The inspiration for The Kids’ Table came from my experience in raising my two boys, Jake and Aleks. I had always enjoyed cooking, but not necessarily with nutrition in mind. It wasn’t until I was pregnant that I started focusing on healthful eating. And when the baby food stage came along, I opted to make my own. Things were going swimmingly on the food front until my younger son hit the picky eating stage like a brick wall. I countered with pretty much every trick in the book – coaxing, cajoling, bribing and threatening. It wasn’t pretty. And, other than a few short-term victories, it didn’t work.

A different approach to my kids and food came from our preschool experience. Both Jake and Aleks went to Montessori programs, where the curriculum emphasis is largely in the practical life realm, including cooking. I saw how much more likely they were to eat food if they had a hand in preparing it. This realization hit me in early 2005. I had been practicing transactional tax law at a big firm in downtown Chicago – and my heart just wasn’t in it. While many of my co-workers read tax journals in their spare time, I read cooking magazines. I was becoming more and more dedicated to the idea of getting my kids to eat healthier. And, in the course of that, wanting to share what I was learning with other families. So, I decided to merge my personal passion and my professional life.

Our adventure officially began when The Kids’ Table opened its doors in February 2007. We’ve been cooking up a storm ever since – giving kids ownership over their food, making healthy food fun, and watching those palates and minds expand as a result. It’s amazing how often I hear a child complaining about not liking red peppers, dark leafy greens or onion at the beginning of class. And so rewarding when that same child is devouring the dish at the end.

The first six years of The Kids’ Table have been quite a journey, and I’m looking forward to many more to come. I love where we are, and I’m very excited about where we’re going. We’re working on reinforcing kids’ connection with food with growing and composting elements. We’re also trying to reach more adults with cooking and healthy living class offerings, since so many folks are looking to get back to the basics and learn life-sustaining skills. And we hope to expand our subsidized program offerings to schools and community organizations – because EVERYONE should have access to a healthy food education. There’s still much more to be done!