If I'm being honest, the first 6 months after welcoming my second child were really hard for me. I was sad to no longer have my one-on-one time with my daughter Kaia, and was so sleep deprived taking care of my newborn. My son Mack was born in November during the pandemic, and as a family we decided to lock it down to avoid getting him sick. I pulled my daughter out of daycare and isolated myself from any indoor socialization with other people. I didn’t want either of my kids getting sick. Until March, we stayed home mostly everyday; and if we were out, we mainly socialized outside. We did have our "Bubble" that consisted of grandparents that helped us but I was still exhausted, isolated and overwhelmed. Everyday was the same, and I just couldn’t deal with the mental load of cooking everyday. In comes Kristin McCaig. I had heard about Kristin from a colleague who has two boys in competitive hockey and had a hard time making healthy meals for her family when things got very busy. When she told me about her, I didn’t have kids and I didn't appreciate the pressure that comes with making healthy meals for your family.
We needed a solution. I wanted meals that were homemade, healthy, and something my kids would eat. I had my consultation with Kristin and immediately connected with her. We were originally supposed to keep her for a month or two to get us out of our rut, but we adored her and her meals so much we kept her for over a year. Mahtab even got to taste some of her food, and when she welcomed her daughter in the summer, she ordered some Kristin meals to help her.
The mental load that was lifted knowing that our families were eating healthy home cooked meals is indescribable. We are so excited to introduce you to Kristin McCaig!
Can you please share your background and why you decided to start your business?
I began working as a massage therapist and did so for10 years. I got to the point where I noticed I was talking to my clients about nutrition more than I was talking to them about stretching and moving their bodies. I had experienced a huge improvement in my own health by changing my diet. After many years of struggling with IBS, I knew that people could make massive changes if they understood that what we eat has a huge impact on how well our body functions. So I decided to start studying nutrition at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition from home, when my boys were babies.
I did nutrition consultation for a number of years, along with publishing a cookbook, writing a blog and teaching cooking workshops for adults, teens and children. I also started making videos on How To Meal Prep. One day while making one of those videos, I asked myself "how can I be paid to do this full time?" I wondered if there were people out there who would pay someone to cook for them. I called a family member who had her own business, young kids and she agreed on the spot to try it out. 8 years later, I am still cooking for her family!
I cooked in my clients' homes for about 7 years. I then moved into a commercial kitchen, hired talented and wonderful chefs and we now cook for multiple families a day together and the meals are delivered to our client's homes, throughout the city of Ottawa.
What services do you offer that could be helpful for pregnant and postpartum moms? (Describe your packages that would fit well for families)
All three of the services listed on my website would be great for postpartum moms.
They all come with a big fresh salad to make sure everyone is getting lots of healthy nutrients along with custom made meals for your family, exactly how you want them.
The half petite package is great for moms and dads with just one little one or even 2! There are 3 meals with 2 servings each but some families manage to get 2 adults and 2 little ones fed with that. This would provide them with at least 3 nights of not having to worry about dinner.
The petite package is great if there are some bigger appetites in the home as each meal will serve at least 4 people.
The standard package is great for people who are happy to freeze some meals and use them at their own convenience.
All of these packages can be adjusted for any family. If they would like an extra meal, some muffins, more salads, we can do that for them.
Why is nutrition so important for pregnant and postpartum women? Does it affect both physical and mental health?
Nutrition is so important right after you have a baby because you have just finished giving nutrients from your body to that little human you just birthed, for about 9 months and if you are nursing, your body is STILL creating and giving nutrients and energy to the baby through your breast milk. After having the baby, you need to replenish your nutrient stores that are depleted. And your body also needs to heal from giving birth.
Factor in that you are likely not sleeping like you used to and that you are beyond busy even though you feel like you are getting nothing done, eating well during this time can make a huge difference in how you feel mentally, allowing you to have better energy and allowing you to think clearly.
Are there any foods that are important for women to consume postpartum? Are there any foods that affect the quality of our sleep?
Postpartum, ensuring that you are getting lots of B vitamins in your diet will help your body adapt to the stresses that it has, and is still facing. Leafy greens, salmon, meat,
chicken, dairy, eggs, beans, fruits and veggies are all high in various B vitamins
Foods that are rich in magnesium like bananas, nuts and seeds are also great for supporting sleep.
Make sure that you get lots of water as well (uncaffeinated, comforting warm teas are great too) to help keep your mind clear and your breastmilk flowing if you are breastfeeding. Headaches can be a sign that you are not getting enough water.
Protein is an important nutrient postpartum to help your body repair from giving birth and to support your immune system (and your baby's immune system).
It really doesn't have to be complicated though in terms of breaking it down nutrient by nutrient; eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits of many colours, eat protein, drink water and get as much quality sleep as you can. Make great choices most of the time. Those are the foundational steps to getting through the first few months. And let yourself indulge sometimes, without guilt!
Who do you typically cook for and what makes your service different from other meal services?
I cook for many families with children of all ages, because as you will soon see, life is busy at all the stages of parenting, just in different ways! I also cook for many busy professionals as well as seniors who would like to stay in their homes but would love help with getting healthy meals on their plates. I also cook for families who have special funding for children with disabilities and I am often hired to cook when someone is going through a challenging time such as an illness or surgery (this service makes an excellent group gift in a case like this and also just relieves the family of worrying about what they are going to eat for supper). And lastly, as a Holistic Nutritionist, I also often take on clients who are going on special diets and need help to enjoy good food despite a load of restrictions.
I have clients who have been with me for over 8 years on a regular basis and some who come and go as needed, I am here when you need me. Many receive the service on a weekly basis to enjoy fresh abundant salads and salad bowls and some heartier meals that are ready to be warmed up and others have their services booked on a bi-weekly, monthly or as needed basis. These clients store some meals in the freezer to use on the nights that they need them the most. The meals are all delivered freshly made to you on the day of your cookdate so you can decide from there whether to enjoy fresh or to freeze.
My service is a custom service and that is how it differs from other "meal prep" services. I will suggest a menu to you for each service and that menu is designed specifically for your family's preferences. You can request changes to the menu if you see anything that you do not love. If you are craving something in particular, you can just let me know and we will make you exactly what you asked for! You can even send me recipes and we will make them for you (and probably for other clients too if the recipe is a hit)! We do all the cooking for you and customize the meals to the level of spice you like, with only the ingredients that you want in your food. All you have to do is warm the meals up (and we provide instructions for that too).
Where can people find you? Anything to add?
If you could use some help getting delicious, healthy meals on the table for your family, please reach out to me. Together we can create a service that will give your family meals that are custom made to your preferences. If you have ingredients you never want to see, we can do that. If you have a favorite recipe that your grandmother used to make, I'd be honored for you to share the recipe with me so that we can make it for you! I look forward to hearing from you.
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