Why Your Plate Needs To Change – And How | Femina.in

Dietician Dr Archana Batra on what urbanisation is doing to dietary diversity on our plate – and how we can do something about it

Urbanisation is changing the food habits of Indian citizens. The nuclear family set-up, longer working hours, longer commute times, and hectic lifestyles are making it difficult for most of the people to continue with a home-cooked meal routine. Customers turn more towards processed foods and food delivery because it is more accessible and easier.

Beyond Convenience

The work schedules for most of us dictate the timing of lunch breaks instead of old meal-time schedules based on hunger or time, which is leading to fewer choices for food options.

The problem does not lie only in calories but also in food variety. It’s likely that we simply aren’t eating enough variety in our diet. Heavily-refined carbohydrates, readymade meals, and takeaway foods, for instance, might provide calories, but typically don’t contain enough vegetables, fruits, pulses, or whole grain fibre, minerals, and vitamins.

Having a lot of restaurants around doesn’t automatically mean a person will eat a balanced diet either. Tucking into a selection of pizza, noodles, and sandwiches isn’t a substitute for the nutritional value of eating a varied diet.

Here’s How To Work On Dietary Diversity

Realistic changes can boost changes without increasing household expenses. 

• Prioritise eating veggie-, pulse-, and protein-based meals.
• Make seasonal fruits, roasted chana, simple yoghurt, and nuts available for a quick snack.
• Alternate dal, rajma, chhole, and vegetables every week.
•  Make a mix of grains rather than going for refined wheat/white rice. 
• Use frozen vegetables as an option for when fresh vegetables are difficult to source.
• Order in food mindfully.
• Reduce your regular intake of fried extras and sugary drinks.

In the end, eating healthy requires eating to be healthy, convenient, affordable, and varied. You only need to eat a variety of different foods in manageable amounts. Small and consistent changes can help urban families stay on track even if they have busy lives.

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Also Read: Are You Eating Enough Of The Right Kind Of Protein?