Why add eggs to midday meals?

In 2017, we offered each Grade I-VIII student in Azim Premji School (APS), Sirohi, Rajasthan, the option to include an egg in their midday meal. Most students in our school came from neighbouring villages. For some of them, the midday meal provided in school was the only nutritious meal they received in a day (see Box 1). The height and weight of many of our students (measured regularly as part of our health monitoring programme), particularly the girls, were below age-appropriate reference ranges. They also showed other signs that concerned us, such as difficulty in focusing, fatigue, and frequent illness.

Are common beliefs about eggs supported by scientific evidence?

Parents of 35-40% of the children in our school were concerned about eggs being served in their midday meals. Some of these concerns were based on the following beliefs:

• Belief: Daily consumption of eggs is not required if children get sufficient food.

Facts: The belief that eating sufficient food (enough calories) ensures good nutrition is quite common. However, for a meal to be balanced, the nutritional quality of the food sources that provide these calories is more important than the number of calories. For this reason, the PM-POSHAN scheme specifies that each midday meal provide 450 calories and 12 g of protein for Grade I-V students and 700 calories and 20 g of protein for Grade VI-VIII students (see Box 2).¹² Midday meals that are cereal- or millet-based, even when fortified, may meet these caloric requirements without satisfying the recommended protein requirement.⁷ In contrast, including protein-rich food in these meals can help meet both requirements.

In Chapter 3 (‘Mindful Eating: A Path to a Healthy Body’) of the Grade VI science textbook (NCERT, 2024-2025), students learn that we can get proteins (body-building nutrients) from both plants and animals (see Fig. 1). Plant-based foods rich in protein include pulses, peas, beans, soya, and nuts. Animal-based foods rich in protein include milk, paneer, eggs, meat, and fish.¹⁰

The midday meals in Rajasthan include pulses and milk to meet the recommended protein requirements. We chose to also offer eggs as an option because they are nutrient-dense sources of proteins with high biological value. Eating just one average-sized egg (44-56 g) per day can provide a child with 6-7 g of protein that: (a) is highly digestible, and (b) provides all nine essential amino acids (which cannot be synthesized by the human body) in proportions matching human nutritional needs. Eggs contain several vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and B, but little or no vitamin C. They also contain many important minerals (like calcium, zinc, selenium, iron, iodine, and phosphorus). Additionally, they contain antioxidants (like lutein and zeaxanthin that support eye health) and are a good source of choline (essential in supporting cognitive functions). Many nutrients in an egg are present in highly bioavailable forms. This means that they can be readily absorbed by a child’s body.^14,15 Also, eggs are tasty, widely available, relatively affordable, and have a longer shelf life than some of the alternatives offered in midday meals, such as milk and bananas. They are easy to prepare (can be served boiled) and may be less prone to certain forms of adulteration, such as dilution, than alternatives such as milk (see Teacher’s Guide I).

• Belief: A single egg is enough to meet the daily protein requirements of a child.

Facts: Proteins are vital in the physical and mental development of growing children. ICMR-NIN recommends a daily allowance of 23 g of protein for a 7–9-year- old child and 33 g of protein for a 10–12-year-old.¹³ While eggs are an excellent source of protein, one boiled egg is not sufficient to meet a child’s daily protein requirement. In contrast, a diet that includes eggs and other sources of protein (like dairy, legumes, or soya chunks) is more likely to help a child get their daily allowance of protein, while also providing other essential nutrients.

• Belief: Since eggs can hatch into chicks, they are non-vegetarian.

Facts: Vegetarian diets are defined differently in different dietary traditions. Vegan diets exclude all animal-derived foods. Lacto-vegetarian diets include milk and milk products, while ovo-vegetarian diets include eggs. Whether eggs are considered vegetarian therefore depends on the dietary tradition being followed by a student or their community. Most commercially sold table eggs are unfertilised, so they cannot hatch into chicks (see Teacher’s Guide II).

• Belief: Eating eggs can cause stomach pain due to digestive issues like bloating or build-up of gas.

