Grandma knows.
Before there were influencers screaming about whatever it is influencers scream about, there was grandma simmering oxtail in a pot. Quietly showing the way.
Grandma knew what mattered.
Ancestral recipes carry truths wrapped in folklore or family tradition, that have since been proven out by science.
But unless we pass them down, they can vanish in the blink of an eye.
Most children today have zero connection to food how it’s grown, harvested, transported, or even where it comes from.
They know nothing about farming, the land, the husbandry, sourcing, or even how to prepare and cook it.
The days of walking to the butcher’s with your mum or nan are slowly disappearing.
At Oath Food Co, we all cherish our British roots. And we plan to be around long enough to see them grow deep into the soil of the land.
Anyway, back to grandma.
She knew something that modern PhDs and nutritional science are only now beginning to remember.
Take, for example, the utilisation of the whole animal.
The ratios of muscle meat to collagen (methionine to glycine) matter. And, you'll be shocked to find out, nature packaged them all up perfectly to begin with.
Think chicken white meat balanced with chicken feet… and chicken hearts, for the nutrients.
We like to think about a triangular approach to nutrition/health:
Nutrients + Collagen + Muscle Meat
There’s no strict ratio, per se but they complement each other when eaten nose-to-tail, with a sprinkle of common sense.
An example the Serengeti. A lion, when hunting a wildebeest, instinctively takes what it needs based on its biology and its needs… Maybe intestines, with heart, brain and flank steak.
Humans?
We take what we've been manipulated into choosing via doctors’ advice, media headlines, government food plates, influencers, or even the latest actress or footballer diet.
We’ve lost our primal instinct.
At Oath, we hope to help you reclaim it and evolve it.
It starts by reconnecting with our ancestors not to imitate them exactly, but to take the best bits and adapt them to our lives, environments, and goals.
Today’s health-conscious consumer often tries too hard to copy someone else what they eat, buy, or cook.
In doing so, we lose individuality.
That’s why one of Oath’s core principles is that there is no perfect diet, no ideal food pyramid.
Just a few simple pillars. Local. Seasonal. Animal (all of it). And plant.
All depending on your health, physical goals, social commitments, and desire to actually live—not to be tied down by diet culture.
Yes, eating well matters—I’m a nutritionist, after all. There are poor food choices out there. But don’t be that person taking raw milk to parties or coconuts on planes.
I’ve been there. That’s not health. That’s disordered eating.
Example:
“Here’s what I take on the plane to eat.”
“Here’s what I buy in the supermarket as soon as I land.”
“Here’s what I eat before X, Y or Z…”
While this can be informative, it can also become obsessive.
It starts to feel like a life chasing food… rather than living with it.
Food becomes a purity contest Look at me, I’ve got raw A2 Guernsey milk in a glass bottle!
That mindset isn't always helpful.
You can still learn from it but don’t get sucked into becoming a mini-me of someone else.
Bringing it back…
Grandma knew the value of supper around a table, with conversation not screens.
Grandma made sure you finished your plate before pudding, and reminded you to close your mouth while chewing.
Grandma knew that fresh air and sunshine were the best remedies for coughs and colds.
And grandma definitely knew more than some influencer screaming online about insulin and fruit, while bragging about their fasting glucose (which reads prediabetic), or telling you a perfectly natural food is “bullshit”… even if it’s growing peacefully in your own British back garden.
She knew that collagen-rich cuts slow-cooked meats simmered in broth unlock nutrients that chicken breast or beef fillet never could.
But the modern world doesn’t like slow food.
It wants protein bars, deli meats, and collagen powders (which, yes, can have a place) but even the best powder doesn’t compare to the deep nourishment of oxtail or chicken feet.
“Grandma Knows” will soon be one of our new boxes – the inspiration behind this very newsletter. Alongside our Nose-to-Tail Starter Pack and The Everything Box, this new range honours our grandparents.
Oath Food Co exists to make them proud and we hope you’ll embrace that with us.
We’re not just here for nutrient density.
We’re here to bring value to your plate, yes but also warmth to your table.
That might mean sausages sizzling for a fussy child’s toad-in-the-hole. Or a slow roast shared by candlelight.
We’re about to launch 14–15 new products to do all that.
Speak soon,
R, J & N
