Food, Fun, Family and Friends

                            Food, Fun, Family and Friends

         The inspiration for creating creating  stylish adult bibs

From a young age, the topics of Food and Dining have had a big impact on my life.  Being raised by a Home Economics teacher and a 4-H leader meant discussions on the topic of food were plentiful.  My siblings and I had our share of blue ribbons at the county and state fairs.  Presentation along with taste was a must.  As a child, I was impressed with my parents gift of hospitality, and enjoyed the many parties and family dinners my parents hosted.  All hands were on deck for these big events.  The apple has not fallen far from the tree.  My sister and brother and I are all very good cooks and never shy away from opening our homes for friends and family to share good food together.  The grand kids are not far behind and have hosted dessert baking contest s with friends while home over holiday breaks.

I took my love for science and my interest in food to pursue a career in dietetics. I have worked in private practice counseling clients on the importance of medical nutrition therapy to help treat diabetes, heart disease and gastrointestinal disorders.  In my career, I have taught hundreds of cooking classes, supermarket tours and authored two cookbooks.

My mom continues her passion for teaching and cooking at their extended care facility by teaching a cooking class.  The dining room at their facility is “their dining room” and when they invite family or friends to dine with them they feel as they did in their own home.  My dad has an essential tremor, so he shakes when he is eating.  He has always been a dapper dresser and still enjoys that.  He would not enter the dining room without putting on his stylish bonTop  to keep his clothes tidy while he is dining. My parents were my inspiration, when I helped design the bonTops with my business partners.  Their tablemates were excited to join in and soon began wearing a bonTop to the dining room also. They are all so excited that the adult clothing protectors/bibs are washable and allow them to Dine with Dignity.

I enjoy watching my parents make new friends and adapt to their new home.  I get a kick out of my mom requesting special meetings with the head chef to make recipe suggestions and seeing the chef’s concern for my mom when she required a very strict salt restriction and he made a potpourri basket of spices to leave at her table for her to use.

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