For most children these days, the word ‘snack’ conjures up images of a packet of tomato-flavoured chips, cookies, chocolates or sugar-filled jellies. Numerous children push through the day eating unhealthy snacks, especially ones that are not specifically targeted for their age. As per a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment in 2016, 93 per cent of children between the age group of 9-17 years eat packaged food. The study also showed that 56 per cent of the children consume packaged sweet products like chocolates and ice creams more than twice a week and 53 per cent consume packaged salty food like chips.
Parents often find it difficult to buy trustworthy, wholesome, healthy and guilt-free snacks that are suitable for children. This was the genesis for Timios, a start-up that makes organic, age-appropriate snacks for children. Founded by brother-sister duo, Aswani Chaitanya and Hima Bindu in 2016, Timios has a range of healthy food products designed for children. Timios products are age-appropriate, covering age ranges starting from six months to 12 years — babies, toddlers and schoolers. Each product is made with 100 per cent natural ingredients and contains zero preservatives. We spoke to Aswani about the process they follow to make the snacks and why it is important for children to adopt the right dietary habits. Here's what transpired:
How essential is it for children within the age of 12 years to consume healthy snacks?
For optimum health, three meals plus two healthy snacks per day is necessary. Healthy snacking is important for children because their smaller stomachs fill up fast and they burn energy quickly. Between meals, snacks give their growing body the nutrients and hydration it needs.
A lot of children, at an early age, indulge in unhealthy snacks like chips, sweet products and packaged food nowadays. How will Timios help?
Children today have easier access to packaged food now more than ever before. A quick stop at the supermarket can result in a number of snack packs that are mostly unhealthy. Currently, there are hardly any options available in the category of healthy age-appropriate packaged food for children. That's where we entered the market.
How and when did you and your sister come up with the idea of Timios? What prompted you to start such a venture?
The idea of coming up with a food brand for kids was sparked during our many supermarket visits where there always seemed to be a tussle between parents and their little ones. There was a huge gap when it came to children’s snacks, so I dived deep into research and reached out to friends and family to understand the market more. My wife played an integral role in all of this too, comparing what was available in the UK and India. It was discovered that that apart from a handful of known mega brands, there was nothing in this space that was specific to healthy snacking for kids. This is a concern because nutrition plays a very important role at this age. It was very clear that this needed to be addressed. Fortunately for me, my sister is a nutritionist and had just delivered a baby then. She too was on the lookout for some work that allowed her to stay at home more often. My father being an agricultural scientist also brought in valuable contributions. We reached out to paediatricians and got relevant references.
What goes into making the snacks?
From choosing the grain to checking the texture and quality, everything is noted and studied before it goes for production. All the products are 100 per cent natural and tested on a regular basis until the end-product is ready.
What types of products do you offer?
We have seven categories of products. Timios offers finger food, munchies, energy bars and much more. Each of these products is designed in suitable portions to provide the necessary nutrition to growing children.
