MEASURES TO MINIMISE THE FOOD EXPENDITURE FOR SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMME
The price levels of foods keep on spiralling up due to increase in population inflation, scarcity, seasonal availability and demands. According to the fluctuations in price levels, school lunch menus need to be planned, choosing wisely foods which are less expensive and easily available. The food expenditure can be reduced, considerably if easily growing green leafy vegetables, drumstick, papaya, guava, gooseberry and other foods can be cultivated in the school garden and included in the lunch. This will also help to the quality of the diet.
The cost of two foods may vary vastly. Still both may supply similar quantities of nutrients. In such cases, one needs to prefer only the cheaper food for use in the school lunch programme. For example, both green leafy vegetables and oranges are rich in vitamin C. But green leafy vegetables are far less expensive than oranges.
Table XVII gives the price levels of different foods supplying similar quantities of nutrients.
TABLE XVIII
Price Levels of Foods Supplying Same Amount of Nutrients
Nutrients and foods Amount of Amount of Cost
foods nutrients Rs. Ps.
supplied
1. Calorie yielders
Rice 1 kg 3450 kcal 2.50
Ragi 1 kg 3280 kcal 2.00
2. Protein foods
Red gram dhal 1 kg 223 g 4.75
Horse gram 1 kg 220 g 2.50
3. Vitamin A rich foods
Carrot 110 g 2079 mg 0.30
Drumstick leaves 30 g 2034 mg 0.05
Mango fruit 75 g 2057 mg 0.50
Papaya 300 g 1998 mg 0.25
4. Vitamin C rich foods
Orange 200 g 60 mg 0.50
Amla 10 g 60 mg 0.05
112
113
One kilogram rice and ragi contribute nearly the same amount of calories. But, there is a wide difference in their cost. When the price of ragi is Rs. 2/- kg., the price of rice is Rs. 2.50/- kg. Similarly the cost of one kg. of red gram dhal and one kilogram of horse gram dhal varies much though they both supply similar quantities of protein.
The quantity of vitamin A supplied by 30 paise worth of carrot can easily be obtained from five paise worth of amaranthus or drumstick leaves. Vitamin A supplied by mango fruits costing 50 paise can easily be obtained by the cheaper papaya. When compared to oranges, gooseberries are extremely cheaper. Along with such foods, when raw sprouted gram is included in the lunch, the vitamin C content of the diet gets greatly increased and the standard of the meal enhanced.
Apart from increasing food production and selected low cost locally available foods application of proper cooking methods should also be followed as measures to minimise the food expenditure for school lunch programme. For example hay box which is a convenient inexpensive labour saving device could be used to save time and fuel consumption. Hay box is an insulated box where hay is used to surround food which has been partially cooked so as to allow cooking to proceed with the heat already produced by the fire and to retain the food heat until required. The box costs five rupees.
Studies at Sri Avinashilingam Home Science College has revealed that when hay box was used 58 per cent of the cooking time and 44 per cent of the money spent on fuel were conserved while cooking rice and dhal.
Hence growing trees such as drumstick, papaya and gooseberry in the school garden is highly beneficial. Greens grown on the edges, will not only beautify the garden but also supply greens for the school lunch. Organisations such as the United Nations Organisation, United Nations Children's Fund, Cooperatives for American Relief Everywhere and central and state governments render help to raise school gardens. That help must be availed of fully by the Primary Schools. Labour, time and money saving procedures need to be followed while preparing school lunch.
References :
1. Pushpa, V. and Devadas, Rajammal, P. Efficacy and economics of hay box, an improved fireless cooker. Ind. J. Home Science, 1966, 1, pp. 39-42.
2. Gopalan, C., Ramasastri, B.V. and Balasubramanian, S.C. Nutritive Value of Indian Foods. National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR, Hyderabad, 1976