www.foodwize.in - Blog , food aptitude

It is time to rebuild our food aptitude

Mon, 08 May 2023 16:03:54 +0530

Earlier this week, after watching a moving theatre performance with some friends, we decided to lunch in a neighbourhood cafe which had raving internet reviews. The restaurant doubles up as a yoga studio and also, hosts art therapy classes and comedy nights. A thick menu offers numerous ‘healthy’ dishes - breakfasts with eggs, neer dosas, smoothies in glasses, smoothies in bowls, rice bowls, millet bowls, salads and so on. A long introductory page describes the cafe in these words, ‘this is an urban oasis. If you’ve been manifesting good energy, good food and like-minded people to share a space with, it’s time to reap the fruits’. Alas, the beverages were insipid, the curry was off balance, the prawns weren’t fresh and the neer dosa was sprinkled with an ajinomoto (MSG) loaded topping similar to the kind in little sachets which accompany pizza boxes. Yet, the place was teeming with people who seemed to be enjoying themselves and were spending precious money on a meal which promised nutrition and goodness but, did not deliver on that promise.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a meal in isolation. There are far too many like it and they have an appeal for an urban consumer population which is seeking interesting food experiences and is also, spending time and money on health and wellness. The food is perhaps photogenic but, neither healthy nor flavourful. It would not be accurate however, to make this observation about restaurants alone. It is equally an observation about consumers i.e. us, the eaters. On a regular basis, we’re encountering people from different walks of life and age groups who have what might be characterised as strictly regulated relationships with food or relationships that are in isolation from the intricacies of the food ecosystem. For example, buying imported vegetables and fruit over local and seasonal produce or choosing jumbo sized buckets of biryani over more balanced meals or wasting food and with just as much ease large amounts of food packaging or eating selectively like only a few vegetables, only chicken, only salads, no fruit, no sugar, no starch or seeking red winter carrots in the middle of May and so on.

We have a situation where on the one hand, there is an abundance of food choices for those who can afford them and undoubtedly, one must be able to exercise choice based on cultural practices and nutritional requirements. However, informed choices can only be made when we, as eaters, inform ourselves about what good food means and how it should be consumed. Previously, knowledge of the relationship between food, health, nature and culture, was commonplace in every household and this wisdom was passed down from one generation to another. It was education in food, not in a physical or digital classroom but, through everyday interactions and experiences. It is time for us to contemplate how this education can be provided again in a modern context and how we can rediscover our natural relationship with food by building what we call our ‘food aptitude’.

By building aptitude, we do not mean having to take cooking lessons but, engaging in simple, structured, well-rounded learning experiences which gradually and continuously rebuild our repository of food wisdom. It means to rediscover our natural relationship with food and become confident and responsible about the choices we make. What does it really mean, having an aptitude for food? It is to,

Develop a healthy and natural relationship with food, recognising that it is the prime source of nutrition, pivotal to physical and mental development and wellness
Understand the bases of good food i.e. food must certainly be nutritious but, it must also be flavourful, cultural and seasonal
Engage in a diverse diet, confident and curious about consuming different ingredients and dishes, from your own culture and others
Understand the basic principles of food production, appreciating the interdependencies between growers, soil, climate and biodiversity
Understand the basic economics of the food system, realising that working with food is a source of income for many people and hence, the money you spend on food supports livelihoods
Feel responsible and be disciplined in ways of eliminating or minimising food waste
Be comfortable cooking; using ingredients, utensils, knives, fire; even if with a limited repertoire of recipes

This broad based knowledge of food is relevant to everyone and it can be imparted in ways that are relatable for everyone as well. Hence, when we think about who should be educated in food, quite simply, it is for everyone but, especially the following:

Urban consumers, who have an interest in food experiences but, are increasingly distanced from the fundamentals of good food systems
Professionals working with or aspiring to work with food, particularly chefs and restaurateurs
Young people, who live independently and make decisions about eating at home and eating out
Students, who will become consumers and professionals of the future

When we build this food aptitude, we enable ourselves to differentiate between food that is balanced, enduring, sustainable versus food fads which may come and go. ‘Wisdom is not a product of schooling but, of the lifelong attempt to acquire it’, said Albert Einstein. Food is lifelong for each one of us and it’s influence goes far beyond our nourishment and pleasure. Hence, our effort to constantly build our food aptitude and become foodwize must be lifelong as well.

Why we all need to be foodwize, now more than ever before. 9 steps to get there!

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 17:48:44 +0530

Since we founded our organisation foodwize, we have invariably encountered the same initial response from various people; those working with food professionally, consumers, our friends and family. Understandably, some people think that we are going to start a restaurant or become professional cooks, but, for the most part, everyone asks, what is food wisdom and what does it mean to be foodwize? It is an important question and one that we must pay attention to, now more than ever before because food is important to us all and it affects everyone equally…or at least, it should.

