What does food mean when you grow up in underserved circumstances?

Düsseldorf, one of the richest cities in Europe, has two faces. In the shadow of wealth, a growing number of children live in financially and socially difficult circumstances. As the month progresses and money runs out, it is not uncommon for meals to be skipped or for portions to get smaller. Families rely on food banks and on the bottom shelves in the supermarket where the cheap products lie, super processed food, high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. Products that lack all the necessary and essential nutrients.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are often too expensive, leading families to depend on cheap ready-made meals.  

As a result of these food crises, childhood obesity is increasing, while deficiencies in vital nutrients such as iodine and vitamin D- crucial for brain and bone development – are becoming common. Children suffer from "silent hunger," where the body is craving proper nutrition, despite eating. The consequences are serious: poor concentration, difficulty learning, lack of energy and curiosity, inactive or hyperactive behavior- preventing children from reaching their full potential.

During our research we learned from mothers how difficult it is to buy nutritious food with a limited budget. We talked and cooked with the children. We learned from physicians about the lifelong consequences of a diet of only processed food. We helped in foodbanks, kitchens that cook for and with children. Families and children shared many practical solutions to address this food crisis. Some of their key suggestions include using taxation policies to make healthy food more affordable while making highly processed food more expensive, improving the quality of school meals, supporting women’s groups in underserved communities, and providing education along with free consultations with nutrition experts and doctors.