Facts: While some children may experience adverse reactions after eating eggs, stomach discomfort cannot automatically be attributed either to poor digestibility, an egg allergy, or a food intolerance. Parents of children experiencing any adverse effects after consuming a meal with eggs must consult with a healthcare professional to confirm the cause.^17,18

For children who are allergic or intolerant to egg proteins, alternative sources of dietary protein recommended in the PM-POSHAN scheme include milk, groundnut-jaggery (chikki), and bananas. For children who do not have such allergies or food intolerances, eggs are an affordable and accessible source of essential nutrients that may not always be found in other alternatives (see Table I).

• Belief: Boiled eggs are unhealthy because they increase blood cholesterol levels. This could lead to heart disease or other health issues later in life.

Facts: Eggs are naturally high in cholesterol (all in their yolks). However, foods rich in saturated and trans fats (such as vanaspati, butter, some fried foods, cakes, and pastries) can have a greater effect on blood cholesterol levels than foods that are high in dietary cholesterol and lower in saturated fat.^19,21

Some studies suggest that higher egg consumption may be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. However, such associations may also be influenced by the overall dietary pattern, including how eggs are cooked (for example, fried in saturated fats such as butter or oil) and what they are eaten with (for example, parathas cooked in oil or bread and butter)²¹ Eggs served in midday meals are boiled and not accompanied by foods rich in saturated fats.

In general, research shows that the effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels is influenced by the overall diet. Therefore, rather than focusing on a specific daily limit for dietary cholesterol, it is more useful to consider the overall nutritional quality of a child’s diet. At APS Sirohi, each child receives one egg a day, six days a week. In many states, each child receives 2-3 eggs per week under the PM-POSHAN scheme.¹²

Facts: Studies suggest that eggs can be consumed in moderation throughout the year. As with other foods, however, eggs need to be stored, handled, and cooked hygienically to reduce the risk of food-borne illness, which can increase when temperatures are high.

It may also help to ensure that children have access to enough clean drinking water and that their meals include more locally available water-rich vegetables (like cucumber, bottle gourd, ash gourd, and ridge gourd). These steps can help children stay hydrated during hot summers and cope with some of the negative effects of heat stress.

• Belief: Eating eggs may alter the onset of puberty.

Facts: There is no established evidence to support this belief. There is evidence that a balanced diet is necessary at all stages of a child’s growth. But, as emphasized in Chapter 7 (‘Reaching the Age of Adolescence’) of the Grade VIII science textbook (NCERT, 2024-2025), it is particularly important in supporting the growth spurt that adolescents experience during puberty and the menstrual cycle.²² Eggs are considered protective foods because they provide nutrients that help prevent deficiencies and support overall health. Including them in the diet of adolescents, especially girls, can help meet part of the daily requirements of protein, iron, and vitamin D that they need for healthy growth and bone development during puberty (see Teacher’s Guide III).²³

Parting thoughts

Decisions related to the food choices of Grade I-VIII children are made mostly by their parents. Many beliefs that children and parents, especially in rural areas, hold towards food may be influenced by the larger community they are part of. Based on our experience of including eggs in the midday meals of our students, open and continuing discussions with children and parents can play an important role in addressing food-related beliefs. We used such discussions to: (a) Draw out and record concerns that parents and children had about eggs, and (b) Communicate scientifically valid facts on eggs and their effects on human health.

This process has helped our students connect concepts on nutrition from their science textbooks with food-related decisions they make in school (like the options they choose for their midday meals) and outside it (see Box 3). It has supported more diverse food choices and fostered a more open-minded approach toward dietary diversity in our school. Eggs are offered as an option in the midday meals of students in all nine Azim Premji Schools (APS) in the country (in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand). Some of the beliefs parents of our students in APS Sirohi had about eggs may be common to parents of children from these and other schools. We have shared our experience in the hope that it will help teachers and parents from across the country use what they learn about nutrition to make more informed food choices for children.