Being a mom demands a lot time.

When you eat, what you eat, how you eat and if you eat are all major components when it comes to raising kids, because we often tend to forget about ourselves.

At times, I don’t know if I should eat when the baby’s asleep, if I should start cleaning up or take a nap myself. What I eat most of the time would be anything I can get my hands on quickly (not the most healthy, I know). Then when I can grab a bite, I barely eat at the dinner table anymore. I’m either eating while cooking or eating at the kitchen counter. I have to be alert and agile in case anything happens, because someone’s always wanting seconds or something else to drink, or something!

All that to say, I get so consumed with everything that goes on during the day that eating can easily slip my mind.

I’ve been in the food and beverage industry for more than 17 years, and food, hospitality and writing are all passions of mine. I created the online space Mama Gotta Eat Too because I always found myself trying to eat and never really having the time to really truly enjoy it because my kids were — well being kids. I got the name idea from the movie Baby Boy, when the mother character says, “Mama gotta have a life too, Jody.”

My blog gives me the opportunity to focus on an industry I admire while actually enjoying food. I get to try a variety of restaurants by highlighting influencers in the food and beverage industry.

That they’re mostly African-Amercan is a plus. Many are moms, so that’s an empowering bonus.

Highlighting members of the African-American food and beverage community came to mind pretty naturally. Being in Atlanta with so many black-owned eateries was a perfect fit. Many media platforms feature people in the music, television, film and fashion industries, while those in food and beverage go unrecognized.

I’ve patronized many family- and kid-friendly places. They’ll have free kids meals or high chairs and booster seats to accommodate us. I’m always enthusiastic about the history of the businesses, the chefs and the owners, as I feature them on my blog.

Writing for Mama Gotta Eat Too is fun because of the way it serves the community in bringing joy to the people featured. They also don’t mind when I have a toddler on my lap and a baby in my arms during the interviews. No worries, because sometimes I’m gifted a quiet moment, like when they’re napping, and I can fully focus on the blog.

I’ve used my experiences from the site to enhance my own culinary adventures.

If I can’t make it out to eat, surely I’d like to think I “hooks it up in the kitchen.” I’m not a chef by any means — I like to call myself a necessity cook. It’s necessary the family eats, so I’m bound to be a responsible parent.

I try and cook meals that can last for at least a week. Batches of chili, spaghetti, or stew beef usually do the trick. Lately, I’ve been in the experimenting mood. I’ve tried a new recipe for a Mexican snack with mangos and chamoy. It turned out to be pretty good. Half of the things I like, my family doesn’t, so I rarely have to share. But that doesn’t stop the kids from asking to try this or taste that. I’m sure other moms understand.

If you’re a mommy in the food and beverage industry, I’d love to feature you on my blog, so let’s connect. I can also be found on Instagram.

I hope you can find the time to get in a meal you can truly enjoy, be it eating out, experimenting in the kitchen or just having your favorite snack to yourself.

Remember, mama gotta eat, too.