By integrating food literacy into school curricula, we can reduce undernourishment by up to 14 percentage points, according to Archana Sinha, CEO & co-founder of the Nourishing Schools Foundation (NSF) – a nonprofit that says making children aware about good nutrition practices can turn them into empowered citizens.
At the Nutrition Conclave 2025 organised in New Delhi, she told FE that the urgency for nutrition education in schools has never been greater. “With every second Indian adolescent either undernourished or overweight, we must create structured learning environments that equip children with the knowledge and skills to make healthier choices,” Sinha said.
What is nutrition education?
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 proposed breakfast for children in addition to the midday meal, and said that if hot food isn’t available, a mix of groundnuts or chickpeas with jaggery and local fruits may be provided. It also focused on integrating nutrition education into school curriculum.Prior to this, nutrition education was directly delivered via subjects like home science and health, and indirectly by the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (started in 1995), Anganwadi Centres, the National Nutrition Mission (launched in 2018), and public health campaigns.
What is the NSF doing?
The NSF has developed a nutrition toolkit for young changemakers aged 9-14 years – comprising of games, activities, and practical experiences like school gardening – and Sinha said that these changemakers can positively impact millions of schoolchildren.
What is this toolkit?
The NSF, through its Nourishing Schools programme for government schools and Change Catalyst programme for private schools, provides schoolchildren with the knowledge and skills needed to understand the importance of nutrition, hygiene, and environmental stewardship.The toolkit includes a box of games and activities (physical box and an online version), including making your own soap, building a handwashing station, growing your own nutritional garden, etc. It is claimed to empower students to make informed decisions and positively influence peers, families, and communities.
How many students has it impacted?
The NSF has reached over 330 schools in five states, impacting over 95,000 children.Over time, it has seen schoolchildren adopting healthier behaviours, and taking lessons back to their homes (such as the skills acquired in setting up a school garden to set up a home garden that helps their families access nutritious foods).Sinha said the focus is on scaling up and reaching 1 million children across India. This will involve expanding partnerships with government bodies, schools, and other stakeholders to integrate its programmes into more educational settings. “Our ultimate vision is to create a sustainable movement where every child has the knowledge, resources, and confidence to lead a healthy life, and inspire their communities to do the same,” she said.
What was this conclave?
On March 7, the Nutrition Conclave 2025 was organised by the NSF, in collaboration with the Food Future Foundation (FFF), under the aegis of The Coalition for Food Systems Transformation in India (CoFTI), and in partnership with Niiti Consulting and the Impact and Policy Research Institute (IMPRI). The event featured panel discussions, a closed-door workshop, and the launch of two reports – NSF & Niiti Consulting’s study on integrating nutrition education and NSF and Niiti Consulting & IMPRI’s report on its impact on school absenteeism and cognitive development.
The event was graced by Savitri Thakur, the minister of State for Women and Child Development, Government of India, who highlighted the importance of nutrition in shaping both physical and cognitive development. “Nutrition is the foundation of a healthier future, impacting not just physical health but also cognitive development and productivity. A balanced diet, taken in the right portions at the right time, is essential. Through Poshan 2.0, we are reaching 8 crore children, 1 crore pregnant women, and 20 lakh adolescent girls, yet awareness remains key. Poshan Shiksha must translate into action, and with women leading change, we can build a stronger, healthier India,” Thakur said.
Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FFF, and former CEO, FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), added that food literacy must move beyond awareness. “It is not just about nutrition, it’s about empowering students with critical thinking, self-awareness, and the ability to make informed choices about what they eat. Philanthropy, CSR, and private schools must take the lead in mainstreaming this effort, creating models that inspire policy adoption at scale. The NSF and the FFF have developed impact-driven metrics and dashboards to ensure food literacy is measurable, actionable, and transformative,” he said.