“Pasta was my quick, comforting, go-to meal… I missed it so much.”

For Debbie Waddill, pasta isn’t just food — it’s a feeling. Growing up as the youngest of five in a bustling Denver household, family gatherings meant music from her parents’ band, laughter echoing through the rooms, and tables filled with her mom’s home-cooked meals. “Food was love in our family,” Debbie says. “It was how we came together.” Even today, her sisters keep a special tradition alive: making a batch of every family recipe without onions just for her, a small but heartfelt act that’s followed her since childhood.

As she got older, Debbie found herself cutting back on pasta to stay on track with her health goals — a decision that left a real void. “Pasta was my quick, comforting, go-to meal,” she shares. “Lasagna, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese… I missed them all.” That changed the night she tried Carbe Diem at our Denver event. One bite of our pesto penne, and she knew pasta was officially back on the menu. “The taste, the texture — it’s just like the pasta I love, without the guilt. I even took leftovers home for lunch the next day.” For Debbie, Carbe Diem isn’t just about enjoying pasta again — it’s about reclaiming those comforting family traditions and creating new ones around the table.