IMPACT OF MID DAY MEAL : SCHOOL LUNCH POLICY

The School lunch provides an important opportunity for learning healthy habits and well
balanced school meals have been linked to improved concentration in class, better educational
outcomes and fewer sick days. Many countries in the world have policies to help schools provide
nutritionally balanced meals which also reflect the general eating culture of each nation. School
lunch has brief history from 18th century. Since 1790 in Munich Germany Benjamin Thompson
served first school lunch. United Kingdom published the first Nationa lPolicy in 1941. Free School
Meal, low cost school meal, income based criteria these are types of school meal in the World.
Example Sweden, Finland, Estonia and India are among the few countries which provide free
school meals to all pupils in compulsory education.Many countries provide meals to improve
attendance rates. In India, all the Government school students are provided with the lunch through
the ‘MidDay Meal Scheme’ with an objective of enrolment, retention, social inclusion, social
interaction. MDM started in 1995. Though this study objectives of school lunch, financial
provision, supplementary feeding, food distribution system, students good habits, courtesy,
equipment supply these topics are focused. IN 2017 World Food Programme (WFP) implemented
or supported school feeding programmes for 18..3 million children in 71 countries. WFP has been
working with governments around the World for over 45 years.