Absolutely right! 🙌
We often hear “You are what you eat,” but in today’s fast-paced life, we:
✅ Eat mindlessly while scrolling on our phones
✅ Grab quick bites without checking the ingredients
✅ Often overeat without realizing the portion size
✅ Assume something is healthy just because it’s labeled that way
So yes, most of us don’t really know what or how much we’re eating — and that’s where awareness comes in.
Can You Really Trust What’s in That Packaged Food?
We’ve embraced modern convenience, and in doing so, we’ve distanced ourselves from fresh, real food.
Think about it — how often do we cook from scratch using raw, unprocessed ingredients?
Instead, we grab packaged foods, ready-to-eat meals, or pre-mixed sauces for the sake of time and ease.
If you’re health conscious, you might read the nutrition labels, count calories, or look for buzzwords like “high in protein” or “low-fat.” And that’s a good start…
But here’s the real question:
Have you actually seen what’s gone into that packet?
Can you truly trust that what’s written on the label matches what’s inside — especially when you haven’t seen it being prepared, handled, or cooked?
Personally, I struggle to trust things I haven’t seen being made. I don’t know what kind of oil was used, how fresh the ingredients were, or how clean the process was. There’s a certain unease that comes with not knowing.
Why Real, Fresh Food Matters
When you cook at home:
✅ You choose the ingredients
✅ You control the oil, salt, and sugar
✅ You know exactly what’s going into your body
And more importantly, you connect with your food — something that’s missing in the packaged world.
🌱 Modernization has its perks, but let’s not modernize so much that we forget the basics: food made with love, care, and ingredients you can actually see.
You are your best advisor.
So it is absolutely your duty to know what you eat.
So I have written this article just to spread this knowledge that fresh food and home cooked food is far better than any packaged food.
As far as possible prefer home cooked food, made in healthy way. Make portions which you are able to finish at a time. Refrigerating and reusing of food is also unhealthy practice.
This was a small reminder towards eating fresh foods and avoid eating too much of packaged food, outside food or frozen foods.
So we discussed what to eat.
Now, let’s go to when to eat?
When you feed your food you should be very much be aware about the food and in which way will it help your body. And importantly does your body actually need it.
Know about food, I don’t mean that you know all its properties but you should atleast be able to figure out which food group does it belong to i.e Carbohydrates, Proteins, fats, fibre, water etc
Don’t Just Eat — Nourish. The Power of a 5-Meal Plan
It’s no secret that our bodies need fuel to function — from thinking clearly to moving efficiently. And how you feed your body can make all the difference.
For a non-diseased person, eating every 2–3 hours is a great way to keep metabolism active, energy steady, and cravings at bay.
Why You Shouldn’t Starve Yourself
Have you ever skipped meals and then felt like you could eat everything in sight?
That’s because after long hours of starvation, your body goes into panic mode. Hunger hormones spike, and you end up overeating — often reaching for unhealthy, carb-heavy or sugary foods.
And what follows?
That unpleasant companion called “eating guilt.”
The 5-Meal Rule
Here’s a simple formula that works:
Breakfast – Mid Meal – Lunch – Evening Snack – Dinner
All five meals don’t have to be elaborate or heavy. In fact, light and smart snacking is the key:
✔ A handful of almonds
✔ A bowl of sprouts
✔ A seasonal fruit
✔ Roasted makhana or chana
These can be perfect mid-meal options to bridge the gap between main meals like breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Light Dinners = Light Body
One habit I highly recommend is eating a light dinner.
It not only aids digestion but also helps improve sleep and maintain better weight and fitness levels.
Mindless Eating: The Real Enemy
Through my practice, I’ve seen that most unhealthy eating patterns don’t happen during meals — they happen in between.
📺 Snacking endlessly in front of a screen
💻 Ordering junk food at work
👯♀️ Eating socially without noticing portions
At these moments, we’re distracted — and that’s when we lose control of what we’re eating and how much we’re eating.
✨ Final Thought:
Food should fuel your body, not just fill your stomach.
Small, mindful changes in when, what, and how you eat can create a big impact on your overall well-being.
I won’t say that don’t eat with friends but make sure there is no peer pressure for unhealthy eating.
Choose your food wisely before your friends choose for you.
Eating post dinner meals is a very incorrect habit. If you do, make sure you are active for next 2 hours.
So let that be deal. If you eat you should be active.
There are also some foods which will help you to slow down your ageing. I am sure most teenagers are interested to read about it.
RD Neha Kava
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