A long time ago in the Balkan region, life was completely different from what it is now. Children grew up playing outside and eating home grown and homemade food. While the kids played outside they would snack on fruit picked from the garden with no harmful chemicals on them. If they happened to rub against the stinging nettles, grandma would heal them with a homemade remedy. Afterwards, they would put on the fashionable pullover knitted by grandma with lots of love and go back out to play with friends. As the sun set and the street lamps went on, kids would race home before their mums got angry. They would be welcomed by the whole family sitting at the table to enjoy a homemade dinner that was grown locally either in their own garden or on the farm. Even the store-bought ingredients were raised or produced locally.

It was a much simpler life. Or was it? Most families made their own feta cheese, jams, juice, pickles, pastes, dried meats, sauces, and many others. To this end, they learned the recipes from their elders who gladly passed them down from generation to generation. Some of these products took a day, others a week, and some even a month or longer to prepare. People had to know what season the fruits or vegetables needed to be harvested, how and when to be processed in order to get the most out of them. After all this lengthy preparation had been completed, came the long-awaited moment to have the products served on the table. Not so simple anymore!

Today’s world is hectic. School, work, extracurricular activities and so much more to do in such a short time. You go to the store and buy products to cook, having absolutely no idea where they have come from or how they have been prepared. You manage to find something that you remember eating in your childhood and buy it – but no way does it taste the same! When you look at the ingredients you don’t have a clue what they mean because it is all additives and preservatives along with other harmful stuff. Do you have the time, space or skills to grow your ingredients or make these products yourself? If you do, you are extremely lucky, but most people don’t! This creates a dilemma. Do you learn how to do everything yourself and try to find the time to? Do you spend hours at different stores looking for quality products, carefully reading every label? Or do you buy a product that is not healthy for you and eat it – just because there is no time or the options are limited?

It is this dilemma that gave rise to MyBalkans. Our founder, Dana, wanted an easy way to shop for products which she grew up with and which tasted like her childhood, without compromising her health. Since she couldn’t find this anywhere in the United Kingdom, she decided to do it herself and share it with others. It took countless hours to find the products and do the research on the producers that are offered in our store. Our founder has set high standards, so the quality and the taste of the products were meticulously checked. These are products she proudly serves to her own family and friends and is now happy to offer to you.