vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and anti-oxidants, in essential amounts and as per Government norms. The food energizes the child’s body, thus improving the attention span and concentration level.
The mid-day meal helps in the overall development of the child. Akshaya Patra is making efforts towards feeding more and more children with the mission of reaching 5 million children by 2020.