How safe are the indigenous snacks for our kids?

Safety Standards for Indigenous Snacks...Escaping Attention!

All time hot favourites,  a samosa or a kachori , cannot boast of meeting  food safety norms. All praises to the Indian stomach, which is an epitome of ‘high degree tolerant zone’, may it be microbes, spices, trans fats etc. What are the safety standards that are set for indigenous snacks? A ‘bidi’ bud, a stapler pin, a match stick, hair, insects and other contaminants make the food substandard and unsafe for consumption. All this and the hygienic parameters or measures observed around eating joints cannot be ignored. A lot goes unnoticed or conveniently ignored. So, are we compromising with the most important issue? For whom? For what? One has to take a call and give a thought to develop the norms inorder to ensure food safety and hygiene , not ignoring to keep the foodie culture alive. Indian snacks offer wide range of snacks but the vendors lack nutritional know how. The awareness regarding trans fat, reuse of pre-heated oil, maintenance of optimum temperature is all Greek to the most successful vendors. They are doing very well for themselves but who will take the responsibility of our health. Which door to knock incase of an adversity? A wake up call to all concerned –  Maggi, Cerelac, Kelloggs are under scanner , why not these ever popular favourites too? The much sought after street food of Delhi is the craze of the foodie community.  The survival of street food culture calls for awareness and involvement of all stake holders. Food safety is the key to good health and cannot be compromised. As an informed citizen and a mother,  raise voice against this unnoticed issue. Train your kids to choose the best and to be aware of the existing but hidden hazards of our all time favourites. It is disheartening to be a witness to the prevailing times- though being a foodie myself  it does call for a  lot of responsibility in terms of action!

Not ‘Style’ but Approach to ‘Life’Style is Important.

Ms. Sheelu Mathew, Principal, St. Mary’s School, Dwarka, way back in 2002 ,in one of the staff meetings discussed on how young kids absorb and imbibe values all along the way. Ma’am put forth a very simple yet beautiful example of a situation , if  you ask a group of students , how much will it make if 5 litres of water is  added to 10 litres of milk? 15 litres -pop comes the answer. There will be some   who will think that it is a good way to increase income ( we are unintentionally introducing the concept of cheating and adulteration) and the important FACT about food safety gets ignored completely. We as educationists, are always careful in exposing kids to facts without harming the underlying important issues concerned with our daily lives. Integrating the academic subjects to daily applications and adopting as life skill is imperative in today’s scenario. Even as parents it is imperative that we keep in my mind these nuances of parenting.

It’s not about style but ‘lifestyle and approach towards it that should be positive and hopeful which goes a long way. We can shun the adulterated cheap products and adopt healthier and safe options for a healthy and happy living. Let each day be a meaningful day and each act –safe and worth living. Lets enjoy our life to its fullest with our families, friends, neighbours and countrymen. Make smart choices not because it’s ‘cool’ but because it’s safe and a step towards sustained happiness and holistic well being.

Todays headlines says-F for food and F for fake, true but sad. We can be more optimistic and say F for first and F for food; so food safety should come first and should be each ones priority. Even  Bollywood blockbuster “Roti ,Kapda aur Makaan” prioritized ‘roti’amongst the three basic components required for  human survival. We have to be alert and delete the ‘fake’ element from our food.

We cannot compromise with the health of our families and cannot afford to waste our hard earned money in fixing the repercussions caused due to adulterated food. A wide range of food products are available in Tetra Pak cartons which cater to our daily needs. . UHT (ultra high temperature) treatment provides germ free, safe, nutrients intact and products with longer shelf life. Moreover, polyethylene, paper and aluminium which constitute the Tetra Pak cartons are 100% recyclable and have minimum impact on the environment. What a boon in todays world!

A balanced diet- Wholesome mango treat

Ingredients- Handful of assorted dry fruits as per choice, one mango, two strands of saffron and half spoon of soaked cous cous, one cup UHT milk, one small cup vanilla ice-cream, cornflakes half cup, a slice of brown bread, two leaves mint, a pinch of cinnamon powder.

Method- Cut the slice of bread with a steel bowl and place it in a glass bowl. Beat the ice cream and spread on the bread , place the cornflakes, arrange a layer of mango slices, blend milk,a spoon of ice cream, mango, saffron, cous cous, and pour on the arrangement in the bowl, top up with dry fruits and sprinkle powdered cinnamon. 

Your requirement of carbohydrates, proteins, roughage, fats, vitamins, spices is taken cared of.
Makes healthy breakfast or a dessert.

Optional-Instead of ice cream, you can blend thick curd and mango or diet ice cream.

Make the Best of Holiday Home Work - Attitude Matters !!

As a mother of two young kids and a teacher, I come across friends or parents of my students who complain about the holiday home work, mostly the bulk of it, and the objective waters down due to this attitude. The prime objective of holiday home work is to help kids and parents to brainstorm, plan, execute the holiday task in such a way that it is constructive and the kids to be in sync with their academic content in one way or the other. It is not a just another job or responsibility entrusted on the parents .Lot of effort goes in the planning of holiday home work and subsequently lot time is invested in going through the  work submitted.

Planning and executing holidays home work, hones skills like time management , creativity, learning, innovation, research, etc. Make it interesting by clubbing it with some game, inviting friends over, planning a meal or a picnic. Wear your thinking caps and you will be surprised how beautifully you can turn the whole thing around the attitude that matters. I personally feel that it is the best bonding time with your kids and it is the time that the juices of your brain overflow with out of the box ideas. Just try out this time, not as a liability but as learning, because I have seen parents who go out of the way to present the best holiday home work which even while planning does not cross our brain. Looking at their enthusiasm and positive attitude it boosts up the spirits of the kids too and they get an edge above other kids who might have just worked for the heck of doing it. There is no dearth of ideas and resources these days, a click of a button gives all the information one requires or probably more than that. Researching enables one to know so many other facts which enrich one with knowledge.

