A Picnic of Flavors: Babbi and Friends Discover the Joy of Traditional Food at Lodhi Garden!

An alert issued regarding unhealthy packaged foods, and how food nutrition labels can and cannot help us to become aware. ************************************************************************************** I know you all kids must be excited about Dusshera and Diwali. The whole month you’ll be exchanging sweets and offering scrumptious feasts. Our friends and families will enjoy beautifully wrapped gifts of savouries— chocolates, candies, chips, soft drinks, and what not! Their advertisements will flood our television screens and social media, and even masquerade as a renewed form of celebration with the …

Does food grow only in pristine farmlands of rural areas or is it available around us in cities as well? Let us try and forage for some food right here, in our neighbourhood parks. ******************************** It was a Sunday, therefore, a holiday and for that reason a day for some fun and exciting activity. Hence, Babbi was quickly getting ready to receive her friend Neenu and go play in the nearby park. Neenu’s mom would also come along as she was close friends with Babbi’s mom and the two of them often planned many engagements for their kids…  

What’s the best time to eat a fruit or a veggie? Which season and for what reason? ********************************* Babbi had barely woken up and was rubbing her eyes, when she heard her mom faintly. She was calling out the names of pulses, fruits, and vegetables in the kitchen. Her dad was sitting in the next room making a list of fresh food to buy from the market. Babbi chipped in drowsily, “Papa, please get some mangoes. It's been ages since we had those,” she requested. Her dad paused and smiled...

The fruit’s flour is nutritious and easy to use. Babbi stared hard at the bunch of green bananas that her dad was carrying. The thick stalk had some 50 bananas. “What will we do with these?” she pondered.  But her parents were very excited. “We are going to turn this into flour,” mother informed and told Babbi to go wash her hands and come help.  By the time she returned, everyone in the kitchen was busy…

We are reminded repeatedly to wash hands, wear a mask, maintain distance, and improve immunity. But an important factor that can fight against corona is, the food we eat. Though, we experimented with our culinary skills during the lockdown—from cakes and firangi cuisines to Dalgona coffee—we need to 'Be Wise' and 'Choose Wise'. Avoid white bread, maida, pasta, sweets, chocolates, processed and canned foods, carbonated drinks, canned juices, and fried food to keep your lungs healthy. Keep fighting corona!

Eating safe food keeps you healthy. It was 1 pm and the whole family had gathered around the dining table to check what was for lunch. Steaming bowls of daal (lentils), rice and baigan ka bharta (mashed eggplants) along with fresh rotis (homemade bread) were arranged on the table.  

Sattu is a powder made by grinding a mixture of roasted pulses, mainly chickpeas and cereals. It is rich in protein and leaves one satiated for a long time. Apart from the laddu, a refreshing summer drink is made out of sattu, which helps us in bearing high temperatures and keeps our stomach healthy. It is also ideal for people suffering from peptic ulcer and can also fight diabetes.