Almonds set to replace eggs in mid-day meals in Karnataka

After dropping boiled eggs from the menu for mid-day meals served to children studying in Government primary schools in Karnataka, the State Government is actively considering a proposal to enhance the nutritional element in the meals by providing children with almonds.

Giving almonds a run for its money are the groundnuts, the “poor man’s almonds”. Ever since the Government began considering almonds for inclusion in the mid-day meals, groundnuts have also entered the fray, making the Government’s task of choosing between the two a tough one.

The idea of providing almonds as a substitute to eggs emerged out of a recently held essay competition in Bangalore on almonds organized by Almond Board of California. Though the competition was part of a campaign to promote healthy dietary habits among children by consuming almonds, nutrition experts have sought to the convey to the Government that almonds hold the key to enhancing the nutritional level in mid-day meals.

Each teeny ounce of almonds provide about 12 per cent of the daily allowance of proteins, minus the cholesterol, besides meeting 35 per cent of the vitamin E requirement. Nutrition expert Sheela Krishnamurthy said almonds will even act as a deterrent against cardio-vascular diseases and even cancer.

But in view of the cost implications of providing almonds, which have to be imported, groundnuts are making a strong pitch for inclusion in the mid-day meals. Groundnuts not only provide more proteins than meat and two-and-a-half times more than egg. Besides, groundnuts are homegrown unlike almonds and less expensive.

But, for vegetarian groups, who had doggedly opposed the inclusion of eggs in the mid-day meals, almonds or groundnuts have emerged as a good substitute to eggs . Madhu Pandit Das, Chairman of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), which provides mid-day meals to a few Government primary schools across the State, said almonds are a good alternative for inclusion in the mid-day meals.