Catherine McCord's Parenting Recs Will Change the Way You Cook for Your Kids

Alexa Thompson
·4 min read

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With so many foods available at our fingertips — and so much misinformation about what’s actually healthy for our bodies — it can be difficult to make the right decisions when it comes to kids and food. That’s where Catherine McCord comes in. After struggling with what to feed her first child, McCord noticed a gap in resources for parents who wanted to expose their kids to wholesome, delicious homemade foods — so she decided to make her own. In 2007, McCord founded the website Weelicious, which provides recipes that are “fast, fresh, and easy” (basically music to our ears).

Since then, McCord has also launched an organic home meal delivery kit called One Potato and has authored three cookbooks, Weelicious: One Family.One Meal., Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside the Lunchbox, and her most recent publication, The Smoothie Project. McCord describes The Smoothie Project as a “passion product,” and recommends the recipes as a way for families to get all of the nutrients they need. In addition to sharing her culinary expertise with us lucky readers, she also enjoys sharing her interest in food and cooking with her three kids Kenya, 12, Chloe, 10, and Gemma, 4. (Side note: Can you imagine having a professional cook for a mom? That’s #TheGoodLife right there.)

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And just when you thought McCord couldn’t possibly be doing more, she’s also a former model and actress, writes the monthly “Snack Mom” column in Parenting Magazine and appears regularly on the Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games. For all of these reasons and more, we wanted to pick her brain for the best tips on all things parenting — from the cooking app that makes her busy life easier to the underrated children’s brand she loves.

The podcasts I’m listening to right now

“I’m podcast obsessed! So many incredible ones I enjoy: Second Life (for all the moms wanting to listen to inspirational female founders), MomBrain, Mama Said, and Didn’t I Just Feed You are a few faves.”

The books I’m currently reading

“Fair Play and Yes, Brain and No Drama Discipline are my must-reads for parenting and keeping yourself sane along the way.”

The snack I always have on hand for the kids

“Smoothies! Our family has a smoothie for breakfast every day and a few nights a week for dessert, or as an afternoon snack. It’s the easiest way to get nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, and proteins in you and your kids’ bodies.”

The beauty product I never leave the house without

“Bāeo products (especially their Bare Kiss) for dry skin for me and the kids, my Shu Uemura eyelash curler to open my eyes, and NARS ‘Gipsy’ lipstick.”

The apps that make my life as a parent easier

“Food Network Kitchen App! It’s entertaining for kids and gives great LIVE recipe ideas.”

A non-screen activity that keep my kids occupied for hours

“We cook seven days a week and have always included the kids in the fun, as cooking is so much like an edible art project. We do a lot of crafting. We have an entire shelf in our kitchen with paper, pens, watercolors, and more.”

The TV shows I actually enjoy watching with my kids

“For older kids, Kim’s Convenience; A Series of Unfortunate Events for tweens; And Charlie and Lola for littles.”

My favorite grooming products for tweens/teens

“My daughter loves getting her hair tips dyed with this. My son loves using this in his hair. My oldest daughter loves Piggy Polish, too.”

The underrated children’s brands I’ve recently discovered

“I love Rockets of Awesome, Bāeo is a life-saver for kids with eczema and dry skin, and Repurpose for the kids’ food ware.”

The clothing brands that help make up my mom uniform

“I love Rothy’s shoes because they’re comfortable and chic. Rent the Runway has saved me for work events because I’m not much of a shopper, so it keeps my wardrobe updated with new picks. I live for my Anine Bing jeans, tees, and army jacket.”

Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

For more healthy-eating inspiration, check out these powerful quotes.

Launch Gallery: Powerful Quotes to Inspire Healthy Attitudes About Food

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