Pre-Lunch ‘Mini Snack’ Breaks to be Introduced in Delhi Govt Schools

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 21st Dec. To battle childhood malnutrition, the Delhi government has decided to implement mini snack breaks and parent counseling sessions in all city schools.

Schools have been directed to include a 10-minute mini snack break in the school timetable, according to a circular issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE). It stated that the mini-break should be 2.5 hours before the lunch break.

Schools have been asked to create a weekly snack planner that includes three food options per day, such as seasonal fruits, sprouts, salad, roasted chana, peanuts, etc.

Each class will have a copy of the planner.

“Suggested items should be cost-effective. Students must be advised to bring at least one food item mentioned in the weekly planner for mini snack break.

“Head of schools and home science faculty to monitor implementation of planner during this break. In evening shift schools, mini snacks with low volume and high nutrition should be preferred in weekly planner,” the DoE circular said.

The department has also directed schools to hold class-based counseling sessions in collaboration with home science teachers, emphasizing the relationship between a healthy diet and children’s academic performance, attention span, physical activity, comprehension, and growth.

It also stated that the counseling sessions should encourage parents and guardians to prepare low-cost, high-nutritional-value dishes as suggested by home science teachers at school.

“Class teachers maintain a record of height and weight of each student enrolled in the class and update it regularly. This record must be correlated with general health as well as presence of children in schools so that children at risk of malnutrition may be identified in time and parents may be informed accordingly.

“Alternative dishes with high nutritive values may be introduced in the menu for mid-day meals,” the DoE circular said.

“These strategies will also reduce absenteeism of students in school owing to poor health conditions. It will also promote overall health and development of the students,” it added.