In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Janet Irizarry, Founder of My Mindful Kitchen, an innovative course designed to reduce food waste, connect families, and foster sustainability. As a mindful foodie, a seasoned restaurateur and entrepreneur, and influencer, Janet combines all of her passions: food, education and course design, raising children, and protecting the environment, to teach children valuable lessons about mindfulness, sustainability, and community, while also strengthening familial bonds.

Janet is also the Founder of Hudson Valley EATS, a bimonthly column that she started several years ago to highlight food entrepreneurs and restaurant owners in the Hudson Valley. However, during the pandemic, she shifted its focus to raise money and raise awareness for sustainability and hunger relief organizations in the area. She decided to use the platform to ensure that “Everyone EATS” in the Hudson Valley, and that has been the main focus ever since.

She and Ted dig into the My Mindful Kitchen (MMK) Method, which offers practical solutions to household food waste, addressing a critical issue contributing to climate change. Aligned with the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale, Janet explains that the program focuses on preventing waste before it starts, encouraging mindful consumption, and making sustainability an easy part of everyday life. In her course, she touches on healthy eating and cooking, though the core of the program is equipping families with the tools to tackle common challenges—like overbuying, disorganization, and poor planning—and create meaningful, positive change.

Janet concludes by sharing that the course launched on January 2nd, and her goal is to help families recognize that food choices matter—not just for physical health, but also for emotional well-being, the health of others, and the planet. By fostering this awareness, families can transform unpleasant feelings about big issues like inflation, political uncertainty, and climate change into a sense of empowerment. She believes that each family and individual has the power to make a significant difference in shaping a better future.