People choose to eat different types of foods for multiple reasons like religious differences, health conditions, food allergies, environmental reasons or simply based on their likes and dislikes. Also, with such a diverse culture, every state in India has a different cuisine. However, the dishes cooked by our Nanis and Dadis are always special to us, and they top the charts.

But how many of us now with the so-called modern lifestyle prefer to cook our meals at home when given a choice of dining out or ordering food. Most of us feel, “we don’t have time to cook, or cooking requires lots of efforts or we can’t cook like our moms and eating out is a lot more convenient.”

Thinking of it deeply, there are several benefits of cooking at home-

One might still wonder, what should I cook everyday which is healthy for me and my family as well as suits our palate.

a North Indian meal – chole/rajma, raita, sarson ka saag, baingan ka bharta, roti, lassi, kheer, halwa, chicken tikka, matar paneer;

a South Indian meal – rice, sagu, palya, sambar, rasam, koshimbir, buttermilk, payasam, vangibhai, puliyogere;

a West Indian meal – chapati, dal, buttermilk, bhindi sabji, dhokla, missal, wadi, shrikhand, gudpoli, rice, khichadi, rotla

OR an East Indian meal – rice, momos, thukpa, fish curry, dalma, mishit doi, rasogulla;

a Thali from any region prepared with a combination of different food groups in the right portion sizes can become a delicious healthy meal. A Thali carries a lot of significance and is an inherent part of the dietary culture in all regions of India.

While preparing any regional Thali, just be mindful about:

One cannot opt for all this when we order food, or buy packaged food, however while cooking at home we tend to make conscious efforts to choose healthy.

(The author is Nutrition expert, Arogya World, MyThali Programme. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)

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