In many urban homes today, parents are putting serious money into their children’s future, expensive schools, coaching classes, extra activities, but everyday basics like food are quietly slipping. A recent post by IIT Kharagpur alumnus Jagannath Das, who is now a Bengaluru-based co-founder of a health transformation platform, brings attention to this gap. His point is simple but uncomfortable: long-term health damage is being created at home, often in the name of convenience.
Das starts with something most families will relate to, rushed mornings. According to him, what children eat before school has become more about speed than nutrition. He writes, “Your ₹1 crore CTC doesn't matter if your child's metabolism is broken by 18.”
He points out that families spend lakhs every year on education but hesitate when it comes to putting together a proper breakfast. The common options, he lists, are cornflakes, bread and jam, sugary drinks like Bournvita, biscuits, or sometimes nothing at all because there is “no time.”
He adds, “Roti and omelette takes 10 minutes. Maggi takes 2. That 8-minute shortcut is costing your child their health for the next 50 years.”
He writes, “We're investing in their career and destroying their metabolism in the same household.”
To back his argument, Das refers to broader health data. He notes that India ranks among the top countries globally when it comes to childhood obesity, with millions of children already dealing with high BMI or obesity.
He also highlights health conditions that are now being seen at younger ages. These include fatty liver in pre-teens, insulin resistance in teenagers, early diagnosis of PCOS in girls, and even type 2 diabetes showing up in children. Deficiencies in vitamins like D and B12 are also becoming common.
His line is direct: “The child isn't the problem. What we feed them is.”
What he follows at home
Instead of just pointing out the issue, Das shares what he practices in his own household. He calls these non-negotiable habits.
For breakfast, he sticks to what he describes as “real food only,” giving examples like roti with eggs, dosa with paneer, or idli with chutney and nuts. He avoids cereals, bread-jam combinations, and sugary drinks.
Lunch boxes, he says, should include simple home-cooked food — dal, sabzi, roti, and fruit — with no chips, cakes, or packaged beverages. For snacks, he suggests options like makhana, dry fruits, peanut butter, and buttermilk.
Physical activity is another daily rule in his home. He recommends at least one hour of movement, whether it is running, cycling, or swimming, instead of screen time. He also adds one habit that builds focus, like reading or music.
On children and food choices
One common argument parents make is that children refuse to eat healthy food. Das addresses this directly.
He writes, “They will. When there's no alternative in the house. Children don't choose junk food. They choose what's available.”
His larger point circles back to responsibility at home. According to him, changing what is available automatically changes what children consume.
He ends with a line that sums up his view: “The best investment in your child's future isn't a better school. It's a better breakfast.”
Das starts with something most families will relate to, rushed mornings. According to him, what children eat before school has become more about speed than nutrition. He writes, “Your ₹1 crore CTC doesn't matter if your child's metabolism is broken by 18.”
He points out that families spend lakhs every year on education but hesitate when it comes to putting together a proper breakfast. The common options, he lists, are cornflakes, bread and jam, sugary drinks like Bournvita, biscuits, or sometimes nothing at all because there is “no time.”
He adds, “Roti and omelette takes 10 minutes. Maggi takes 2. That 8-minute shortcut is costing your child their health for the next 50 years.”
What children are carrying to school
The concern does not stop at breakfast. Das shares what his own daughter observes in her classmates’ lunch boxes — items like sponge cake, chips, namkeen, and packaged drinks. For him, this is not a small issue or limited to a few families.He writes, “We're investing in their career and destroying their metabolism in the same household.”
To back his argument, Das refers to broader health data. He notes that India ranks among the top countries globally when it comes to childhood obesity, with millions of children already dealing with high BMI or obesity.
He also highlights health conditions that are now being seen at younger ages. These include fatty liver in pre-teens, insulin resistance in teenagers, early diagnosis of PCOS in girls, and even type 2 diabetes showing up in children. Deficiencies in vitamins like D and B12 are also becoming common.
His line is direct: “The child isn't the problem. What we feed them is.”
What he follows at home
Instead of just pointing out the issue, Das shares what he practices in his own household. He calls these non-negotiable habits.For breakfast, he sticks to what he describes as “real food only,” giving examples like roti with eggs, dosa with paneer, or idli with chutney and nuts. He avoids cereals, bread-jam combinations, and sugary drinks.
Lunch boxes, he says, should include simple home-cooked food — dal, sabzi, roti, and fruit — with no chips, cakes, or packaged beverages. For snacks, he suggests options like makhana, dry fruits, peanut butter, and buttermilk.
Physical activity is another daily rule in his home. He recommends at least one hour of movement, whether it is running, cycling, or swimming, instead of screen time. He also adds one habit that builds focus, like reading or music.
On children and food choices
One common argument parents make is that children refuse to eat healthy food. Das addresses this directly.He writes, “They will. When there's no alternative in the house. Children don't choose junk food. They choose what's available.”
His larger point circles back to responsibility at home. According to him, changing what is available automatically changes what children consume.
He ends with a line that sums up his view: “The best investment in your child's future isn't a better school. It's a better breakfast.”
