How Made with Local CEO Sheena Russell preps for wholesome, fuss-free meals | Canada Voices

In 2012, Sheena Russell began selling energy bars from a small stand at the Alderney Landing Farmers’ Market in Dartmouth, N.S. Her recipe included organic ingredients sourced from neighbouring vendors.

More than a decade later, her brand Made with Local has progressed from weekend market sales to shelves in more than 3,000 stores across the country.

“I began making the bars for people like me, who prioritized locally grown foods and wanted an energy bar that didn’t taste like cardboard,” Russell says.

She’s the mother of two girls, 11 and 6, and is married to former Team Canada sprint canoer Andrew Russell, who now works in the family business. At home, the Russells keep their diet fuss-free, prioritizing ingredients they purchase at farmers’ markets in Dartmouth or Halifax, along with ready-made meals from Canadian brands.

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To manage the demands of a growing company and an active family, Russell keeps a tight rotation of around 10 to 12 dinners. Options such as fajitas with chicken and vegetables, pizzas with salad and sheet-pan dinners with sweet-and-sour meatballs ensure the family eats well throughout the week.

How I save money on groceries: The dollars-and-cents appeal of shopping locally and in-season for produce works out. I find great deals on bulk items, such as 10 pounds of potatoes or carrots at the farmers’ market. Those items often last in storage throughout the winter.

How I splurge on groceries: An occasional indulgence for us is some fun ice cream. A recent family favourite is the dark chocolate caramel sea salt flavour from Righteous Gelato. They’re a company based out of Calgary, and I enjoy it as a little treat every once in a while.

The hardest shopping habit to keep up: The hardest eating habit is getting enough vegetables, especially with the kids. I find we eat more of them if they’re prepared, so I batch-cook and freeze a mix of vegetables. I also wash and chop vegetables such as carrots, celery and cucumbers that I set out on the table for my family to graze on during dinner. I find that if I just set them out and don’t pressure my kids to eat them, they end up picking them up and munching on them.

How I’ve changed my eating habits recently: We don’t fuss about the way we eat. I try to abide by a Michael Pollan quote: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

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Five items always in my cart:

• Chili crisp – Zing – $12.99: We’ve been eating more Asian-inspired dishes lately, which has been fun to explore with my kids. This chili crisp is a great topping for dumplings, on eggs or in a wrap.
• Plant-based chocolate energy bars – Mid-Day Squares – $25: My kids love these. The cookie dough flavour is a fan-favourite in my house.
• One-pot pasta meal – Chickapea – $6.99: This one-pot meal is like a grown-up version of mac and cheese. I usually buy the pepper and parm flavour and it makes a quick meal.
• Butter chicken – Chef Bombay – $6.99: If I don’t have time to prepare something for work, I toss this into my bag to heat up for a quick meal.
• Monthly meat subscription – Mayflower Farm – $155: This service is based out of Falmouth, N.S., and they deliver monthly meat boxes. We usually receive a whole chicken, a bunch of single pounds of ground beef and some incredible steaks.