Grow Education “Faces of Food” in New Bedford: Cathy Henriques

Our students, they are my inspiration. Their thoughtfulness, appreciation, honesty, and their smiles are what push me to be my best self. They inspire me to not only serve their meals but also educate them about what they are eating and teach them why it is important to eat healthy at a young age. Having fun with them around food will create a healthy path for our students. 

What are you grateful for this year?

I am grateful for many things. The few that stand out the most for me are being grateful for my family and friends’ health through these difficult past few months. I’m grateful for the time I get to spend with my family. I am grateful that I am able to help in some small way to those that are in need; and lastly, I am grateful to be back working with the children. To see their smiles lightens up my day. 

What’s your favorite dish from your culture?

I am fortunate to be Portuguese as well as French so I would have to say I absolutely love a good Portuguese kale soup and a homemade French meat pie. 

If you could grow an endless supply of something, what would it be? 

Watermelon!!!! Absolutely watermelon!!!! 

What do you wish you learned about food when you were in 3rd grade? 

I wish I would have learned more about food labels. They can be pretty tricky and a bit deceiving.

What’s something you’ve learned about food that you found interesting or useful? 

That it is okay to play with your food!! Try different things, different ingredients, different ways, experimenting with your foods. Now that I understand labeling of food better, it has definitely been helpful when I am picking out what food I want to eat or give to my family. As I grow, learning about different cultures’ foods has also been very interesting to me. Just have fun!