What’s cooking? Public canteens in India

The need for urban food security policies became apparent during India’s Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. Public canteens provide subsidized cooked meals at popular locations in many Indian cities. This paper reports the findings of a survey of over 700 guests at 174 canteens in 12 cities across three Indian states. Public canteens are essential for guaranteeing food security for the destitute, elderly and other vulnerable people. They are especially attractive for single working men, students and others who tend not to have cooking facilities. One-fourth of respondents consumed both meals every day at canteens. For them, savings are substantial: around a third of their reported monthly earnings. For women, they provide two further benefits – job opportunities and partial relief from domestic cooking chores. Canteens also serve a social role: as safe social spaces in an otherwise alienating urban environment, where people from varied backgrounds feel welcome. Thus, canteens help guarantee a dignified meal and savings for millions of guests, create thousands of decent jobs, and foster a sense of oneness and well-being among many.

Food security · Government (linguistics) · Pandemic · Social security · Subsidy · Work (physics) · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · Culinary Culture and Tourism · Urban Agriculture and Sustainability