Feeding 2 Million
Our Impact
Improvement and Learning
At The Akshaya Patra Foundation, we believe that success is not just about providing meals to children, but also about ensuring that the meals we provide have a meaningful impact on their lives. Our programs are designed to improve the health and education outcomes of children from low-income families, and we use a variety of metrics to measure our success in achieving these goals. Some of the key metrics we use to measure our program’s success include: the number of children fed; weight gained; improved academic & physical performance; increased school
enrollment, retention & attendance, and increased social equity.
Three independent studies on the Akshaya Patra midday meal program by Harvard Business School
and Nielsen has shown the following:
Independent studies
on impact and evaluation
Reach
Mid-day Meal Program
The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s mid-day meal
program serves wholesome school lunches to
over 2 million children, in 20,000 schools,
across 15 States and 2 Union Territories in India
every day.
Compassion and efficiency are at the heart of the
foundation’s program. With a mission to provide unlimited
food for education, Akshaya Patra is the largest mid-day
meal program in the world according to TIME Magazine.
At Akshaya Patra, we are committed to providing high-quality and nutritious meals to school children in India. Our innovative and efficient operations have allowed us to scale our program from serving 1,500 meals to 2 million meals daily since 2000.
We prioritize quality and food safety in all of our kitchens, which are operated at ISO standards. We utilize advanced technologies such as Six Sigma, Kaizen, blockchain, and IoT to ensure the highest level of hygiene and efficiency. Our cost per meal is only 0.20 cents, which means that for just $20.00, a child can receive a nutritious school lunch every day for an entire school year.
We believe that no child should be left hungry, and we strive to provide unlimited food to all of our students. Second and even third helpings are always available, and students are encouraged to take leftovers home to share with their families.
As we look to the future, our goal is to serve 3 million meals every day by 2025. We are dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of children in India and are grateful for the support of our donors and volunteers. Join us in our mission to provide food for education and help us reach even more children in need.

Quality of Mid-Day Meal
At Akshaya Patra, we take food safety and quality very seriously. We have implemented strict protocols and procedures at all of our kitchens to ensure that the meals we serve are of the highest quality and meet all safety standards. We have also partnered with leading organizations to regularly review and assess the quality of our meals. Additionally, we have standardized our recipes across all locations to ensure consistency in taste and nutrition.
To continuously improve our quality standards, we have introduced advanced projects such as Kaizen and 5S in different locations. We also prioritize employee health and safety by conducting regular health and safety activities to maintain the highest levels of hygiene. Our commitment to quality and food safety is an ongoing process, as we strive to provide nutritious and delicious meals to the children we serve.
Nutrition
The table below shows the required dietary norms as stated by
the India Central Government Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
Calories
Primary
450 Cal
Upper Primary
700 Cal
Protein
Primary
12 Cal
Upper Primary
20 Cal
Micro-nutrients
Adequate quantities of
micro-nutrients like Iron,
Folic Acid, Vitamin-A etc.
The table below shows the required dietary norms as stated by
the India Central Government Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
Sr. No. | Items | Primary | Upper Primary | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Requirement under MDM (in grams) |
Energy content (in grams) |
Protein content (in grams) |
Requirement under MDM (in grams) |
Energy content (in grams) |
Protein content (in grams) |
||
1 | Food grains (Rice/Wheat) |
100 | 340 | 8 | 150 | 510 | 14 |
2 | Pulses | 20 | 70 | 5 | 30 | 105 | 6.6 |
3 | Vegetables | 50 | 25 | - | 75 | 37 | - |
4 | Oil & Fat | 5 | 45 | - | 7.5 | 68 | - |
5 | Salt & Condiments | As per need | - | - | As per need | - | - |
480 | 13 | 720 | 20.6 |
Quality Policy
We at The Akshaya Patra Foundation, are committed to
delivering the Highest Standard of Quality Food that is
Safe & Hygienic for Consumption.
Stay Informed
Sign up for our newsletter and learn
more about how you can make a global difference.