Parents of children studying in some Bengaluru-based schools have of late been hooked to recipe books and videos offering “healthy treats”.
For, the dishes they prepare have to meet the benchmark of “healthy food” set by the school and should be prepared for an entire class or school.
The concept of community lunches — either students or parents cooking on the school premises or sending lunch prepared at home for the whole school — is finding more takers. The takeaway from these lunches, school managements and educators say, is more than just the food; it is an attempt to help children bond and serving limited portions prepares them against consumerist attitudes. Parents agree too.
Hemantha Kakani, whose children study in Centre For Learning, said it was a good concept to have parent volunteers chip in to cook meals every day. She also said children are exposed to varied styles of cooking because they are involved in so many kitchen-related activities, and they will get to appreciate and respect the efforts involved in preparing a meal.
“Children are encouraged to try a little bit of everything — take less but no throwing or wastage is allowed. Food is also prepared in limited quantities so everyone should be able to get one serving before the second helping. Our children are growing in an environment of abundance, especially in a family context, so an important lesson is to be taught during these lunches — think about others before you consume more and be content with less,” she said.
Parents sign up for a given day of every week or every alternate week, while some who cannot commit on a regular basis sign up whenever they can.
Akshaya G.M.R., founder director, Incarnations Montessori, said a strong community of parents was making the concept work. “In our school, we have 20 to 25 items that include processed food that we avoid. So the objective is to get the right eating habits for the child,” she said.
Though community lunches are catching up now, some schools have been doing it for many years. Since 2010, every Wednesday, at The Poorna Learning Centre, a group of students take the responsibility to cook lunch on rotation basis. Usually, a group of 15 students are given a budget to go to the market, source ingredients and cook a meal for the entire school.
Roshini Ravi, a middle school teacher, said the menu is fixed by the students along with the teachers.
She also added that parents also chip in.
Students say the process is fun. Sharmada Kaushik, a class 10 student, said each student gets a chance to cook about twice a year. “It is fun as students are involved in the process right from bargaining while buying vegetables to serving the entire meal,” she said.
