Healthy living in Singapore

It's so darn difficult when you have to eat out. It's not that bad when you just buy and eat the food. But then you get these information about what these hawker foods that you always eat contain. And after you scroll through all the information, you end up feeling that the only thing safe to eat is duck rice without the skin. The one thing that came to my mind when I saw it - I hope this includes the sauce. Almost every thing else there is either coded orange or red.

And if you were anything like me, you would start walking through a big hawker centre like Kovan Hougang market and food centre and find nothing that you would like to eat. I think I am a little extreme though. Plus, I have been cooking my own meals (for most days) for two years plus since I went overseas to study. Whenever I see the amount of oil go into the food, I actually get a little scared. I really don't know why. I lost count of the number of times I go to the market with mom to buy food for the rest of the family and come home with either nothing for myself or popiah from Qi Ji, or a waffle from Prima Deli. I can't resist pandan flavored food, and these two options aren't that oily when I bite into it. They are, however, pretty light in the sense that they are snackish food, so people hardly get full from it. Heck, sometimes even I don't feel full from it. I have to accompany it with a green tea or coffee or I would still be hungry.

Google cheap and healthy food in Singapore and you will probably only get Lei Cha at the end of it. However, the number of stalls selling this traditional Hakka food is limited in Singapore, and it's an acquired taste. I happen to like the taste of it, but I heard of many who just find it too healthy and don't like it. It is extremely filling, which I think is because of all the vegetables. Downside: the famous one is at Boon lay, which is freaking far for me. I settle for the one in Katong, it's much nearer, haha.

So how? Eat mixed rice every day? Whenever I buy food for my brother, I try to aim for mixed rice because at least I get to choose a vegetable dish. But I know people also can get bored from eating mixed rice every day. I feel a little guilty whenever I keep buying mixed rice but I actually think mixed rice is one of the healthier stalls that one can buy food from! Plus, it's pretty cheap! Of course, I occasionally get the sweet and sour pork which is deep fried, but it's okay, moderation is fine. It is nice too! Haha now I sound so ironic. That being said, I hardly eat mixed rice as well. And I really don't know why. I am such a weirdo.

It is so sad that I can only eat healthy food if I pay more money to eat at a restaurant because now all these health craze and fads are catching up on us in the pricey manner. Juice as substitution of food, healthy sandwiches and wraps, and so many more, but all at a premium price. It's damn depressing when you want to eat healthy but realise you can't really achieve that unless you fork out the extra wad of cash. Btw, I don't believe in the new juicing fad. I think it's a rip off. My opinion though. And I quote this one person talking about a certain company selling 'healthy food'

If it was really that keen on encouraging people to eat healthy, then it wouldn't be serving a foot long cheaper than the 6-inch. 

And so, I ultimately believe that cooking at home is a much healthier option, with more flexibility in what I want to eat, and how I want to eat it. Plus, I would really want to encourage myself to eat healthier right?

I just went a big round to promote cooking at home in SG. I think we don't cook enough in SG. The hawker food's price is too tempting for us to spend extra time in the kitchen to whip something up. But, 30-40 minutes is not that difficult right? Bring down meat from freezer the night before, marinate in the morning before going out. Yes, it takes a bit of planning, but I rather plan my life in a healthy way than not plan and wonder how I died in my sleep.

One day.

One day, I'm going to change how we eat in the family for good.

You should, too.