You can test a tiffin service in a week with a kitchen scale, a measuring spoon and the menu they sent you. Weigh the portions, taste for salt and oil, and compare what arrives with what was promised.
What should a tiffin service be able to show you?
- A food licence or registration number from FSSAI.
- A written menu for the week, with what each meal contains.
- The portion sizes, in grams or in a named measure such as one level katori.
- The delivery window, and what happens if a delivery is late.
- Calories and protein for the meals, and how those numbers were worked out.
How do you check the food licence?
Every food business in India needs an FSSAI licence or registration, and the number is usually printed on the invoice or the website. You can look up a number on the FSSAI FoSCoS portal. Ours is 20125051001530, shown in the footer of every page.
How do you check the portions?
Weigh the rice and the curry for five days. Use the same plate each day and note the grams. Compare the numbers with each other and with the menu. A difference of 10 to 15 g from day to day is normal for cooked food. A difference of 50 g or more is worth a message.
How do you check oil and salt?
Taste is the first test. If the food leaves a film of oil on the container or you reach for water an hour later, the oil or salt is high. A paper towel pressed on the curry shows surface oil. Ask how many teaspoons of oil go into a portion. A kitchen that plans its meals will have a number. The WHO fact sheet on salt reduction gives the daily limit for salt to compare against.
What should you do if the numbers do not match?
Send the service a message with a photo of the plate and the weight, and say which day it was. Most mismatches are a one-day slip, and a good service replies the same day. If the same gap appears several days in a row, ask for a call with whoever plans the meals.
Does this apply to Meal Nest too?
Yes. Weigh our boxes as well, and tell us on WhatsApp if something is off. You can see how ordering works on our How it works page.
See your own numbers.
Take two minutes with the calculator, or ten minutes with a dietitian. Either way, there is no pressure.