My name is Karrie Heneman. I am a mom of four, one girl and three boys. I am also a fourth child of four, so big families are in my blood. My father’s parents both immigrated to the United States from Italy, which makes me half-Italian.

I live in an immaculate house (I am a type A personality), but also very loud. At any given time, someone may receive a body slam or be stuck in a headlock.

I have a PhD in nutrition. I received my undergraduate education at Stanford (where I was recruited for the varsity sailing team as dead weight for a two-person sailing team). I completed my Ph.D. and a Post Doc at the University of California, Davis.

At Davis, I also learned how to deep fry a turkey and volunteered weekly at a local food coop doing cooking demonstrations. After graduate school, I taught nutrition to moms participating in the food stamps nutrition education program before I had my children. I encouraged them to buy a whole chicken and use it to make soup.

Now that I have four kids, I still have yet to make soup from a whole chicken, but I continue to help moms feed their families nutritiously and cost-effectively.

I encourage moms to bribe their kids with food occasionally, even though other nutritionists do not recommend this…An M&M or two can seriously encourage a toddler to get their shoes on in the morning!

I love to read, swim, and run. I am up every morning before 5 am as I love to sit and drink coffee while the house is quiet. I also tend to fall asleep on the couch before 8 pm.

I believe in kindness, community, and inclusion. I am the one who cannot leave an elevator without making a new friend. I also think that healthy eating is a way of life. I do not believe in quick fixes, fad diets, or expensive supplements. I believe in consuming as many fruits and vegetables as often as possible and eating chocolate every day.

Truffles and brownies are my favorite, but in a pinch, a Hershey’s bar will do. The key to my dietary advice is moderation, focusing on eating foods with dietary value most of the time and genuinely savoring “sometimes foods” regularly.

Family meals are a priority for the six Henemans. My kids and I enjoy preparing healthy meals together. Our meals are not fancy but nutritious, and all six of us look forward to sitting together at the table. Eat with us!