Our TeamKelli Foster

Kelli Foster

Culinary Producer

I develop recipes, style food for photos and produce recipe videos. I'm also The Kitchn's resident Dinner Therapist and write a monthly column solving readers' biggest dinner dilemmas.Mountain Lakes, NJ

About Me

I'm a recipe developer, food writer, stylist, and video producer, with more than 10 years of professional experience. As an expert meal planner and avid home cook who loves grocery shopping and helping people figure out what to cook for dinner, I'm a natural fit as The Kitchn’s Dinner Therapist.

Since graduating from The University of Scranton and The French Culinary Institute, I've authored three cookbooks: Buddha Bowls, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, and The Probiotic Kitchen.

My kitchen superpower is turning a random assortment of ingredients into easy, delicious dinners that even my young son will eat.

My pronouns

she/her/hers

I'm an expert in

  • answering the question of what to cook for dinner
  • how to meal plan

My education

French Culinary Institute

Where else you've seen me

My Big Projects

Dinner Therapist

Latest Stories

Italian Anise Cookies Are a Classic Holiday Favorite
Inspired by the cookies I grew up eating.
Kelli Foster
yesterday
My Family Asks for This One-Pan Chicken So Often, I Know the Recipe By Heart
The sauce is everything!
Kelli Foster
yesterday
All My Friends Demand the Recipe for These "So Fudgy" Chocolate Crinkles
A cookie tin must.
Kelli Foster
1 day ago
This French Spread Is the 5-Minute Appetizer I Make Constantly
It’s a total flavor bomb.
Kelli Foster
2 days ago
Cheesy Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
This is the one breakfast casserole you need.
Kelli Foster
Nov 26, 2025
The 5-Ingredient Vegetable Side I'm Making 3 Times a Week
My family begs for it.
Kelli Foster
Nov 24, 2025
This "Harvest Bowl" Is My Go-To Lunch Prep (It's Packed with Protein and Fiber)
Wait till you taste the dressing.
Kelli Foster
Nov 24, 2025
40 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers Even Better Than the Turkey
It’s easy to get caught up in planning the big Thanksgiving dinner and your dessert spread, so here’s your friendly reminder to not forget the appetizers. Because a pre-dinner nibble or two of something tasty is always a good idea (especially when partnered with a Thanksgiving cocktail!). As for what to make, we’re firm believers that Thanksgiving appetizers should look and taste totally impressive, but be shockingly easy to pull off.
Kelli Foster
Aug 22, 2024
The "Loaded" Breakfast Casserole My Family Begs Me to Make
Bonus: You can assemble it ahead of time.
Kelli Foster
Nov 20, 2025
My "Cowboy Butter Salmon" Is The 10-Minute Dinner Your Family Will Devour
The sauce is so incredible.
Kelli Foster
Nov 19, 2025
Lemon Cranberry Delight Is Always the First Dessert Gone
Look at those layers!
Kelli Foster
Nov 9, 2025
10 Ways to Use Leftover Apple Peels
Plus 9 other uses for them!
Kelli Foster
Nov 6, 2025
My Family Loves This 4-Ingredient Chicken Recipe So Much, I Have It Memorized
It’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Kelli Foster
Nov 4, 2025
I Guarantee This Is the Most Comforting Recipe You'll Make All Month
Mashed potatoes have found their match.
Kelli Foster
Nov 2, 2025
157 Thanksgiving Desserts That Go Way Beyond Pie
No-bake pumpkin cheesecake, anyone?
Kelli Foster
Oct 30, 2025
Sautéed Green Beans With Garlic Brown Butter
Spoiler: it’s because of brown butter, garlic, and Parm.
Kelli Foster
Oct 30, 2025
This Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup Is the Easiest Soup You’ll Make
I’ve never met a lasagna I didn’t love. Yes, there’s something about the way it’s assembled — with the rich sauce, melty cheese, and juicy bits of browned meat blanketing the noodles — but what really makes it stand out is how the ingredients come together for a warm, comforting meal. And that’s exactly what you can expect when you tuck into a bowl of this slow cooker lasagna soup.
Kelli Foster
Oct 28, 2025
8 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Mashed Potatoes
For your best mashed potatoes yet.
