We recently connected with Mehak Dewji and have shared our conversation below.

Mehak, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

Growing up in an immigrant household, there was always a strong emphasis on good, healthy, and authentic food. As a child, all I wanted was to fit in with my peers and eat what they called “American” food. But every day, I watched my mom wake up at 5 a.m. to cook us fresh lunches and dinners, before heading off to her 10 hour workday, only to come home and do it all over again.

As I got older and had kids of my own, I began to truly understand how food builds community and brings people together. That understanding deepened during a time when I felt lost and unfulfilled in my healthcare career. Creating connection through food, friendship, and laughter gave me renewed purpose.

Feeding others and gathering around a meal became a natural and meaningful shift in my life. My parents instilled in me the value of home cooked meals, fresh ingredients, and the power of community;those lessons have shaped the way I live, work, and thrive as an adult & raise young children to value the same!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi! I’m Mehak Dewji, the heart and hands behind Grazeful Bento, a small, women-owned business centered on the belief that food has the power to connect, heal, and inspire.

I grew up in an immigrant household where cooking was an act of love and tradition. My mom would wake up at 5 am every morning to make us fresh, home cooked meals before heading off to her 10-hour workday. That kind of care and dedication left a deep impression on me and taught me the value of nourishing food, family rituals, and the magic that happens around the table.

For years, I worked in healthcare, helping others in a different way, but after becoming a parent and searching for more purpose in my day to day life, In 2020, I found myself returning to what had always grounded me: food and community. That’s how Grazeful Bento began.

At Grazeful Bento, I specialize in preparing fresh, wholesome weekly meals for families who want to eat well but don’t always have the time to cook from scratch. I also teach kids cooking classes where we focus on real ingredients, learning how to read labels, and building a healthy relationship with food from an early age. My approach emphasizes colorful vegetables, quality proteins, and heart-healthy, minimally processed ingredients, meals that are both good for the body and made with love.

What sets Grazeful Bento apart is the balance of nutrition, creativity, and community in everything I offer. Whether I’m prepping meals for a busy family or guiding young chefs in the kitchen, my goal is always to create joyful, lasting connections through food and make cooking less intimidating!

I’m proud that my business reflects my roots, my values, and the care I was raised with. It’s incredibly meaningful to feed others, pass on knowledge to the next generation, and build community around fresh, intentional meals.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I’ve wanted to work in healthcare for as long as I can remember. While most little girls slept with baby dolls, I fell asleep clutching toy otoscopes and stethoscopes. That early passion led me to a career helping people hear better, and I spent over a decade in the hearing healthcare field, truly loving the impact I could make in people’s lives.

But everything changed after I had my second son. He was diagnosed with multiple food allergies & was failing to thrive. I had to completely shift my own diet to support his growth and health. Managing his nutritional needs required time, care, and constant attention, something that was hard to balance with the demanding hours of my healthcare career.

That’s when I knew I had to pivot. I stepped away from the clinical world and began focusing on cooking for my family, learning how to create meals that were safe, nourishing, and delicious. What started as a necessity quickly turned into a passion. I realized how much I valued home cooked meals, label reading, and building a healthy food culture for my kids.

Eventually, this passion expanded beyond my own kitchen. I began cooking for other families and teaching kids how to engage with food in a meaningful way, and Grazeful Bento was born. This pivot not only allowed me to realign with my values but also helped me find a renewed sense of purpose rooted in care, creativity, and community.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A big lesson I had to unlearn was believing that being constantly productive was the same as being successful or valuable. I grew up in a home where hard work was everything. My parents, like so many immigrants, felt they had to “earn their place” here in the States; I watched them work multiple jobs while continuing their education, and that shaped how I viewed success.

That mindset stuck with me through over 10 years in healthcare, where long hours and constant hustle felt normal. But everything started to shift after I had my second son. He had several food allergies, and I had to dedicate so much time and attention to what we were both eating. It made me realize how out of sync I was with what really mattered: our health, being present, and actually sitting down to enjoy dinner together as a family.

Now, through Grazeful Bento, I get to prepare nourishing meals for families and teach kids about healthy eating. It feels so much more aligned with the kind of impact I want to have: one that’s rooted in care, connection, and slowing down with intention.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thegrazefulbento
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566739426888