I remember my childhood very well. There was only one bakery in our neighborhood. He was the only one who used to sell cakes, pastries, etc and etc. We never bought anything from him as my parents made sure that we were eating only homemade food. Those days eating out was a kind of luxury. I remember eating 70mm dosa only once a year as that day matched with our housewarming day. Every household though had a maid, but women used to work equally with the maids. They used to do their dinacharyas right from waking up early in the morning to sleeping early at night after cleaning their kitchens where Maa Annapurna Resides.
Things have slowly changed. A single bakery got replaced with many bakeries, homemade food got replaced with junk food and so many changes have taken place in the so-called modern days.
The quality of food has deteriorated to a great extent.
What should I eat, what food should I give my kids is a very common question which every parent faces in every home.
In those days, when it is the time of summer, I remember my mother preparing squashes at home though with sugar which was available only in Ration shops and I remember pretty well people used to get 3-4kg per month. My mother used to boil seasonal fruits mixed with sugar syrup and keep them in the fridge so that every summer holiday evening used to be like “Taste the thunder” for us after coming back from playing. Slowly it got replaced with Rasna but my mother stuck to her homemade jams and squashes. I used to feel like drinking Rasna but never my parents allowed it. Slowly Rasna got replaced with cold drink bottles in everyone’s home. I remember when Mirinda was first introduced in India, they distributed it free for selected families and the sales guy came to my parent’s house to give 6 bottles as a child I was eager to grab and drink but my parents told me we don’t drink carbonated drinks….ayyo…I said let’s try but certain outside things were never allowed. Now when I recollect those memories, it’s so beautiful that we had a healthy childhood. When with no such outside foods, junk foods, or carbonated drinks life was beautiful and healthy. Now with so many options for kids and adults…..everything is market driven and choices are very less.
How much work we have, let’s try to have maximum homemade food, you know what oil is going inside it, what spices, what positive energy goes in it. You are the only one who can think about the health of yourself and your family.No one can better understand this.
If you are unable to prepare healthy snacks or food, look for home chefs or home entrepreneurs who genuinely prepare foods out of passion. Trust your instincts and get a better choice of food.
It’s up to you and us to make a healthy choice.
By: Sailaja Nukala, Founder – Indic Living.