I am a food blogger (certified in plant-based nutrition – WHOA!), writer, YouTuber & an audacious leader of mess makers in the kitchen, a.k.a. the kids.

The Plan…

…is simple.

With a child who has sensory challenges that sometimes show up as picky eating, I needed an actual plan to help him feel safe, curious, and excited around food. That plan is what I’m sharing here with you.

The goal of this blog is to help parents (and their kids!) make and eat healthy food without blowing the budget.

Here are the three core principles I teach:

• Let the kids help in the kitchen
• Allow them to make a mess
• Eat together, play together

These are the building blocks of the Messy Vegan Mama method. Sounds simple, right? But…

…it’s not!

As parents, it takes time to unlearn the instinct to keep everything tidy and controlled. It takes practice to let play happen, to welcome messes, and to see “food destruction” as part of learning — not chaos.

I still remember the day my one-year-old sat in his high chair, flinging puréed peas across the kitchen using his toddler-sized spoon. I was horrified. He was delighted. Those dimpled, chubby cheeks were lit up with giggles. And even though the kitchen looked like a scene from “Shrek,” I couldn’t help but laugh.

That moment taught me something huge.

Kids don’t just like making messes — they benefit from exploring and playing with their food. My catchphrase, “eat together, play together,” sums up the entire Messy Vegan Mama philosophy.

And yes — those puréed peas were homemade. I made them in my Vitamix, and honestly?

Get a Vitamix.
Seriously.

I knew from day one that I wanted my son to eat whole foods without preservatives, so I bought a Vitamix when he started solids. He’s eight now, and I still use it daily.

But who am I to tell you any of this?

Well…
I’m certified in plant-based nutrition — WHOA!

Taking the plant-based nutrition course from eCornell changed everything. I’m not your stereotypical “vegan for the animals” person — although I absolutely love animals and use my platform to support them.

The truth is: the day I gave birth to my son, I declared myself vegan. I thought that label alone would magically make me healthy.

Spoiler alert:
It doesn’t.

You have to research your food, understand what your body needs, and stay curious about nutrition. This is what led me to pursue certification from accredited experts — so I could learn deeply and share that knowledge through my recipes and resources.

If you want to read about my experience with the course, check out “Five Reasons to Get a Plant-Based Certificate from eCornell” on Medium.

Eat Together, Play Together

Using years of research, creativity, and real-life kitchen wins (and disasters!), I’ve created a method that helps parents and kids build a positive, lifelong relationship with food — together.

And yes, even I slipped off track after the pandemic. I introduced my son to what I lovingly call “vegan junk food.” I share this because it truly doesn’t matter where you are on your vegan journey:

• maybe you’re just starting
• maybe you tried veganism before and want another go
• maybe you have kids
• maybe you’re thinking about kids someday

My plan works no matter what stage you’re in. It’s about having fun, making memories, and creating healthy habits — one messy kitchen moment at a time.

Now… let’s get messy!

Also, feel free to check out my YouTube channel here, where I post my weekly, budget friendly vegan grocery hauls from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, Target and Aldi’s.