A school is no longer allowing students to carry sweets or cakes in their tiffin boxes. Another is teaching them to read labels on food packets.

Prodded by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), schools are making efforts to change the dietary habits of children by enforcing tiffin rules.

Our Lady Queen of the Missions School in Salt Lake is monitoring the tiffin that children carry to school.

They are not allowed to carry sweets, cakes or chocolates in their lunch boxes. The list also includes instant noodles.

“Parents have been asked not to send any sweet items for tiffin. This also includes junk food. We are encouraging them to have homemade food like roti sabji,” said Sister Sherly Sebastian, principal, Our Lady Queen of the Missions School, Salt Lake.

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Sister Sebastian said that parents need to be told because it is they who pack the tiffin.

“We have told the parents that it is not just the school’s instructions but a council directive,” said Sister Sebastian.

Both CISCE and CBSE sent circulars to their affiliated schools, instructing them to monitor students’ sugar intake and raise awareness by displaying sugar boards.

The boards had said that there has been a rise in Type 2 diabetes in children that is linked to excessive sugar consumption.

The Heritage School, which is a day boarding school where children have meals at the canteen, have regulated the use of oil.

“We have reduced the number of times in a week that fried items like paratha and puris are served to children. There is a conscious effort to reduce the consumption of oil in cooking,” said Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School.

Soon after the circular was sent by the CISCE, the school had started displaying the sugar content in each item that is served in the canteen.

At BD Memorial Junior School, a CBSE institution, the students of Classes III to V are being taught how to read labels on food packets.

“We are teaching children to check the labels in every food packet that they buy so that they know sugar, sodium and calories contents in it. We are not expecting them to completely stop consuming but we are telling them that they should learn to reduce the frequency of eating items with high sugar in it,” said Suman Sood, director, BD Memorial Junior School.

One day in a week they have the liberty to bring a tiffin of their choice, which might not be as healthy as the rest of the week.

The school has also introduced a policy that no child will be allowed to distribute candies or toffees on their birthdays.

Metro reported about La Martiniere for Girls making this change after childrencame back from the summer vacation.

The girls are no longer allowed to carry chocolates for distribution.

Instead, the school has asked them to replace it with stationery items.

Sood said that parents have become more aware than before, with schools enforcing rules, at least for children in junior classes.

“We are teaching children about what are some of the healthy tiffin options. Teachers, as an incentive, draw a star on the knuckles of children who bring healthy tiffin,” said Sood.

The mother of a primary student in Our LadyQueen of the Missions School Salt Lake said she is adapting to the change.

“It is quite a task toprepare a healthy meal especially on days that I have a busy day at work. But in the long run, we will get used to it,” she said.