Food is a source of sustenance. Quite simply, without food, there is no life. Food is integral to the culture of a place and a community, representative of the land and the climate of a region, a source of livelihood for millions of people. While a part of the population engages with food on a professional and commercial basis, food matters to everyone because after all, everyone must eat.

Centuries of evolution has impacted food in profound ways. From foraging and hunting to the gradual expansion of agriculture, colonisation, industrialisation, globalisation and digitisation, food has always changed. And the changes have been dramatic. Industrialised agriculture has brought in higher productivity and food security and global supply chains enable raw and processed foods to travel around the world perennially. A large, aspiring, globally aware population relies on cloud kitchens and armies of delivery agents to supply meals to the doorstep. The modern urban consumer actively seeks out diverse and international food experiences.

On the one hand, there appears to be an abundance of food choices for those who can afford them. On the other hand, these changes in food practices pose significant risks for the future, particularly from a nutritional, cultural and environmental perspective.

Commercially produced food is increasingly homogenous and disconnected from the local climate, local culture, deprived of nutrition and far too often, deprived of taste as well. The world is increasingly obese and malnourished; the two problems more similar than they are different - it comes down to the food we are eating. Travelling food also generates a significant carbon footprint and waste. Then there is the issue of waning food cultures. Previously, knowledge of the relationship between food, health and nature was commonplace in every household and this wisdom was passed down from one generation to another. An increasingly smaller pantry of ingredients has a direct influence on the health of the population and biodiversity.

In short, food is a subject of multiple dimensions and it is further complicated by an accelerating climate crisis. Higher temperatures, heavy unseasonal rainfall, unprecedented weather events, unsustainable agricultural practices are impacting yield of several food crops, depleting groundwater and eroding soil. In the face of climate uncertainties, a food security crisis may well become a reality, unless it is addressed through significant interventions.

Who should take the initiative? The scale and complexity of this subject naturally leads us to think of governments, international and civil organisations and such. Indeed, they play critical roles with the power to influence enduring change and at scale. But, as eaters, we, the people, have the power to make a difference every single day, by the choices we make in how we source and consume food.

Hence, to be foodwize is to apply the following 9 principles when you buy, cook and consume food:

Buy and consume seasonal vegetables and fruit. If you’re not quite sure about what is in season, look it up or ask. Food is most fresh and at its best in taste and nutrition when it is in season. Seasonal adjustments to your diet make you more healthy and keep you in sync with nature’s cycles.
Buy and consume local food i.e. food which is grown or produced in the country and does not travel far to reach you. That way, you directly support the livelihoods of local farmers and producers and reduce the carbon footprint.
Ask where your food comes from and how it was grown. Chemical free, organic, fair trade, sustainably raised, free range - look for signs which indicate if your food was grown in a manner that is good for you, for the grower and the environment. Ask before you buy food.
Diversify your plate, to include fresh, seasonal, local vegetables, fruit, grains and cereals. A diverse meal is more flavourful and more nutritious. Buying diverse food produce also supports a wider range of growers and producers and improves biodiversity.
Cook and consume food in culturally appropriate ways. Ingredients and recipes are rooted in a place, a community, a time. Seemingly similar dishes vary ever so slightly from one region to another as the land, climate and culture change. Respecting diverse food cultures enables us to preserve and build a rich, diverse culinary heritage.
Pay attention to food waste in your kitchen and on your plate. Take action to minimise it. Buy and consume in quantities that are suitable for you, avoiding the ‘shopaholic syndrome’. Food waste is one of the largest emitters of green house gas emissions globally. So, a half full refrigerator is better than one that is overloaded; it means that you can buy fresh food more frequently.
Make thoughtful choices when you eat out or when you order in. Demand good ingredients, diverse menus, freshly prepared food and sustainable packaging. Watch out for chemicals and substitutes of natural foods. Educate yourself before you eat.
Say NO to plastic, no matter what. Vegetables, fruit, herbs wrapped in plastic bags, plastic containers, bottles, lids for coffee cups, straws, pouches for chutneys, salads, pickles, plastic cutlery for your takeaway meal - just say NO. When you choose responsibly, it stimulates a much larger ecosystem to also adopt responsible practices.
If you don’t already know how, learn to cook, even just a little. Food is life and cooking is a life skill, a few notches ahead of learning to drive and to use a computer. It really could save your life someday.

The passport to becoming foodwize has only 9 steps and you can tell quite quickly that they are all inter-related. Take one step at a time. Add one vegetable to your plate. Change one habit. When you take even a step or two ahead, it will show you the rest of the way. This is a noble undertaking because we’re talking about food - the stuff of life, not just for us but, for those who grow it for us and for the planet at large. When we’re wise about food, we truly are wise about the world.