For the love of food.
The family table is the heart of the home. We congregate there, converse there, and make many of our happiest memories there. But fewer families are spending time at that table than ever before. And when they do, many feel anxious.
There are power struggles between parents and kids over what to eat, how much to eat, whether to eat at all. There are pressures to get a meal out and get through it in time for other activities. There are worries about vegetables and nutrients and high fructose corn syrup and pesticide levels and genetic modification.
It can be better. It should be better. For all of us—but especially for our kids, who are just beginning to explore the wonderful world of food.
Our mission is to ensure that—wherever they eat—children are regularly exposed to rich, multi-sensory, real food experiences. To equip parents, educators, and mentors with the skills to guide food exploration in a joyful, relaxed way. To frame positive conversations around food and to normalize healthy food relationships within children’s social circles. We want to spread new ways of thinking about food throughout organizations and communities.
Jacalyn Goodwin, RD, founder of the Family Table Project.
The Family Table Project was founded by Jacalyn Goodwin, a Registered Dietitian, seasoned home cook, passionate local food advocate, and mum to a tomato-loving pre-schooler. She is a member of the Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance working group and the Breastfeeding Collaborative of Dufferin and East Wellington. Jacalyn is considered an expert in her field. She holds a Masters of Health Science in Nutrition Communication and sits on the Canadian Medical Advisory Board for BabyCenter Canada.
Practicing for more than 10 years, Jacalyn has met countless frazzled parents and shared their feeding journeys. She has coached families through the ups and downs, and witnessed a number of common challenges. When she started her own family, she experienced some of them first-hand.
Jacalyn started the Family Table Project as a way to connect with families, in non-clinical settings, and share strategies that truly work. She also uses it as a vehicle to build partnerships to advocate for food system and food policy change.