Empowering Health Through Heritage: The Inspiring Journey of EatWell Exchange.

In Miami's Little Haiti, an extraordinary culinary class at Mosaic Marketplace, led by EatWell Exchange, is more than just cooking; it's a journey into the heart of cultural culinary traditions, reimagined through the lens of health and wellness.

Ashley Carter, co-founder of EatWell Exchange, shares, "For me, nutrition and wellness are very personal and passionate topics. When I was born, both of my parents had diabetes and struggled to monitor their health. This shaped my passion for EatWell Exchange and nutrition education." As a registered dietitian, she saw that being a black dietitian was a rare find, with only 2.7% of dietitians identifying as black.

EatWell Exchange is renowned for its innovative approach to health - respecting and celebrating cultural culinary traditions while guiding people towards healthier lifestyles. "Cultural foods are always the star of the show!" Ashley states. "We ask clients what foods they like and then build meals around those foods."

Ashley reflects on the challenges: "One of the biggest challenges is a lack of resources to support cultural foods being healthy and also health care providers that support that statement as well."

Growing up in Liberty City, a lower socioeconomic area in Miami, Ashley witnessed the stark reality of food deserts. "My parents having medical conditions was hard to combat as there was not an easy way to get healthier foods," she explains.

A touching success story is a testament to their impact. After a cooking demonstration, a Jamaican woman expressed her gratitude for seeing her culture's food represented healthily. "Her perception of healthier foods includes options limited to salads," Ashley recalls, "and this demonstration showed her that she could eat healthy and that she was not doing everything wrong."

As EatWell Exchange prepares for their class at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, their story stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration. "We started EatWell Exchange to teach communities that it is possible to keep the foods they grew up eating on their plates and still be healthy," Ashley concludes.

Join us at the Mosaic Marketplace to experience this unique blend of culinary tradition and nutritional wisdom, and be part of a movement that's nourishing bodies and souls alike.