When I Think About Children's Nutrition…

Compared to today, children's nutrition was not made into a huge drama. There were no rigid rulebooks that parents had to follow, and more than 40 years later, I have the feeling that everything was a bit more relaxed back then.

In fairness, though, it was a different time. Family structures were different. Today, in most families both parents go out to work – often because they have no other financial choice – and so there is less time for seemingly minor things like daily meals. In my childhood, it was normal for the mother to be at home, looking after the household and the children. And if that wasn't the case, there was usually still a grandmother who took care of it.

Were the Good Old Days Really Better?

No, that time wasn't “better”, it was simply different. A different structure, a different everyday life, different demands – and, yes, a different way of eating, too.

I remember it very well. I grew up in a small town in North Rhine-Westphalia. There were no big fast-food chains in our town, and takeaway food was rare. Ordering in? Maybe once in a blue moon from the ONLY delivery service in town. That's hard to imagine today, when there are kebab shops and pizzerias on every corner, as well as salad and sushi bars.

My mother – or my grandmother, when my mother was at her part-time job – cooked fresh every day. When I came home from school at lunchtime, the meal was on the table and we ate together. That was normal. It wasn't always culinary perfection, and certainly nothing you would call “fancy” today. It was good old-fashioned home cooking (which I sometimes miss) – freshly made and delicious (most of the time, at least).

“As a child, I loved watching my mother cook, leaning against the warm kitchen radiator in winter. Even though I don't enjoy cooking today, I learned from her how to make a delicious meal myself.”

Anne Krenzin

What didn't exist back then were countless different recommendations about what to watch out for in order to get enough nutrients. Nobody quantified how often you could eat meat or vegetables. And no one made a drama of it when rice pudding turned up as a main meal because it supposedly contains too much sugar.

Of course, our understanding of a balanced diet was not as advanced as it is today (and today's knowledge, by the way, is constantly evolving, too). People simply didn't yet know as much about the connection between health and disease. Even so, by today's standards, the diet was balanced.

Recommendations vs. Skills in the Kitchen

Today, there are countless guides meant to help us with children's nutrition – often, incidentally, with rigid rules that must be followed at all costs. Nevertheless, the diet in many families today is significantly worse than it used to be. The reasons are manifold: a lack of time for shopping and preparation, too little money for high-quality foods, a lack of ideas, or simply a lack of kitchen skills. You may not believe it, but I actually know 20-year-olds who have never put a pot of water on for pasta!

What used to be normal – namely, passing on home economics skills to one's own children – sometimes falls by the wayside today because of the changed demands that parents have to juggle. That certainly isn't true for every family, but it is for a great many.

When Advice Becomes a Lifeline

That makes expert support all the more important, so that what used to be normal can be put into practice today for the benefit of our children. After all, the habits they pick up in childhood go with them into adulthood – and they are not so easy to shake off.

This is not about a rigid rulebook full of prohibitions, but rather about practical, easy-to-implement ideas that leave room for your own convictions. 

Do take a look at the “Recipes” section. There you will find ideas for quick, simple and affordable dishes that don't require any culinary training.

Otherwise, let future blog posts inspire you, so that you can support your children well in an uncomplicated way.