Kerala toddler's wish for biryani comes true as state revamps anganwadi menu

Pathanamthitta (Kerala): When little Shanku's wish for biryani instead of the usual "upma" at his village anganwadi went viral three months ago, it caught the eye of Kerala Health Minister Veena George.

Now, thanks to that simple request, the state has overhauled the food menu in childcare centres across Kerala, offering children a wider variety of tasty and nutritious meals.

The new menu, unveiled on Tuesday, includes beloved dishes such as egg biryani, pulav, dal payasam, soya dry curry, and nutri laddus.

These dishes will replace the long-standing, more basic fare, bringing joy and better nutrition to thousands of children.

Unveiling a revised menu for anganwadi children, Minister George said it is the first time that a unified menu is being implemented for state-run childcare centres.

The new menu offers more delicious, diverse, and nutritious meals, aiming to improve children's health by reducing sugar and salt intake while increasing protein-rich content, she said.

George, who also serves as the Minister for Women and Child Development, announced the changes during the state-level Praveshanotsavam (reopening ceremony) of anganwadis held here.

The revised menu covers supplementary nutrition--including breakfast, lunch, and general feeding.

Children will also receive traditional snacks such as kozhukkatta and ilayada, along with nutrient-rich options like wheat crumb pulav, raita, and chickpea curry on specific days. Milk and eggs, previously provided twice a week, will now be served three times a week, she added.

The new menu also includes details about ingredients and nutritional values for each dish, the statement said.

In February this year, George had promised to revise the menu after a video of Shanku, a young boy from Alappuzha, requesting biriyani and chicken fry instead of upma at his anganwadi went viral on social media.

In the video, the toddler--wearing a cap--was heard sweetly telling his mother: “I want ‘birnani’ (biriyani) and ‘poricha kozhi’ (chicken fry) in the anganwadi instead of upma.” His mother later explained that she had recorded the video while he was eating biryani at home and uploaded it to Instagram, where it quickly gained widespread attention.

Netizens supported the child’s request, with some suggesting that better meals should be served to children at anganwadis, even if it means reducing the food served to convicts in jails.

Reacting to the minister’s gesture, Shanku said he was happy.