←This is me.
I’m Caroline and in a nutshell (pun intended), I am a wife and the mother of two food allergic (peanut, tree nut, dairy, sesame and flax seed) and asthmatic children. I have an odd sense of humor and laugh quite a bit. I never trust the first thing I hear and must research everything. I love good chocolate, sunbutter and chickens (not the ones on my dinner plate, but the ones in my backyard). I sometimes talk too much and I am passionate about clean air, lung health, and food allergy advocacy. I bake better than I cook. I love a good garage sale. I can dig in my heels when necessary. I work hard at trying to find balance for my busy life. I’m crazy for funky jewelry and good art.
I chose the name Gratefulfoodie after I asked a dear friend what I should name my blog. She said, “of course, the gratefulfoodie”! She explained, “you love food, you show your love with food and food is how you bridged the gap to normalcy for your food allergic kids.” She was right, I use food as a tool to show my gratitude. Ask any of my doctor’s, kid’s school staff (yes, the whole staff), friends and family.
I am grateful for everything in my life. I am grateful for the foods that my children can eat. I am a hopeless foodie and I use my baking and cooking to show my gratitude. In my world, nothing says love like a chocolate flourless cake or quinoa vegetable soup. I love using food to educate others about food allergies by baking safe snacks.
I can tell you that I have spent the last decade reading, researching, talking, testing and simply living with life threatening food allergies and asthma in our household only to realize that I will never know it all. Life is forever changing, growing and improving each day and this is exactly what makes life so grand! As the kids hit the different levels of development, their needs, health and attitudes change. What worked at age 9 will never work at 13 and so on. I have an open mind and am a life long learner who loves a good bookstore, Swatch watches and great shopping!
My hope for you and this blog is that I can provide you with a big cyber path to resources for living with food allergies and asthma. In addition, to sharing recipes and ways you too can advocate that are important to me that you too might find valuable.
I will never have mastered this journey and be the queen of everything, but I will be a master at traveling this road.
I am new to blogging and am not known for my writing abilities, punctuation or tact sometimes, so please forgive me! This blog is a work in progress and the style and direction may change as I get to know my new community better…your opinions and comments are always welcomed as I grow this blog. If you have a subject or something that we should check out, please email me (gratefulfoodie@gmail.com).
One last note: In my previous life before raising a family, I earned a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, worked in boutique hotels, have trained all over the world and currently teach the American Lung Association’s Open Airways for School (asthma) and Safe at School, (food allergy), which is a new program developed by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
Things I currently do…
- Chair, American Lung Association in Northern Nevada
- Group co-leader and co-founder, Northern Nevada asthma and Food Allergy Parent Education Group (AAPE to those who know and love us),
- Board member, Coral Academy of Science, Reno, NV
- Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) Support Group Advisory Council
- Safe at School trainer
- Open Airways for Schools trainer
- Key Informant Panel, Blue Shield Blue Cross Foundation
- Assisting the Washoe County School District in writing Food Allergy Policy that will hopefully be adopted statewide (send good thoughts)
- Advocate for the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act
- Blogger apprentice
special note: This blog was guided by Humming Bird Studios and Rita P. Best..email me for details about how to contact Rita!
