There was a time when food did not need an introduction.
It arrived without labels, without claims, without promises printed on the front.
Ingredients were not marketed — they were recognised.
Meals were not assembled — they were understood.
We knew where it came from.
We knew how it was prepared.
And we rarely questioned what it was doing inside our bodies.
When Speed Became Normal
Over time, something shifted quietly.
- Speed became efficient.
- Convenience became desirable.
- Choice became endless.
Food began to travel farther.
It stayed longer.
It started looking the same everywhere.
Shelves grew fuller. Labels multiplied.
And somewhere along the way, the distance between the kitchen and the ingredient widened.
Preparation moved from hands to factories.
From neighbourhoods to supply chains.
From knowing to assuming.
When Food Became a Product
Food slowly stopped behaving like food.
- It needed stabilisers to stay intact.
- Enhancers to taste familiar.
- Certifications to feel trustworthy.
The question was no longer “Is this nourishing?”
It became “Is this allowed?”
Ingredients started arriving stripped of context.
Grains without seasons.
Oils without origin.
Sweetness without patience.
What We Lost Along the Way
Not nostalgia — but clarity.
We lost:
- The rhythm of food made slowly
- The quiet assurance of simple ingredients
- The sense that eating was an act of care, not calculation
And yet, the memory hasn’t disappeared.
It lives in kitchens that still cook patiently.
In grains that still look uneven.
In oils that smell alive.
In sweetness that doesn’t rush.
Returning Without Rewinding
This is not about going backwards.
It is about choosing awareness over abundance.
Familiarity over excess.
Integrity over appearance.
Sometimes, the most radical choice is the quiet one —
To eat what feels recognisable again.