Her latest product is Ready-in-90 Instant Oats, a quick porridge that can be prepared in 90 seconds. It includes dried fruit and chia seeds, which Lam said provide added fibre for a sustained release of blood glucose, and makes a healthier alternative to eating a local breakfast like chee cheong fun or fried carrot cake. More flavours and food items are in the works.
For Lam, the goal was never to ask people to give up their comfort foods, only to offer an alternative for days when they want to eat more healthily.
Her message to mums is not to be too hard on themselves. She noted that many go to extreme lengths to keep their children healthy, and feel guilty when they fall short of their standards.
“Let’s be real, when kids go to school, they will inevitably be exposed to different types of food with colouring, sugar and additives. We cannot live like we’re not urbanites,” she said, adding that she still enjoys regular instant noodles sometimes.
Lam’s daughter has since outgrown her allergy to food colouring. These days, the mother of two focuses on strengthening her children’s immunity with supplements and a balanced, varied diet.
That approach has also taught her children to make informed food choices for themselves. “Because my daughter has eaten a lot of fruit and vegetables from young, she naturally favours them. At the food court, for example, she might go for fish soup instead of deep-fried food,” Lam said.
That said, the family occasionally enjoys foods like pizza and burgers when they feel like it – without guilt.
“The paradigm shift for me was achieving a sense of balance. You can enjoy something that brings you joy even if society labels it as ‘not good’,” Lam said.
