Schools across Mumbai and Thane have begun overhauling their canteen menus and tiffin guidelines, replacing vada pav, samosas and aerated drinks with idli, dosa, poha, sheera, upma and buttermilk, following directives from Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the state education department.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe highlighted the shift on social media platform X citing a report, writing that "a healthier choice should be the easier one," and noting that swapping vada pav for idli and cola for 'chaas' in school canteens "may appear to be a small change" but represents a shift in the food environment in which children form habits.
A healthier choice should be the easier one.
— Tukaram Mundhe (@Tukaram_IndIAS) August 20, 2026
When idli replaces vada pav and chaas replaces cola in a school canteen,it may appear to be a small change.But It is a shift in the food environment in which children form habits.#TukaramMundhe #Nutrition #publicHealth #inspiration pic.twitter.com/dkTIReQKfu
The changes follow a warning issued by the FDA against the sale of junk food on school premises, part of its ongoing crackdown on food safety violations.
The state school education department had earlier circulated instructions asking schools across Maharashtra to strictly implement the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced Diet for School Children) Regulations, 2020.
Several schools have also taken sugary drinks and packaged foods off the counter, putting fresh fruits in their place.
Schools have been asked to ensure that nobody sells High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) food within a 50-metre radius of their premises, and to write to the FDA if food business operators do not comply.
In rural areas, the FDA has asked schools to approach local bodies, including gram panchayats and sarpanchs, if required.
The Archdiocesan Board of Education has also stopped serving other fried items that were popular among students, according to reports.
Parents' groups have broadly welcomed the shift, though some noted that the drive has already been underway in health-conscious schools, with regulation now extending it more uniformly to retailers and vendors of junk food around school premises.
ALSO READ: No High-Fat, Sugary Foods In Maharashtra Schools: Tukaram Mundhe-Led FDA Issues Strict Orders
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