Kelli Foster
Oct 23, 2025
My "House Dressing" Is So Good, I Make It Every Single Week
You’ll want to eat this on everything.
Kelli Foster
Oct 23, 2025
My Family Loves This "Smothered Chicken" So Much, They Ask for It Every Week
The gravy is pure perfection!
Kelli Foster
Oct 20, 2025
How To Roast Butternut Squash
It results in perfect squash every time.
Kelli Foster
Oct 16, 2025
This Is The Best Time For Thanksgiving Dinner (And Why It's So Early)
Soon we’ll sit down for Thanksgiving dinner, one of the most anticipated (and laborious) meals of the year. Once the dinner menu is set, the question we get from all the guests is always: “What time for Thanksgiving dinner?”.But while we refer to this meal as dinner, many of us actually sit down to eat far earlier than we do for other dinners. During the week I regularly eat dinner sometime between 7 and 8 p.m., yet on Thanksgiving, that time jumps up to 3 p.m.
Kelli Foster
Oct 16, 2025
40 Quick Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights
Getting dinner on the table during the week can be a feat even in the best of times. Making that happen when you’re juggling a busy schedule can feel almost impossible. To avoid ordering takeout, eating a bowl of cereal, or grazing through the pantry, we lean on a roster of reliably quick and easy weeknight dinner ideas.
Kelli Foster
Oct 14, 2025
I've Made 190 Dinners This Year, but THIS Is the "Most Delicious" One
The sauce is everything.
Kelli Foster
Oct 12, 2025
25+ Vegetarian Dinner Recipes That Don’t Take Forever to Make
No time, no meat, no problem.
Kelli Foster
Nov 30, 2023
A Week of Toddler-Friendly Dinners the Whole Family Will Love
I still remember the sweet sense of victory I felt when I cooked one dinner that my whole family — including my toddler — adored and gobbled up. I’m still new to this, but have learned that feeding toddlers is tricky business that requires patience, understanding, creativity, and persistence. These days I put my meal-planning efforts into building a roster of easy dinners that my whole family enjoys.
Kelli Foster
Oct 7, 2025
This One-Pan French Chicken Is the Coziest Dinner (Perfectly Classic!)
The sauce is perfection!
Kelli Foster
Oct 7, 2025
The "Apple Coffee Cake Muffins" I'm Eating for Breakfast and Dessert
The crumb topping is so good!
Kelli Foster
Oct 7, 2025
"Pumpkin Tiramisu" Is the Easy Dessert You Should Make for Every Fall Gathering
Calling all pumpkin spice lovers!
Kelli Foster
Oct 3, 2025
Steel-Cut vs. Rolled Oats: What's the Difference?
It's all in the processing.
Kelli Foster
Oct 1, 2025
This Old-School Italian Pasta Is "the Most Delicious", Says My Entire Family
Bonus: It’s ready in 30 minutes!
Kelli Foster
Sep 29, 2025
My Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup Is Irresistibly Creamy Without a Drop of Cream
It cooks in under 30 minutes.
Kelli Foster
Sep 29, 2025
84 Easy Ground Beef Recipes for Weeknight Dinners
Quick! What’s the first meal that comes to mind when you think of ground beef? For me it’s grilled burgers or crunchy tacos that I used to eat as a kid. But those two foods barely scratch the surface of all the different dinners you can cook up with some ground beef. Arm yourself with a pack of ground beef and the sky’s the limit when it comes to dinner possibilities.
Kelli Foster
Feb 20, 2024
90+ Dinner Ideas So You Never Have to Wonder “What Am I Cooking for Dinner?” Again
Bookmark this list ASAP.
Kelli Foster
Aug 7, 2023
40 Easy Comfort Recipes to Make When You’re Feeling Sick
Anytime I’m sick (or even on the verge of being sick), two things are certain: My energy and inspiration to cook are pretty low. Even when my meals are planned out for the week, I’m happy to abandon my plans for pork chops or a casserole for another night. This is a time when I crave simple foods that are warm, nourishing, and supremely comforting. A pot of warm and comforting soup is often the go-to for whatever ails us.
Kelli Foster
Feb 26, 2025
Olive Oil vs. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: What's the Difference?
Spoiler: they're not the same.
Kelli Foster
Sep 19, 2025