Worm found in Vande Bharat food: 10 safe and healthy homemade food options with longer shelf life for train journeys

The recent incident of a worm being found in food served onboard the premium Vande Bharat Express has once again raised concerns around food safety during train journeys. While IRCTC claims that they have improved the services over the years, such instances lapses highlight a simple truth—when it comes to hygiene and quality, homemade food still remains the most reliable option. Here we have listed 10 safe healthy homemade food options for train journey.

Parathas stuffed with methi or sattu devoid of onion and garlic are filling and travel well. All you need to do is, apply a light layer of ghee to keep them soft and pair with pickle instead of curd to avoid spoilage.

It is a classic South Indian dish and makes for a lasting meal option on train journeys. It is tangy and light, and the use of oil and spices like mustard seeds and curry leaves gives it a longer shelf life. I also use roasted peanuts for added crunch and nutrition.

This is a classic and popular travel staple. The dry sabzi avoids moisture and is made with mustard oil, cumin seeds, green chilli, salt, and turmeric. It is best served with ajwain namak wali poori, which uses milk for kneading the dough to keep the pooris soft for longer.

This makes for a healthy breakfast and even an evening snack, loved by people of all age groups. Trim the sides of white bread, apply a mixture of grated carrot, cucumber and salted butter, season with salt and pepper and you are good to go. Avoid mayonnaise to prevent spoilage, and wrap them in foil for freshness.

While this rice dish has a shorter shelf life, it always makes for a no-fuss nutrient-rich dish for train journey. It is a one-pot meal made with rice, veggies, and spices. Pack it in an airtight container and pair it with a small portion of dry pickle.

This popular Gujarati dish is made with whole wheat flour, spices, and seasonal greens like spinach, fenugreek, beetroot, and lauki, also serves as a popular travelling snack. If cooked correctly, it stays fresh for hours without refrigeration and pairs well with pickle and chai.

This range of healthy snacks includes roasted chana, makhana, peanut, and even salted seeds. They are easy to prepare, pack and are non-perishable. They are rich in protein and perfect for snacking without worrying about hygiene.

Another healthy option is to carry fresh fruits like apples, bananas, and oranges. They are easy to carry, hydrating, and require no preparation. Just make sure to pack them separately so that they don't spoil due to pressure, and always wash them before consumption.

For evening snacking with chai, mix roasted flattened rice, puffed rice, peanuts, salt, pepper, roasted curry leaves, chana, and chilli. It has mimimum oil content and rich fiber content which makes for a filling evening snack.

If you are someone who craves sweets after meals avoid packaged soan papdi, peda or laddoo readily available in train. It is safer to carry homemade options like besan ladoo, dry fruit ladoo, or chikki, which have longer shelf life and are great for quick energy as they mostly use healthy ingredients like, ghee, nuts, besan, atta, and jaggery or sugar.

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