Across several city schools, canteen vendors are caught in a dilemma: healthy food doesn’t sell, and junk food flies off the shelves. As a result, nutritious options like poha, idli, dosa, dhokla, boiled eggs, oats paratha, and even fruits often go to waste.
“We had asked the vendor to prepare a sprout mixture, but it had to be taken away because there were no takers,” said Terence John, director of education and development, Julien Day Schools. “The vendors don’t want to run the canteen unless it is profitable.”
In contrast, unhealthy options such as momos, noodles, burgers, deep-fried fish cutlets, bread pakoras, puri sabji, and samosas continue to be bestsellers. “A few years ago at our Kalyani branch, we had to shut down the canteen because the healthy food wasn’t selling. But we were flooded with requests from parents to bring it back,” John added.
Most schools are attempting to strike a balance. “We can’t eliminate unhealthy food completely, but we try to control the portions. If it’s noodles, it’s served in a small bowl,” John said.
At Birla High School, children up to Class V are allowed in the canteen only on Fridays. “We encourage homemade food. Students get two breaks — one of which is a fruit break,” said principal Loveleen Saigal.
The canteen at Birla High offers both deep-fried and air-fried versions of samosas. “We request the vendor to use a mix of atta and maida, but they prefer to stock what sells better,” Saigal explained.
At Birla Bharati, principal Apala Dutta noted that French fries outsell oats or even aloo paratha. “Children are used to high-carb food. If we offer only healthy alternatives, many would rather go hungry,” she said.
Tiffin taboo
One of the major challenges schools face is the reluctance of senior students to carry tiffin. “Hardly anyone in senior school brings food from home. Most prefer the canteen,” said Terence Ireland, principal, St James’ School. “Even though the food is monitored, it’s not healthy enough to rely on daily.”
At Julien Day Schools, John noted, “Only a small percentage of senior students carry tiffin. Those who do are bullied by peers. Many believe that once they’re in secondary school, they’re not supposed to carry tiffin.”
These students often have money to spend and autonomy to choose. “They buy from outside or the canteen,” he said.
Gargi Banerjee, principal of Sri Sri Academy, said it is impossible for schools to monitor students’ food after school hours.
“We can’t monitor what they buy outside. Students, especially those who go home on their own or use pool cars, frequent nearby confectioneries.”
It’s also common for primary or middle school students to send requests via seniors to buy chips or snacks for them from outside.
Sometimes, parents themselves give in to the pressure. “There are cases where parents pack food from sweet shops or bakeries in the morning because otherwise, the child won’t eat,” said a teacher.
Board initiatives
Both the CBSE and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) have urged schools to educate students on the dangers of excessive sugar intake. The CISCE issued a circular linking the rise of Type 2 diabetes in children to sugary snacks and beverages.
Some schools are taking the directive seriously. La Martiniere for Girls has banned birthday distributions of chocolates, cakes, or candies. The Heritage School, where students eat three meals a day, displays the sugar content of each dish.
Yet the lure of sugary drinks remains strong. “After games, many students run to the canteen for soft drinks,” said Banerjee of Sri Sri Academy. “We’ve asked vendors to stock healthy options, but they repeatedly say it doesn’t sell and ends up being wasted.”
