A Day at the farmers’ market with Weelicious’ Catherine and her cargo e-bike

Want a hassle-free way to run errands and pick up the kids? Take inspiration from Weelicious on how she runs her business empire and takes care of her family with the help of her Momentum PakYak E+ cargo electric bicycle.

Food is one of the best ways we connect with ourselves, our loved ones, the community, and the environment. For Catherine, it’s one of her favorite ways to look after her three kids, who she has involved in her cooking from an early age. She loves visiting the local farmers ‘market on her Momentum PakYak E+ cargo e-bike first thing in the morning and returning to the sight of her excited kids running up to her to see what she had bought. They often explore recipes and cook together. “Food is art, science and nourishment all in one,” she enthuses.

Founding Weelicious

Catherine is a Kentucky girl who graduated from culinary school in New York and built a career working at gourmet restaurants throughout New York and Los Angeles. When she became a mother in 2007 it kickstarted the Weelicious project, a platform dedicated to helping parents introduce their children to wholesome, delicious homemade food. The platform includes instructional cooking videos to show how fun and simple cooking can be.

Her journey with Weelicious began when she struggled to find fast, easy, and fresh recipes for the entire family. Making homemade baby food from seasonal produce and watching her child enjoy the food helped her realize there may be parents beyond her community with the same need. She has since published two cookbooks and gone on to launch One Potato, an organic home meal delivery kit service in the United States.

Cooking for your kids, with your kids

Building healthy food habits requires kids to be active participants throughout the entire process, from shopping to cooking and eating. Catherine tries to involve her kids every day in some way when cooking meals, whether it’s asking them to add a pinch of salt, chopping a cucumber with a child-safe knife or adding ingredients into a blender. To encourage creativity, once a week her kids will pick a recipe, or they will create a new dish together so that her kids can exercise their math and artistic skills in the kitchen. “When you involve your kids in the cooking process, growing food or shopping for them it helps to make them better eaters,” explained Catherine. And it is important to start these healthy habits young.

Supporting the local Farmers’ Market

Though Catherine is known for her delicious recipes, cooking starts at the food source and getting to know the farmer. She is a big supporter of local farmers, especially ones growing organic or non-GMO produce. Supporting local farmers who adhere to sustainable practices means supporting the local economy, regenerative agriculture that keeps the environment uncompromised, and getting the best quality seasonal produce. Keeping pesticides and food dyes away from children are of utmost importance to her. When the environment is healthy, so are we.

There are many organic farms in Los Angeles (LA), where Catherine and her family live. The farmers love interacting with the kids by offering samples to get them excited to try new things. She believes these weekly visits are one of the reasons her kids enjoy such a wide array of fruits and vegetables. On days when she heads to the local farmers’ market by herself, she loves riding her PakYak E+ electric cargo bike first thing in the morning when the city is quiet. Cycling gives her a real sense of freedom.

e bike pick children and shopping, electric bikes

Going to the market with PAKYAK E+ cargo bike

Catherine has enjoyed biking since she was a child and so do her kids. When she returns home from the local market, without fail her six-year-old will always want to jump on the Momentum e-bike and go for a ride. Her Momentum PakYak E+ electric cargo bike is powerful and makes pedaling effortless. It also comes with different accessories that support different needs. For instance, the PakYak passenger accessories let her bring one of her kids along during her shopping trips. The front and rear baskets and other supporting accessories enable her to carry tons of groceries at the same time. Sometimes she uses it to carry picnic and sports gear when they visit the park.

“I can’t believe just how much I’m able to carry no matter where I’m headed in LA. It’s gotten to the point that I don’t even want to drive my car any longer and the PakYak E+ is so easy to maneuver and makes me feel incredibly free,” says Catherine.

A healthy lifestyle is all about taking the first step

Leading a healthy lifestyle requires taking a holistic approach. Catherine’s inspiring story shows us that “being environmentally conscious, cutting down on emissions, teaching kids about local food systems and the beauty of living life in a physically and mentally stimulating way” can be rewarding beyond what we ever expected. Whether it’s something as simple as riding to run errands, shopping at the local market, or enjoying nature with the family – the important thing is to take the first step.

For more healthy tips, follow Catherine’s journey at: Weelicious's Instagram account and official website.