Healthy eating is crucial for everyone, and that’s why a mother of nine in Alabama has elevated mealtime by offering nutritious options for her children via a professional salad bar installed in her kitchen.
“I am a little extra,” Melanie Cade, 37, told Today.com.
Cade and her husband made a change nearly two years ago by purchasing a $1,300 salad bar from a restaurant supply store. They hoped this new family hack would simplify meal prep for their large family as well as encourage their children to eat healthier and become more self-sufficient in the kitchen.
The couple shares nine children: Anita, 19; TJ, 17; Nathaniel 14; twins Mason and Madison, 12; Zachary 8; Jacob, 5; Noah-James, 4; and Charity, 10 months.
Cade has a large social media presence, with over 590,000 Instagram followers, where she frequently showcases her family. She also shares how she operates the salad bar as well as other creative hacks that simplify life for her household.
In a recent video, Cade demonstrates how she restocks the salad bar, and the post garnered over 5 million views on Instagram, per Today.com.
“I run a tight ship,” Cade said, who also homeschools her children. “My kids eat cookies and chips but during the pandemic, I saw an unhealthy dependency on pre-packaged snacks because they were readily available.”
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She continued, “I saw my kids developing bad habits that were convenient and easy for both them and myself.”
The refrigerated salad bar features seasonal vegetables, healthy fats and other wholesome options. At the bottom of the bar, a separate compartment stores bagels, cream cheese, whole fruit, and juice boxes for the children.
Although eating healthier can be expensive, Cade has found ways to make her budget go further while feeding a large family. She spends about $100 weekly on seasonal fruits, vegetables, and whole cuts of meat, as she said using a deli meat slicer helps save money.
Another trick Cade uses is making the food visually appealing to her children.
“I’ve learned that kids eat with their eyes so making food aesthetically pleasing feels, ‘Wow,’ to my children,” Cade explained. “They see the beautiful colors and textures and the variety to choose from.”
In addition to the restaurant-style salad bar, she has other cool items in her kitchen, including a slushy machine that she uses for family movie nights.
Cade’s “purpose” is to keep her children healthy and to inspire others.
“My whole purpose is to help other people realize … their potential,” she said. “That’s all I want to do.”
