How and why did Weelicious begin?
After graduating culinary school, I worked in several restaurants and realized that wasn’t going to be my path. A few years later, I had my son and realized I could make a gourmet meal, but I had no idea how to feed a baby and make him a great eater from day one. I started Weelicious as a way to connect with other parents and to show how easy and fun cooking can be for families.
When you began in 2007, social media was just beginning. How have you evolved through the years, and changed to meet your audience where they are, rather than just stay stagnant?
Social media is so much more about storytelling now than it was when I began. Every social media platform has such a different way of connecting to the audience whether it’s through words, video, static images and more. It’s exciting being able to connect with people all over the world in an authentic way and receive feedback that supports future content.
You are well known for your amazing farmer’s market photos. What are some great tips for navigating the Farmer’s Market?
Getting to the farmers market when it opens is key to getting the best of the best! The best part of the market is being able to buy local produce in the exact amounts you need. One of my favorite tips is to ask farmers about seconds like peaches and tomatoes that might be slightly bruised, but for half the price.
In 2015, you launched the first organic meal delivery kit, with a huge twist — one meal for the whole family, with kid sized portions. How did your previous experience of speaking and engaging directly with parents about this issue help lead to clarity in branding and in finding so much success?
Our family has used One Potato every week since the day it launched and it’s my weekly lifesaver! As much as possible I try to share what we eat and how we make it work for us week to week on social media. The best part is getting to see how other families make and share it too.
You have become the go to person for making school lunches not a bore, yet healthy and delicious. What about our own lunches?
Funny enough, I’m a big fan of leftovers for lunch. I’ve always tried to make a little too much dinner so I can make a bowl the next day with tons of cooked vegetables, salad greens, rice and whatever protein I’ve got on hand topped with a luscious dressing or dip.
As a female founder, what do you want your legacy to be?
My greatest wish is for parents to see feeding as an enjoyable experience that brings families together. I hope that people find whatever aspects of Weelicious, whether it be meal prep, smoothies, easy-to-make dinners, school lunches helpful and that it saves parents time and money so they can spend more time with their kids.
What’s next from Weelicious and One Potato and what can we look forward to?
We’re in the process of merging Weelicious and One Potato into one brand with media, D2C, and retail. I hope that when people think about feeding their families, the first word that comes to mind is Weelicious.
What’s the first thing you do every morning?
Check my email, read three news feeds and then head out the door to hike with my dog.
What’s the last thing you do every night?
Drink a glass of Calm, read books to one of my kids and generally fall asleep next to them.
What app can’t you live without?
Slack and Dropbox.
What book do we need to read?
I just reread the Fountainhead and feel like every founder forging their own path should read it.
What business or person should we have our eye on?
The plant based, vegan food sector is incredibly exciting right now in terms of innovation. We’re seeing even more people changing their diets to include these foods. I see the goal as one to create food products with the least amount of fillers that are good for our bodies and the planet.
Catherine McCord is the founder of the popular website weelicious.com and the family food brand One Potato. McCord is the author of Weelicious, Weelicious Lunches, and Smoothie Project: The 28-Day Plan to Feel Happy and Healthy No Matter Your Age. She has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, and Hallmark’s Home and Family, and is a regular on the NBC Emmy-winning show Danny Seo Naturally as well as Food Network’s #1 rated Guy’s Grocery Games. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.
