Inside Akshaya Patra’s kitchen: Feeding 100,000 children before the first bell r

Inside Akshaya Patra Foundation’s kitchens that power the PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal) Programme—feeding 100,000 children daily across 1,700 schools with scale, precision, and purpose.

Nov 19, 2025, 15:29 IST2 min

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By dawn, the Vrindavan kitchen of Akshaya Patra is already at full throttle. The first batch of khichdi—a wholesome mix of rice, lentils, and spices—is cooked and sent down to the packing floor for dispatch to schools. The vegetarian menu changes daily; today, it’s khichdi paired with kheer, a creamy pudding of rice, milk, and dry fruits.

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In the early hours, workers operate indigenous machines that swiftly wash, peel, and chop vegetables in precise proportions—ensuring every ingredient cooks evenly.

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In another section of the kitchen, rice, milk, and sugar are sorted, cleaned, and measured with precision before being fed into a chute that leads to a massive steam cooker below—where the kheer, a sweet pudding, is carefully monitored as it cooks.

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A cooking thermometer and constant checks ensure the khichdi is perfectly done. Measured quantities of oil, spices, and protein-rich soya nuggets are added to the cauldron—balancing taste with nutrition.

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Supervisors keep a close watch on the fast-paced, labor-intensive process—ensuring everything is completed by 8 am each morning.

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A worker shines a torch into the steam cooker to check the kheer as it simmers—powered by solar energy from panels installed around the kitchen.

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Before dispatch, the food is offered to the deities—a gesture of gratitude and a reminder that this work is rooted in service.

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On the floor below, sterilized steel tiffin containers are filled in assembly-line precision by a chain of workers following a strict workflow.

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As lids are gently hammered shut, labeled tiffins are sorted and numbered—ensuring each one is loaded onto the correct vehicle for its destination.

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On days when rotis are on the menu, a giant automated machine churns out nearly 50,000 an hour. For smaller batches—like meals for elderly women in local ashrams—workers switch to a compact machine and join hands to roll them out.