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What do you envisage when Plastic Tableware Suppliers you hear the word ‘tiffin box’? It may be a steel container

with the yummiest food on earth made by mom or a complete meal that comes in

steel or plastic containers which looks good no matter the taste.

What

do you envisage when you hear the word ‘tiffin box’? It may be a steel

container with the yummiest food on earth made by mom or a complete meal that

comes in steel or plastic containers which looks good no matter the taste. How

and where did the word tiffin box originate? It originated in British India, and probably is found

today only as part of Indian English. This concept of lunch or light snack in a

box originated when Indian custom of eating a full meal in the afternoon

superseded the British practice of an afternoon dinner. And thus was born the

word ‘lunch’ for an afternoon meal. Now a lunch

box would necessarily mean a proper heavy meal packed in a box for lunch

but there are places like those in South India and Nepal where tiffin box is a term used for

between-meals snacks. They are a common site in India and are generally used to

carry home-made food to work.

In other parts of India, however, a lunch box would be

packed lunch, whether made for a husband by his wife or for school children by

their mother. And if you stay in Mumbai, you can vouch for this sumptuous meal

served to you by the world famous ‘Dabbawallas’. These dabbawallahs or tiffin

delivery men in Mumbai largely cater the enormous working crowd as they take

their piping hot lunch to their desks. These often consist of dal, rice,

vegetables, chapatis, meat and some accompaniments like salad, pickle and

papads.

The Dabbawallahs collect over twenty tiffins each from

the office worker wives' homes, these are filled with hot fresh lunch and the

job of these delivery men is to deliver these boxes to offices dotted around

the city whilst food is still hot. It’s amazing to see the speed at which these

people deliver the dabbas or boxes and how concisely. They are to many, a

blessing as people in this tinsel town are more than busy with work and crave

for the piping hot food without having to go out to grab a bite. These boxes generally come in two or three tier aluminum or stainless

steel stacked compartments held tightly together by a catch on either side of

the handle. The compartments of the box help keep the various components of the

meal separate as also to avoid leaks or spills.

The concept of food containers goes back a

long way, but its localization globally is credited to the diligent

dabbawallahs of Mumbai, who proved that taking food to schools, colleges and

offices alone can be a business that engages thousands and helps many more.

Tiffin boxes are indeed a way of life for most people. They depict love for

your spouse or children for whom you cook food with love and ensure that they

do not end up eating junk outside. At the same time you are helping them save

money which can then be splurged on more important things. And you prove

yourself a super organizer as you plan ahead for a packed lunch or snack

everyday of the week.