After the announcement that the community quarantine has been extended, most of us have come to realize that this pandemic probably has no end in sight – yet.  A big concern for the head of households now – moms and dads alike – would be what, and even moreso, how to feed the family in such a limiting situation.

If you haven’t heard about the whole foods, natural diet yet, you might be missing out. Whole food refers to food that has been processed or refined as little as possible and is free from additives or other artificial substances. And if you haven’t come across hundreds of ads on online groceries, you might be living under a rock. These relatively new trends are what experts now coin as “the new normal” and for parents, it’s worth considering to adapt such normalcy as early on as today.

A study published in The Journal of Pediatrics found that children who adapt a natural diet can maintain optimal weight, lower their blood pressure, and improve their cholesterol in just four weeks. Practicing a lifestyle that has minimal consumption of preservatives has a dramatic positive impact on your children’s health. The study was done by Pediatrician Michael Macknin, MD along with a team of researchers in a span of four weeks on 28 children ages 9 to 18. Here are two main reasons we need to start considering the new normal today:

You need your kids to grow healthy  – both on the physiological and psychological aspects.

People who eat organic and whole foods avoid consuming added fats and any animal products. After four weeks, these children saw nine statistically significant beneficial changes including a decrease in weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as two common markers of heart disease. They also developed a livelier disposition and more relaxed state of mind altogether. Dr. Macknin says, “...only a four-week study and yet, there were all of these improvements in all of these markers that helped protect you against cardiovascular disease.”

You have to be strategic on limited outdoor access

Ever since the mass distribution of Food & Medicine (FM) Passes, which entailed household members to bring along this little piece of card with them whenever they go out to buy essential supplies, we heeded a path of learning to make do with what's available. Roughly two weeks in, yet the rule is now amended – utilizing a strict coding control. FM Passes with control numbers ending in 1, 3, 4, 7 and 9 are allowed to go out and make their purchases only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; while FM Passes with control numbers ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 0 are allowed every Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturday. The implication of such revised enforcement might be bigger than we had imagined, especially considering that only one household member is allowed to make the scheduled trip to a grocery store.

Well, we hear you.

Now confronted with a more difficult dilemma, it helps to know that online grocery stores have become widely accessible – groceries that offer homegrown, and farm-fresh produce which can be delivered right at your doorsteps.

Malagos Homegrown Produce is a Davao-based online grocery store that offers both whole, natural food that are easily accessible. With a user-friendly website that makes the shopping experience as seamless as it should be, moms can juggle grocery shopping and a healthy lifestyle. Go grab your healthy needs while having your morning yoga routine, or while doing the laundry on a Saturday afternoon. You won’t even have to worry about the kids going berserk because gone are the days when grocery shopping means being away for hours. Anxieties about getting the value for money can also be reduced as the brand offers a variety of payment methods for its clients. More importantly, you are guaranteed with utmost fresh quality without even having to actually examine the produce yourself. 

With these among all the other benefits at hand, online grocery stores which are organic and natural can be just what moms (and dads, too!) need – they’re fast, quality-assured, and indeed one of healthiest option for the family.