Hi, I'm Theresa
Theresa Laurenz, MS, RDN. Registered dietitian, mom and the creator of Feed Biffie.
Feed Biffie started at home. When my daughter was little and something new made her nervous, she would ask me to tell her a story about it. A new food, a doctor visit, a first day somewhere new. We would talk it through as a story first, so by the time she faced the real thing, it already felt familiar.
That stuck with me. As a dietitian, I know kids often need to see a new food many times before they're ready to taste it. Stories and play are two of the easiest ways to give them that practice.
How Biffie was born
A classroom invitation
When my daughter started kindergarten, her teacher saw "dietitian" on the parent form and asked me to teach the class's eat-the-rainbow lesson.
One message everyone loves
Nutrition advice can get confusing fast, so I looked for a message every parent and teacher could feel good about. Fiber was it. And who are we feeding when we eat fiber? The helpful bacteria in our gut. That's how Biffie was born.
A book instead of a talk
Then COVID closed schools and the lesson never happened. So I kept writing and editing until Biffie's story became a book.
Back to the classroom
Once schools reopened, I started bringing Biffie into classrooms, including my daughter's second grade class. The card game grew from there.
Familiar first, then a taste
Kids are more likely to try a food they already know. In one study, children who read a book about parsnips were more willing to taste parsnips later. Biffie gives kids that same head start with fiber-rich plants.
The card game lets kids get to know sweet potatoes, lentils and artichokes before they ever land on a plate. When that food shows up at dinner, it's an old friend.
Feed Biffie is all about adding plants to what kids already eat. Pick one plant for the week and let kids look at it, touch it and smell it first. The first bite can wait.
The Swiss chard muffins
A few years ago, a dietitian friend and I helped my kids' class grow Swiss chard in the school garden. The kids could try it with ranch, try it plain or try it baked into Swiss chard muffins. Those kids are in fourth grade now, and some of them still talk about those muffins. You never know which small moment will stick. When a child tries something new, that's a brave thing worth celebrating.