While executing the holiday home work, remember to use eco friendly materials. The use of non-biodegradable should not be encouraged. The raw material ,  picked from the home itself, turn out to be more economical, promotes creativity and fosters best use of resources. Checking the home work for spellings, facts etc establishes concern to present good work. Compiling the completed work in a systematic manner gives a chance to recheck and ensure completion. It gives a sense of pride and satisfaction to the child to see the hard work in the form of beautifully presented work. It acts as booster to resume school after the holidays to gain all the appreciation from the teacher. The smile and happiness builds confidence and self esteem cannot be bought online or from any store.

So, give up the lethargy and does not crib about the unending holiday home work rather make it interesting, after all- Attitude Matters!!!

Food Safety vis-a-vis Environmental Concerns.

All this is detrimental to agriculture as it depletes the nutritional contents of the produce and also causes bio-accumulation. Human activities are the main cause of global warming, which leads to rapid climate change. The enzymes which help in biological reactions are temperature and pH specific; hence show inefficiency at high temperatures. It’s a really scary situation as all this effects our overall well being .It takes a toll on our health and our body starts reacting adversely to such changes. In such a scenario it becomes imperative that we take care of the food that we consume. In the interest of the holistic development and good health of our family, we need to make sure that we keep in mind the parameters governing The deteriorating air quality (and rising temperatures) in Delhi and adjoining areas, captures the headlines of the newspapers these days. What are we looking forward to?  Some respite from the scorching heat, suspended dust particles, or the result of the same which is the acid rain that pollutes the water bodies and the landfood safety. The repercussions of the same are unbearable as Healthcare facilities in India leave a hole in the pocket. A miserable situation, if one has to shell out major chunk of the salary on medical expenses. `Therefore a smart move requires one to be careful and take all precautions to keep our food safe’.

The goodness of milk should be enjoyed and exploited to its maximum –as it is a wholesome diet. It does not require much effort-thanks  to the Aseptic Technology (processing and packaging) provided by Tetra Pak, which takes care of all our apprehensions regarding safe milk. The technology involves heating milk at ultra high temperature (UHT) at 135 degrees to 150 degrees for 3 seconds, which kills all the bacteria (including the spores) but still preserves all the nutrients. Without the addition of preservatives to the products, shelf life of 3 to 6 months is ensured without refrigeration, in easy to store cartons, which are six layered ( made of aluminium, paper and polyethylene and are 100% recyclable) with no scope for contamination. So in the times when you can’t trust the air that you breathe and the water that you drink at least Tetra Pak takes a leap to provide products that are trust worthy.

 What a convenient option with no compromise on health!  Not only milk but a range of products like lassi, yoghurt, juices, etc are available at all the stores.  Another important benefit of products packed in Tetra Pak cartons is that it forms easy to carry, important part of Tiffin to school, college, workplace and is equally good for infants and senior citizens. It’s the power packed goodness all along the way which is protected from harmful contaminants. With the fear of adulteration haunting us all the time aseptic technology comes in as a boon. The nutrition quotient online course provides one with an edge to understand the facts, myths, misconceptions, etc  related to food safety and equips one  with tools to keep healthy and to be a green consumer(since empty Tetra Pak can be recycled) .  Do not give up, adopt healthier options and ensure food safety. So be hopeful and play your part well!

Perspective Of A Foodie Mother: To Eat Or Not To Eat!

Everyday is a Mother’s day.

Perspective of a foodie mother :Eat or  not to Eat!

At one point or the other, all mothers do come across situations when they have to multi task or switch over to various roles , yet camouflage all this under a smile. A mothers designation is far beyond a ‘home maker’ and should be called a ‘fighter’ as she is loaded with challenging responsibilities. A mother is a mom ,a wife, a daughter,a daughter-in-law ,a sister, a nurse, honorary domestic help(to help herself),a warm host, a driver, a nurse ,a cleaner and above all a “Professional”. The list goes on and I m sure this is the malady of every mother.

In the capacity of a  Foodie-Mom, I am perplexed by the fact –eat or not to eat. When mothers feed babies, they usually end up popping in a morsel  or a two in their mouth and sometimes even wiping out the plate. While clearing the table after meals ,in a spree to not shove  anything into the refrigerator  and moreover not to waste and spoil food ,she eats the substantial leftovers , which just LOAD her with extra calories. On the contrary, there are times wherein she parts with her share of food because it is the requirement of one of the family members and hence compromises with a slice of bread and jam/butter/ cheese or  even pickle or extra dessert just an addition again into her calorie pool .And at times , when you pack your favourite chicken biryani to work(much enjoyed by your friends),the nocturnal members of your family wipe it out to your surprise and  leave you  scratching your head and pondering –what next? . One can quote number of instances to support this “unnoticed trivial sacrifices”( although sacrifice is a misnomer in this context).

Salute to all the” Moms “ who load themselves with extra pounds, knowing that it is the most difficult task to shed the same. They definitely deserve a “pat on the back” everyday, for the smile which masks the unnoticed sacrifices.

Moms are angels with a magic wand and they just know how to fix all the problems. Don’t they deserve all the love and appreciation?

#EveryDayIsAMothersDay #MothersDay #KeepFoodSafe #TetraPakIndia