Navigating healthy eating while living alone in a big city

Many working professionals and students in Bengaluru stay in apartments across the city and cooking meals is a daily concern. While food delivery is available at your fingertips, the questions of quality, health and cost arise. Does one’s cooking skills shape eating habits among the city’s residents? 

College student Arnav Rattan has been staying in an apartment in SG Palya for two years now and blames it on tight budgets. “I do not find much time to cook after I’m back from college, since I am also freelancing. I usually order in, but eating healthy from outside is quite expensive. As students, we have tight allowances and cannot spend too much on food. It is pretty much a compromise. But I try making at least one meal a day, scrambled eggs and coffee are the only things I know to prepare.” 

Toll on time

If someone knew how to cook more than scrambled eggs, would that solve the problem? Pretty Antio, a college student who stays in Ashok Nagar, thinks so. ”One of my flat mates is a great cook so she barely eats from outside. But my other two flat mates, who are not too competent in the kitchen, rely completely on outside food.” 

She adds, “Initially, I used to order a lot of junk food, and started gaining a lot of weight. That is when I began buying groceries and cooking. Honestly, it works out much cheaper than buying food. Plus, there are so many easy recipes.”

Anna Thomas, a final year college student, recently moved out of her apartment and into a PG accommodation because she was skipping a lot of meals. When asked if she knew basic cooking, she laughs and says, “Of course I do! When I moved into that apartment, I used to cook, but then I just stopped.”

Anna stopped cooking not because she did not like or know how to cook. “It is not always easy to clean up after cooking. I started ordering in because that was the easier option.” 

Quick fix

Amey Rajan, works as a manager and has been living in an apartment for about four years. “You always have two options — to make things simpler or put in the effort. Let’s say you get home from work by nine pm and by the time you cook, eat and clean up, it will be past 10pm. Having a quick bite outside and getting to rest once home, is simpler.” 

However, he admits cooking at home is definitely healthier. “I would suggest a combination of eating at home and outside, on a 6:4 ratio. It is easier and not exactly unhealthy.” 

He explains that by choosing food options and restaurants that provide homely food, one can lead a better lifestyle while staying in the city. 

Richa Joseph, another working professional, has stayed in an apartment for almost a year now. She says, “A lot of Indian dishes require spices and many ingredients. I try to use minimal items to make something for myself such as bread and eggs, overnight oats and salad, which are not too difficult or time-consuming. Food has always been a priority for me and I do not like skipping meals.” 

Identify your priorities

Another working professional, Lishawn D’Souza who has been staying in an apartment for about four years now, believes that eating habits depend on an individual’s priorities. “Even if you are tired after work, if your priority is your health, you will make the time and effort to eat healthy. If someone is into fitness or goes to the gym regularly, they cook their own meals to ensure they get enough protein and nutrients. Everything depends on your mindset.” 

Yashasvi Asati started cooking as soon as she shifted to an apartment. “I did not know how to cook and it was extremely hard to balance that with work, but I started making schedules and allotted time to cook. At the end of the day, all of us work hard to bring food to the table and if I can’t feed myself first, then what is the point of working?”