How Indian food habits have changed

A well known American food MNC entered India during economic liberalisation to revolutionise Indian homes to switchover to healthy breakfast by introducing varieties of cornflakes and similar items in our breakfast table. When they set up the Indian unit, they were prepared to take the risk of incurring losses as they were aware India being a huge country with each region having their own variety of breakfasts. Sometime last year, when I visited a supermarket, I was surprised to see the same company has displayed ready to eat "Upma" under its brand. Obviously, it is not that easy to change Indian habits, leave alone breakfast

However, when it comes to history of Indian breakfast, we don't seem to have much on record as compared rest of the world. Of course, we know our farmers cutting across the region would always begin their day with their traditional meal before they leave to work in the field through the day. As for as those who grew up in cities, in my growing up years in Delhi, we never had the habit of having breakfast. However, after morning glass of hot beverage, we always had early (not late) morning brunch (combo of Breakfast and Lunch) at around 8.30-8.45 am a full meal which now people often have it as lunch, before we left for school starting around 9.30 and rarely had anything else even in lunch break at around 12.30 or 1 pm in afternoon.

Of course, the small school canteen would see a crowd to buy snacks like mixture, pakoda, idli, bonda and the teachers used to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and rarely children having these hot beverage. When we returned from school around 3.30, along with tea or other hot beverage we used to have a light "tiffin". This system was more common in Brahmin homes then.

It so happened that I carried on this system even when I joined college where there was no fixed college time and thereafter when I started working. During office days, people often used to wonder how I am managing without having lunch and I had to share my mantra of heavy brunch which I never missed. It was only later years, on advice of doctor, I started having a light tiffin in nearby hotel. This system was not even liked by my working spouse and I was happy that I did not add more burden to her to pack my lunch.

Now the Indians have totally changed and adopted the culture hurriedly eating breakfast on weekdays and equally prepared at the same speed get the lunch packed. On lazy weekends, people often eat their breakfast at around lunch time or slightly early, then eat lunch late afternoon or even skip it. The change has probably done more damage to health of many adults and doctors, hospitals and of course insurance companies are making a merry. I am not cursing the change that have taken place in Indian homes, choice and freedom is free!