Go Traditional Healthy Eating Hacks for Parents and Children

Go Traditional

Kavita Devgan, Nutritionist, Weight management consultant, Speaker, Health columnist and Author of Don’t Diet! 50 Habits of thin people, and Ultimate Grandmother Hack

I am a big fan of the age-old cliche: ‘Old is gold’. I feel that in today's times of short-lived food fads, a new one every day, it’s the old, traditional rules of eating that can actually save our soul and body both. Specially of our children, as the right time to get them used to our old habits and way of livings when they are growing up. This way it will become a part of their makeup and habit system.

The world too seems to be waking up to this fact, as more and more researches in the West are now bringing forth and confirming the traditional rules that were being followed earlier. For example, now we know why a little bit of ghee on the phulka (bread) is good for us, and why having water first thing in the morning is such a good idea… also why eating meals together on the dining table (with books closed /TV shut down) at fixed timings was non-negotiable earlier, and why cut raw onions and green chilies were served with both lunch and dinner. There are still lots of old rules not substantiated yet, but I am sure it is only a matter of time.

After all, science as we know today is simply trying to catch up with many age-old wisdom and observation led beliefs that have are being followed since yesteryears. And obviously, as it has quite a few centuries work and convictions to catch up with, we need to give science time. Meanwhile, it’ll do us good to keep following the healthy way of living our elders followed, and have also taken pains to outline for us.

Few rules of traditional eating that we must bring back in our life are:

Instead of relying on highly processed foods that are stripped of their nutrients, ?avor, traditional diets celebrate the abundance of natural products, highlighting local foods, and home cooked food. With home-cooked food we rarely go wrong as everything right from the ingredients to the seasonings to the method of cooking are under our control.

Sticking to fresh food and eating seasonally as this way one can ensure more nutrients (nutrients get lost proportionately to the delay as a time taken to reach from farm to the table) and better taste (out of season foods don't taste that good).

Finally instead of succumbing to mindless eating, microwaveable foods, or munching in front of the television, embracing the community aspect of traditional diets where people used to eat with each other and really enjoyed their food - can help us lead a healthier, happier, disease free life.

So instead of looking at the latest superfoods doing the round, maybe first all we need to go is to begin emulating the way our ancestors ate, and also take a good look at our grandparents'

Grand ma's Hecks Book for Go Traditional way of eating habits for children parents schools cookbook and begin making and eating those recipes that have been handed down to them over the years.