Is Mess Food really a mess?

Hostel or mess food, which almost every person has to experience once or more in his lifetime, is one of the major concerns among parents. Since, these are the meals, on which the health of their

children depends, parents pay more attention on the quality of mess food. But the question is, are mess food at par in the quality which is neccessary for the maintainence of healthy body? Well this question is tough to answer, as it totally depends on the MESS PERSON and ADAPTABILTY of students. Due to such a huge diversity of food in India, different parts of it consider different food items as healthy. Students from the North prefer chaptis whereas students from the South prefers rice in their meal.

Though students might not get much healthy food in hostels as in home but certain simple food hacks can be efficient enough to remain healthy. These includes avoiding smoking and drinking, avoid skipping of breakfast and avoid cold drinks as much as possible. In Indian hostels, chapitis, dals and rice is must for every lunch and dinner with certain delicious add-ons. On certain days of the week students are provided with non-veg items which might include diverse varieties of chicken, egg and sometimes meat. But non-veg ones cannot be combined with veg speical items like panner chilly, malai kofta and many more.

Then comes the most concerned part of the topic, i.e. hygeine. Without hygiene there is no scope of health. There are many cases of unhygienic activities in hostel like presence of dead rat in the mess food of IIT DELHI.

Regardless of many complaints urged by the students, no action is taken in the betterment of mess food. There are also many protests against the cheap quality food that are provided by the mess. Incidents like protests by KASHMIR UNIVERSITY (KU) students, boycotting of food by students of SANT DNYANESHWAR BOYS’ HOSTEL in Pune against the unhygienic way of making and serving food are one of the famous ones.

Based on the above mentioned facts it is totally dependent on the Institute that wether the food provided by the mess is healthy or messy

-Raj Ranjan (1801136)