As well as being one of the Fry family daughters, Hayley is Global Head of Product for The LIVEKINDLY Collective which means she is intimately involved in product development and innovation for the Fry Family Food Co.
Her role requires her to have a close eye on emerging trends in the plant-based food space but when it comes to creating food that kids will love she relies heavily on her experience as a mom because she knows what gets them excited about plant-based eating.
We caught up with her to find out how being a parent, and a daughter of the pioneering plant-based food family in South Africa has impacted her life and her work.
Parenting is tricky business, a lot of parents feel that trying to introduce more plant-based foods into their children’s lives will only add to that workload. As a plant-based parent, do you have any tips on feeding fussy eaters?
- I am often starved for time, and I guess Fry’s products were developed with that in mind. Having a product to pull out of the freezer and into the air fryer is so convenient. I try to cook fresh wherever and whenever I can, but as a working mom it is not always possible to make meals from scratch, choosing healthy, convenient foods is my go to 😊
When you are thinking of new products for Fry’s – how do you ensure what the brand creates will work for kids? Is this an important part of your planning and consideration?
- Yes, Fry’s products are always developed with family in mind. The products we create should make it easy for a mom to cook dinner using the same product for her whole family. So, it has to be tasty for kids, but also close enough to meat that any meat eaters in the family can equally enjoy it. Creating great taste without compromise on nutritious value has always been our non-negotiable.
What are one or two of your go-to recipes or Fry’s products for your kids?
- Bolognaise, I make a big pot of bolognaise weekly, with loads of hidden veg and plant based protein in the mince. This can be used for anything: mince on toast, cottage pie, spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne. It’s my mom life-hack. Secondly I love buddha bowls, some rice or other grains topped with anything fresh you have in your fridge, add some easy protein with Fry’s chicken strips or anything similar, and drizzle with a dressing. It’s a nutritious meal in less than ten minutes.
What are your kids fav products?
- Fry’s Chicken-Style Nuggets! Hands down 😊
- How has being a mom helped you when creating ideas for new products?
- I think I just understand what moms like me need, and so I develop from a place of wanting to provide myself with an option and in this way provide others like me with an option too. I create from a place of love and care for my own family and the families of others.