EatzyBitzy

Ever had difficulty getting your child to eat or enjoy mealtimes? This might be the answer to your problem. Meet Samantha Lee from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who confesses that she isn’t a professional chef nor has been to culinary school. Instead, she describes herself as a regular, ordinary and average stay-at-home mother who enjoys making a mess and creating designs using healthy food in her very own playground, the kitchen.

“I started my very first Food Art making in December 2008 when I was heavily pregnant with my second daughter. I wanted my first born, who was 19months then, to eat independently after the arrival of her younger sister. I was extremely lucky and blessed that my creations never failed to impress my eldest. It always made her look forward to the very next meal. At present, my two daughters decide which characters they should get during mealtime, which makes eating so much fun. I don’t think I would have come this far without my kids,” Samantha shares.

Samantha started with Instagram where she first casually posted photos of her creations. Shortly after, her followers grew. Having so many requests for tutorials, she decided to start her website, www.eatzybitzy.com “People see me as a Food Artist and I LOVE it! I never thought I had the talent in food art making, but I guess that it’s all trial and error. After around 2-3 times of handling the ingredients, I tend to understand each item better. Now, I can easily tell which ingredients would look great on a plate,” says Samantha.

Every meal Samantha created, the ones she has posted in her instagram accounts are actual meals she feeds her children. “I admit that I think of ideas over breakfast everyday. I sketch my ideas on a notebook and draw them according to the ingredients required. For example, a bun face for Snow White and a pear for her body. This really keeps me organized and not waste food by buying extra ingredients, which I don’t necessarily require. I will also need to have the drawing right in front of me when I cook,” she admits. “My style and techniques are very simple. I try not to cut the shape of the food, I just like how each of the ingredients stay the way it is and from there I create something out of it. I don’t use expensive tools or gadgets, just scissors, a knife and a toothpick. This I find more realistic for other parents to follow since fancy gadgets can be very pricey. Most of all, I never waste food. I always tell myself as well that cute food doesn’t need to be in the perfect shape. Imperfection does make food look cute.”

Samantha also points out that she doesn’t make “cute” food for her children every single day. “I ensure that they do not bring my Food Art to school as I want my kids to be the same as their peers. My creations are something special I make for them at home a few times a week”, she clarifies. “I’d also like a quick mention that my food isn’t called bento (lunchbox) as some of the media initially thought. I call it ‘cute food’ or ‘food art’.”

This is Samantha’s message she relayed to me to pass on to the Philippine readers: “I would love for people to know that if you make food for your children, always remember to include fresh and healthy ingredients. You don’t have to feed children expensive food, you can opt for simple food and still enjoy your meal.”

Samantha conducts classes whenever an invite comes in. Apart from Food Art, she works as a children’s party planner who enjoys baking, crafting, doodling and sewing. Samantha Lee is most active in www.facebook.com/iamleesamantha and www.instagram.com/leesamantha as well as her website, www.eatzybitzy.com which she updates from time to time.

(Photos to the Eatzy Bitzy article were sent directly to this writer from Samantha Lee herself. Others were taken off her websites.)

 September birthdays

1st – Therece Baya turns 2

2nd – Parker Mendolia turns 6

12th – Isabell Rafols turns 5

13th – Jake Baylosis turns 7

19th – Ryan Conde turns 1

24th – Andrea Laplana turns 5