Harinder: Cooking with a Family of Five
“Cooking is a lot more than just food, it’s family bonding time.” – Harinder
Kitchen Hero Harinder works at a biotech company while being a mother of three. As you can expect, that wonderfully busy life doesn’t leave much time for meal planning, shopping, and cooking. What Harinder really wanted was a time-saver plan that would allow her family to still reap the benefits of healthy, home-cooked meals. Since finding Cook Smarts’ meal plan service, she and her husband are able to work, enjoy a wide spectrum of new flavors, set an example of healthy cooking for the kids, and have time to share memories over the dinner table every night.
Name: Harinder Korhonen
City, State: Newark, CA
I cook for: my family – husband and 3 kids (two boys 9 and 7, one girl 4).
Outside of the kitchen I: work in a biotech company. I have been an analytical scientist most of my career and just changed jobs to Regulatory Affairs. I also love to exercise, dance, and read. We travel a lot with our family.
I discovered Cook Smarts through: My husband actually found Cook Smarts. Since we both work, it was getting stressful to cook everyday. I felt stuck and was making the same dishes all the time. We tried Blue Apron but it was not for me. I enjoy going to the grocery store and picking my own vegetables and ingredients. I needed a meal plan service that would provide me with the menu and the grocery list. I needed a time saver plan. Cook Smarts was perfect for our family needs!
I cook because: we have 3 small children and we want them to grow healthy and happy. I believe cooking brings family together. Kids learn that cooking is normal and hopefully, they will do it for their families too once they are grown up. We all love to enjoy meals and talk about our day at the dinner table. Cooking is a lot more than just food, it’s family bonding time.
Favorite CS meal so far: This was a difficult question for me because I like most of the meals. So I will use my recent memory and say Curried Red Lentil Soup and Cajun Fish Tacos.
How did you learn to cook?
My mom always cooked so I guess just watching her. I enjoy cooking and especially watching my family lick their plates clean. My kids literally will lick their plates when they like a meal. 😉 Having a science background, I find cooking to be similar to working in the lab. Once you have all the ingredients, it’s just mixing ingredients together to create wonderful flavors.
What’s been your biggest cooking challenge?
Finding enough time.
What strategies have you used to raise healthy eaters?
We all eat together. When the kids see us eating and enjoying, they are more open to new flavors. We have a rule that we always try new things. We can’t say “I don’t like it” without trying.
“Cook Smarts has introduced my family to a whole variety of new flavors and made our lives so much easier without having to compromise healthy cooking / eating.”
What’s been the biggest change in your family’s cooking / eating routine since starting Cook Smarts?
Oh my goodness, Cook Smarts was the best decision we have made in terms of food. Cook Smarts has introduced my family to a whole variety of new flavors and made our lives so much easier without having to compromise healthy cooking / eating. Cook Smarts has been a major time-saver especially after a long day at work; I don’t have to think about what to cook or buy. I love that everything is planned out.
What have you learned since starting Cook Smarts’ meal plans?
I can even whip up fancy meals. Cooking is much easier than people think and is so enjoyable and is a stress-reliever. With easy meals, I find myself less stressed and have more time to spend with my family.
Tell us about your proudest kitchen moment.
My middle son, Leo said, “Mama, you are the best cooker.” I will never forget that moment.
What are your tips for health and success in the kitchen?
Be open-minded and try different foods. If things don’t work out, don’t panic and never be afraid to experiment. Modify the recipe for your own flavors. Always have vegetables in your meals. Best of all, enjoy feeding your family and a glass of red wine!
Thank you so much for letting us get a glimpse into your inspiring family life, Harinder! We are so glad that our meal plan service has introduced your family to new flavors, made every week easier, and helped keep the beautiful tradition of healthy home cooking alive.
To join Harinder and cook meals like her favorite Curried Red Lentil Soup and Cajun Fish Tacos, check out our meal plan service. You can get started for free!
