When we think about leading a healthier life, the first thing that comes to mind is healthy eating. Dive deeper into healthy eating, and it is organic foods that strike us first. Adopting an organic-diet lifestyle is a trend that the whole world is embracing at a fast pace, and Indian families are not lagging. However, making a switch to the organic habit as a family can be challenging, especially if you are not habituated to it.
What is organic food?
Organic food is grown without using any artificial chemicals, hormones, fertilizers, or antibiotics.
Challenges to switch to the organic habit as a family
- Your family might not be open to the idea of embracing a natural-food only lifestyle.
- Organic foods can range from budget to expensive, so you need to review the impact on your food budget.
- Your family may assume that anything “healthy” is not “tasty” further adding to their resistance.
How to overcome it?
You probably can’t go cold turkey when you want to switch to the organic habit as a family. And that is okay. Instead, take small steps towards achieving an organic lifestyle for you and your family. Here are some tips that you will find handy and help your family to make the switch smoothly.
- Educate your family about the benefits of going organic. Tell them that by switching to organic fruits and vegetables, you are less exposed to harmful chemicals and pesticide residues.
- Each one of us has preferences when it comes to food. Instead of forcing your family to switch to an organic lifestyle, respect their preferences, and talk to them to understand the reasons for their reluctance. Then plan the transition to help them overcome it.
- Let your family know that eating healthy doesn’t mean one needs to deprive their taste buds!
- Make organic gardening a family hobby! Okay, you don’t need to have a huge patch of land to grow organic veggies at home. A modest pot on your window sill is enough to grow an herb or two. Parsley, “methi,” coriander leaves, “tulsi” can be grown easily. Add a few of these leaves to your salad or eat them raw for your daily dose of antioxidants. Make it a household chore to water the plants. Take turns!
- Make grocery shopping a family affair. Visit a nearby local farmer’s market. Let your family members pick a vegetable or two of their choice.
- Involve them in making your dinner menu and see how you can incorporate organic variations in it.
- Learn to read labels and educate your family too. Pick products that read “100% organic”, “organic,” or “made with organic ingredients.”
Don’t be too rigid with your decisions. Begin with little steps- by adding one or two organic ingredients in your cooking rather than making it a drastic change.
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