MELISSA: When did you develop a love for cooking and how did this all begin?
CATHERINE: I was always really fascinated with cooking. My grandparents were farmers and we picked all of our food for the most part. From a young age, I became obsessed with different cultures, spicy food, and different flavors. As I just kept going on my journey I went to culinary school and the rest is what has happened with Weelicious and One Potato.
MELISSA: Was One Potato formed from being a mom at home, or did you talk to friends in need of having food delivered to them?
CATHERINE: It was really from people that kept coming to Weelicious saying that they’ve got all of the recipes and cookbooks but it’s exhausting to cook seven meals in a given week. There were other meal companies, but there was nothing that was for families, was organic food, and was what kids and adults wanted to eat. We really created the company to solve that need for families.
MELISSA: Where do you source the food from?
CATHERINE: For the most part everything is from different farms that are Los Angeles based. All of our food is organic from the proteins to the fruits and vegetables. We want kids and families to have fresh and interesting produce. For example, we had these incredible chocolate persimmons that we included in one of our salads.
MELISSA: Where do you find inspiration for your meals and how often do you change them?
CATHERINE: We change it up every single week for One Potato. There are five original recipes every week and some will rotate. We always have a week to week One Potato family favorites which can be meals like Taco Tuesday or Meatball Thursdays for families that just want the same meals week after week because they love it.
MELISSA: What is your favorite dish to cook with your kids?
CATHERINE: We’ll go to the farmers market on Sundays and the kids and I will pick whatever looks fresh. We’re always inspired by something we find, a different holiday or a different cuisine. We like to switch it up.
MELISSA: Do you have some tips for other parents when it comes to eating better with their kids?
CATHERINE: I always let the kids lead and it’s always the easiest way to get them to try different foods. We’re trying to always keep up our garden and at this time of year when they walk out to school, they will grab some mints or beans. For my kids, I tend to find them creating or finding something that they love.
MELISSA: How do you find time for yourself, having three kids and two full-time jobs?
CATHERINE: There is no balance! You’re definitely sacrificing different things. Date night with my husband or dinner with my girlfriends is my ultimate pleasure. Sadly, there’s no exercise these days but I am constantly running around. Having a three-year-old is like lifting and cardio!
