Kudumbashree focuses on nutrition as part of observing Poshan Maah

Kudumbashree District Mission in Kozhikode has been organizing food festivals with dishes made from millets, tubers and different types of leaves in wards and panchayats last month as part of Rashtriya Poshan Maah celebrations. The mission, which organizes Poshan Maah activities in convergence mode to mobilize people and strengthen nutrition and health behaviors, also organizes cooking competitions as it focuses on local and healthy foods that have always been around but not very fashionable, besides promoting healthy ways of cooking without sacrificing taste.

“Food festivals showcase local healthy and tasty foods that have been around for a long time but have not been explored much in an effort to popularize them and introduce others to their nutritional value. Take millet for example. It has gained popularity recently, but dishes made from ragi, kambam and other millets have always been cooked. Food festivals promote these healthy recipes without compromising on taste, especially the children’s program Sashida, Kozhidebu. manager, Kudumbashree.

Dishes using tubers

The festivities also include dishes that are prepared from tubers such as colocasia, yam and sweet potato and various types of leaves. “It was an eye-opener for us. We never knew such a treasure trove of healthy recipes existed. Nor did we know their rich nutritional value,” says Ms. Saibuni. Another insight is that foods that are not produced locally and are a bit expensive can easily be replaced with locally available alternatives with similar nutritional value, he points out.

Recipe sharing, poster-making competitions and classes by Kudumbashree people in self-help groups and Kudumbashree Balasabhas on obesity and psychosocial well-being are other programs organized as part of conservation, says Ms. Saibuni.

Krishnakumari R., State Assistant Program Manager, Food, Nutrition, Health, Wash, Kudumbashree, says that since the Kudumbashree Self Help Group and Balasabha members include pregnant women and children, Poshan Maah is seen in convergence with other departments across its Community Development Societies (CDS) across the state.

Kudumbashree workers at the district and CDS levels organize activity-based programs for SHG members as part of social and behavioral change communication. This year, awareness was created through modules on obesity and psychosocial well-being, which focus on the whole family, she says.

Medical camps for prevention of non-communicable diseases or screening camps for sugar and blood pressure, nutrition fests as part of awareness about balanced diet, awareness sessions by dietitians or doctors, rallies and participation in anganwadi activities are also organized, said Ms. Krishnakumari.

Published – 13 Oct 2026 22:32 IST