Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Diaz.
Julie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have always loved food though not always the healthiest things to eat. I grew up in the South on sodas and chips, fried foods and sweets. Our lives seemed to revolve around food, both cooking, and eating. As a child, I was in the kitchen helping whoever was cooking, even though I did not find it particularly interesting.
I went on to study Biology and worked in medical research for over a decade. Somewhere along the way, I became more conscious of eating and cooking more vegetables in healthier ways. Then as a stay-at-home mom, I wanted to feed my kids healthy food. I thought that I was until we learned that our then 9-year-old son had the early stages of fatty liver disease. We were shocked. Fortunately, his doctor recommended a change of diet, which we started immediately with eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and lots of whole grains. Within four months upon further testing, there were no more signs of fatty liver disease.
I started reading and learning about our food system and the damage that it was causing our bodies and the earth and even volunteered with the Prop 37 Label GMO ballot proposition. By this time, I was teaching preschool and our director challenged us to think outside the box on offering enrichment classes for the students. I had grown to love cooking, so proposed to teach cooking classes to the preschoolers.
So, began my journey with teaching about healthy cooking and eating. It was such a success that I had to offer more classes to meet the demand. KIds were trying new foods and some were eating vegetables for the first time ever. The kids were not the only ones loving it. The teachers loved my food and encouraged me to start selling it.
Within a year of starting the cooking classes, I created One Fresh Meal, making and selling organic vegetarian soups and salads. The first farmers market was in Scripps Ranch in April 2011. Part of our mission was to use as much local organic produce as possible, the other was to let people know how delicious eating meatless can be. We quickly were in two more markets and eventually were in five markets each week. My husband worked the markets and I did most of the cooking.
In 2016, I realized that while I love cooking, teaching about cooking was where my heart was. We ended One Fresh Meal as a food business yet it continues as a platform to share about healthy plant-strong cooking and eating. I am in my 10th year of teaching kids cooking classes, now known as Eat Your Veggies. and am currently in 2 schools. I also serve on the Board of Directors of Slow Food Urban San Diego as the Education Chair where I interact with local school and community garden coordinators sharing about good, clean, and fair food.
With Slow Food, I was able to travel to Italy last year as a delegate to their biennial Terra Madre international food event where I met other people who are passionate about food. While I was there, I was invited to go to Uganda to teach about cooking the food in the school and community gardens. This is my next project and hopefully the first of many. Making connections around the table, cooking and eating fresh local food.
Has it been a smooth road?
There have definitely been some challenges along the way especially since I had never run a business, much less a food business. The permits and licensing requirements of a food business were at times daunting, yet I never gave up. And my mission of educating people about the benefits of eating a more plant-strong way using local organic food is important. There is definitely still resistance about this message, yet if you feel called to your work and are committed just keep on. There are people waiting to learn from you.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with One Fresh Meal/Eat Your Veggies – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am still known for One Fresh Meal where I made and sold organic vegetarian soups and salads in farmers markets. I continue to post on the Facebook page with tips, videos, recipes, and photos of plant-strong foods. And I am known as the Eat Your Veggies cooking teacher where I introduce and then prepare fresh local produce with preschool and elementary aged students.
I specialize in inspiring people to connect to their food, to experience the freshness, the taste, the simplicity of preparing a delicious meal, I encourage people to go to the farmers market, meet the farmers, know where and how their food is grown. And include the kids; the more connected they are to their food the more likely they will eat it. Growing their own food or at least picking it in a garden or on a farm will spark interest in trying something they may otherwise not try. And it takes being consistent. Some of my students would eat nothing at the beginning and after a few weeks… or months… or even a couple of years they would eat and love the food we made.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
The best advice on finding people that can mentor or give you advice is to not be afraid to ask questions. Most people are happy to share what they know. Even if they cannot help, they may know someone who can. The more connections you make the more likely you will find the guidance you need.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.onefreshmeal.com
- Phone: 619-417-3828
- Email: julie@onefreshmeal.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneFreshMeal/
Image Credit:
photos by One Fresh Meal, Eat Your Veggies, Slow Food Urban San Diego
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
