Ghee, Gur And Grandparents: Old-School Indian Staples Now Running The Wellness Show

These are eight foods that quietly anchored earlier generations and how they are now being rebranded as lifestyle choices by urban millennials and Gen Z.

Ghee

Once a non-negotiable in dadi’s kitchen, ghee is now marketed as an “healthy fat” that supports satiety and flavour. Younger consumers are turning to A2 ghee, artisanal ghee and home-churned versions, adding it to everything from dal to bullet coffee.

Millets

Bajra, jowar and ragi were everyday staples for grandparents, especially in rural and semi-urban India. Today they are sold as gluten-free, low-glycaemic “smart carbs” in the form of millet noodles, millet cookies and millet-based breakfast cereals, endorsed by nutritionists and startups alike.

Homemade Pickles

What was once a giant bharni on the terrace is now a gourmet “small batch” pickle business. Traditional mango, lime and gongura pickles – along with region-specific varieties – are being rediscovered for their probiotic potential and depth of flavour, often with reduced oil and cleaner labels.

Buttermilk And Lassi

Grandparents reached for chaas or lassi after a heavy meal or a hot day. Now, spiced buttermilk and flavoured lassis are positioned as natural probiotics and gut-friendly coolers, competing with packaged sodas and energy drinks in urban cafes and QSR chains.

Sprouted Lentils

Sprouting lentils for salads, chaats or breakfast upma was a low-cost protein hack in many households. With plant-based eating on the rise, sprouted moong, chana and mixed lentils have re-emerged as high-protein, enzyme-rich snacks and salad toppers.

Garden Greens And Saag

From bathua and sarson to colocasia leaves, seasonal greens formed a key part of older diets. The modern twist: farm-to-table restaurants and home cooks are revisiting these saags, highlighting their micronutrient density and pairing them with whole-grain rotis.

Jaggery

Jaggery, once a default sweetener in tea, laddoos and chikkis, is now pitched as a less-refined alternative to white sugar. Whether in jaggery-based desserts, energy bites or winter immunity mixes, it is winning back space in pantries as a “better” way to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Homemade Fermented Foods

Idli–dosa batter, kanji, appam and hand-rolled papads all drew on fermentation. Today, as gut health becomes a buzzword, these age-old fermented foods are being recognised for their beneficial bacteria, often discussed in the same breath as kombucha and kefir.

Nostalgia Nutrition Highlights

• Ghee, once vilified, is back as a trusted “good fat” in moderation
• Millets are now branded as climate-smart and diabetic-friendly staples
• Pickles and fermented foods are appreciated for flavour and probiotics
• Traditional beverages like chaas and lassi rival packaged soft drinks
• Jaggery and sprouted lentils are popular in fitness and wellness circles

Sources: Times of India, Moneycontrol, Economic Times, NewsKarnataka