Interview with Lou Robbie (@littleloucooks)
Lou has gathered a following of more than 800,000 people on her social media, demonstrating that her delicious family-friendly recipes are resonating with fellow parents. Lou has kindly shared her top tips on food, and motherhood.
Photograph: Nathalie Marquez Courtney
Tell me a bit about yourself, where you are from and what was your upbringing
I’m Lou. I'm a chef and a proud mum of two. I'm from Tipperary originally, my family moved to Tyrone in the 90s, and now I live in the west just outside Galway City. My childhood was spent in Tipperary we lived in a small rural village. We roamed where we wanted, paddles in the river in the summer, picked blackberries. and hazelnuts in the autumn.
What was your favourite food/dish growing up?
I was raised on cabbage, bacon, and spuds and still love it now. We had typical Irish dinners with potatoes 7 days a week.
Was there anything you disliked?
I was the child that ate everything and always cleaned my plate. The only thing I didn’t like was brussels sprouts, I’m still not wild about them but I’ll always have one or two on Christmas day.
Any food memories, fond or otherwise?
My fondest food memories are watching my Granny Biddy make her brown bread. She didn’t use a scale so she would measure by eye, and from memory. She was a wonderful cook and baker. Her bread was delicious with butter and her homemade blackcurrant jam.
What’s your favourite meal now? To cook? To eat?
I love Asian flavours, It would be a pork and noodle broth with shaved raw veggies and beansprouts, crispy chilli oil, and fresh coriander.
What’s the kitchen appliance you wouldn't be without?
I’ve too many to mention. My most recent purchase is my crepe maker. I can plug it in and make 6 pancakes at a time for my kids in the morning. I wouldn't part with it now.
The one ingredient you wouldn’t be without?
I always have lemons. They are the best to add freshness, and flavour in baking, and a bit of lemon juice at the end of cooking can also liven up a stew, soup or slow-cooker casserole.
What is your go- to family meal?
We love a fake-away chicken curry, rice, and chips in the air fryer.
What is your go-to meal for your busiest days?
It’s always a one-pot. I do a sausage meatball and pasta in a creamy tomato sauce with a side of garlic bread
Have you any tips to make life easier?
Make your freezer your best friend. Make and freeze homemade snacks!
Do you have any tips for encouraging your kids to eat more veggies?
Keep things colourful, and bite-sized. Introduce new vegetables one at a time. Offer a familiar food alongside the new veggies. Add dips like Mama Bear Ketchup with veggie sticks.
Any advice for dealing with children who are fussy eaters?
I like to serve our dinners family style, I put bowls of each component on the dinner table. Everyone can help themselves, there's no pressure to try anything but it’s there for all the kids to try when they're re
What’s the best advice you have been given in life?
I am self-employed and I've had many pivots in the last few years. Someone told me to keep showing up, and that's what I do every day with my business Little Lou Cooks.
Would there be any advice you would give to another mum?
Don't compare yourself to anyone else. No mum is perfect, we are all doing our best and that's good enough.
If you could choose one parenting mantra for yourself, what would it be?
Don't sweat the small things, they are only kids for a short time.
What do you like about Mama Bear Ketchups?
I can recognize the ingredients on the label, I know it’s made with our kid’s wellness in mind, and that’s really comforting.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen your kids put ketchup on?
My daughter will try anything she recently ate black pudding, banana and ketchup!!
Do you find ketchup helpful in getting your kids to try new foods or finish their dinner?
Yes definitely. They love to have something to dip into and it’s a safe food for my picky eater, and I never mind him having ketchup when its Mama Bear Ketchup!