A food blog with a USP - Kripa Dewani on the making of 15mins_Mom

Parenting three of her children, Kripa Dewani shares the secret sauce of relatable and sumptuous content with her food blog '15mins_Mom'.

Kripa Dewani discovered blogging by accident and by default. A Mother to three children, the food blogger shares her gastronomic journey with easy-to-cook meals.

Claiming to showcase Vegan & Vegetarian food in just 15 minutes, Dewani is quintessential to the fact that 'mommy knows it best'.

Looking back, where did
it all begin? 

A good 5-6years ago. I never really put much thought into what my children were eating. As a first time parent, I fell into the assumption that kids only eat, pasta, pizza, fingers, nuggets, chips and the only veggies they really liked were peas, sweet corn, and carrots. It so happened that my now eldest daughter started experiencing acute stomach pain and struggled to go to the loo. I took her to a pediatrician to find out that she was constipated and her bowel movements were too elastic to function normally in consequence of her hypermobility. This is apparently very common in children and about 30% of children suffer from hyper mobility-related issues.

The solution was putting her on child laxatives which as a temporary measure suited me well but was far from a permanent solution. That’s when my kitchen revolution began and I started looking into healthy, clean, non-processed, freshly homemade food. Turns out 2nd child suffered from the same but a good diet sufficed in keeping her gut healthy.

What’s in the name?

15min_Mom is my life ethos! I would much rather spend quality time with my children than an hour in the kitchen cooking an elaborate meal that possibly they wouldn’t even touch. I also found that like most mums, I would end up eating my children’s leftovers all because I would either be too tired to cook for myself or too lazy.

So, I began developing attractive, healthy and nutritious, and 'Jhatpat' meals for my husband and I also started adapting them to my children’s palates. I’m also not very good at meal planning so I would bring my children home from school and literally have 15mins to hold their hunger and prepare them a nourishing meal.

What is your USP in this
cluttered space? How does your content give you an edge?

My content serves as an incentive to everyone - to cook from scratch but to keep it simple. I have an MSc in Organic Chemistry so I pay a lot of attention to what goes into food and like to understand the benefits and the balance of what we eat and feed our children. It’s a unique approach to cooking where recipes are simplistically made in 15mins!

Please take us through your content creation process. How do you stay relevant and relatable?

I thrive on authenticity! I’m not here to copy, recreate or portray something that is not a reality. It is my authenticity that makes me relatable and reachable to an audience that leads busy lives like me yet doesn’t want to compromise on health and good energy.

All my content is as it happens in my own kitchen. I use ingredients that are easily found in local health stores and supermarkets because I’m usually not always organized about meals and often need to run down to the supermarket to get something or the other.

How do you make moolah
with your efforts?

People easily attribute value to the creative ideas, inspiration & motivation I provide them through my posts. I collaborate with brands I truly believe in.

My ethos speaks higher to me than any financial reward. I stick to what I would use and consume myself with my family.

How do you maintain editorial objectivity with the influx of brand briefs?

I think the concept of 15min_Mom is strong enough to stand for itself and brands recognize and appreciate that. My ethos is transparent so it’s easy to stay true to my own brand name.

One instance/experience
that made it all worthwhile

I think the hundreds of positive messages/questions I get daily, make it very worthwhile but one particular experience that really engaged with my followers was “the mystery holes in the T-shirt” story.

The influx of comments and messages just made me smile and enjoy what I do even more than usual. I have some very loyal followers which make me feel very special and important but also adds a sense of social responsibility.

Weirdest brand
brief/request ever

I had an unusual request from a lingerie brand which I had to decline as it didn’t fit within my brand concept. I do appreciate that women and mums deserve to feel sensual but didn’t think my audience was right for this sort of product.

Also read: Blogging is not as easy as it seems: Charvi Shah, LoveWithTravel

If not blogging, you
would be?

I discovered blogging by accident and by default. I was 8mths pregnant with my third child and on maternity leave dwelling on what life would now be like with three. I couldn’t face life in the work field and I wanted to do something creative and workable around my children’s schedules. I think if I hadn’t discovered blogging I probably would’ve been taking an acting course or a photography course - something in the arts!

A day in your life…

My life is very hectic I feel! A day in my life starts off at 6 am with some “me time” to catch up on the news, emails, social media over a cup of butter coffee or coconut coffee followed by sorting out breakfasts and then a 7 am house wake-up ritual.

3 kids to dress, feed and get out of the house for school. Once drop off is complete I go into my office or may have meetings and work until noon. Then I pick the baby, he naps at home and I sort out lunch. I hit the gym and by the time I’m done, the baby is up. He snacks and school run starts again for the other two. I arrive home and start sorting out dinner, followed by baths, followed by homework and bedtime routines. Then I finally make dinner for my husband and me, reply to some more emails, run searches, organize house admin, book classes for kids, book holidays, etc the admin is never-ending! I sleep around 22:00-23:00 if I don’t have evening commitments. Then all over again the next morning!

Message/tips for upcoming bloggers

I think the blogging world is a platform for anyone that wants to voice their talent, opinion or express creativity. There is space for everyone. Find your niche, be confident and just go for it. Keep true to your beliefs and values and persist! Keep at it as it’s a slow run at the start but once it picks up, there’s only one direction to go, towards the finish line. Achieving your goals. Maximizing your potential.

Your Favorite
Influencer

I have to say it’s Joe Wicks - The Body Coach whom I followed from the very beginning of his journey and found inspiration in his enthusiasm and wit. I also love The Life of Aivax and Foodbites for incredible originality and creativity.

The Future you foresee for your Personal Brand

All I want to see for 15min Mom is a positive influence on thousands of people motivating them to eat well, cook easy, live healthily, take care of themselves and be the best version of themselves as they possibly can be!