It’s no secret that food has a connective power. Now more than ever before, food is being used by consumers to engage socially. Sara Robbins, Spokesperson and Director of Health and Wellness for Dairy MAX, says combining the connective powers of food and social interaction is the main objective behind the Cooking with Caitlin initiative.
“Our Cooking with Caitlin partnership started about a year ago,” Robbins says. “Dairy MAX recognized the amazing social media presence Chef Caitlin had already established, and we wanted to share that, along with a personalized and simplified cooking experience with our Health and Wellness professionals and stakeholders.”
Caitlin Steininger is the host of cookingwithcaitlin.com, a Cincinnati-based food site featuring how-to video and recipes. Chef Caitlin and her sister Kelly have sparked a nurtured community of food. By hosting in-person events as well as a full circle media movement, Cooking with Caitlin acts as an in depth food resource.
“Dairy MAX recently hosted four Cooking with Caitlin events in Dallas, Houston and Albuquerque,” Robbins says. “Chef Caitlin focused on simplifying recipes so everyone can feel more confident in the kitchen. She created a ‘foodie’s night in’ that focused on incorporating dairy even with lactose intolerance in new and exciting ways.”
The Cooking with Caitlin events included cooking demonstrations and lactose intolerance education provided by a third party physician or dietitian. To broaden the audience even further, the events incorporated bloggers and the Dairy Amazing hashtag (#dairyamazing) to help spike social media conversations about the goodness of dairy.
“Caitlin created nine courses, including appetizers, main dishes and desserts. The crowd favorite was by far the Monterey Jack Tuille with pico de gallo (recipe found here), essentially a delicious crispy cheese taco,” Robbins says. “Chef Caitlin also talked about managing lactose intolerance by not ditching dairy. She suggested using lactose free milk over milk alternatives for superior nutrition, incorporating cheeses naturally low in lactose and adding yogurt to recipes in new and exciting ways.”
Dairy MAX is expanding on the national partnership between Dairy Management Incorporated (DMI) and Cooking with Caitlin. DMI has hosted events around the country to further encourage the online conversation about food, particularly dairy. Caitlin’s recipes are now featured on dairydiscoveryzone.com, along with more tips and recipes for managing lactose intolerance. can also be found on the Dairy MAX blog.
“Dairy MAX is excited about hosting more in-person Cooking with Caitlin events in 2016 and growing our online audience through a nurtured food community,” Robbins says.
