“My love of food comes from my culture. To me, it represents family, love and creativity. I’m Portuguese and married to a Greek. Thankfully, food is a central feature in both our cultures,” Claudia said. “I’ve always had a passion for cooking and experimenting with food. When I was weaning my son, I became more aware of the importance of whole foods and a balanced diet.”

“I was a practising lawyer and then a lecturer in law – both roles that I loved. But my creative outlet was sharing the meals I prepared for my son on Instagram,” Claudia explained. “By the time I had my second son, lots of people had asked me to share my recipes and ideas. My mini-blog about baby food evolved to toddler meals and then into @whatmyfamilyeats.”

In 2018, Claudia and her family emigrated from South Africa to Australia in search of a better future for their children. As a stay-at-home mum for the first time, Claudia said it was her blog that kept her sane. Now, that both her children are at school, she’s turned her attention to her own wellbeing.

“For the last two years, I’ve had some issues with my adrenal and thyroid,” she said. ‘Unfortunately, the doctors couldn’t help me, so I saw a Naturopath and a Chiropractor. They introduced me to a holistic way of healing that blew my mind. By tweaking my lifestyle and diet, I was able to improve. During this time, I also came across Endeavour College. Later, when I started to research online for a Nutrition and Dietetics course, Endeavour felt like the right fit. So, I enrolled.”

“The last time I studied, I was living with my parents,” Claudia laughed. “Now, I am a parent, and I weave my study around my family commitments. For example, I do the dinner prep before the kids get up in the morning. I chose full-time study, and there’s no time for procrastination! I think if you are passionate, you’ll find the time. Besides, it feels good to finally do something for me.”

“It has been more than 20 years since I did science at school, so it was frightening. At the same time, it’s interesting. With the live webinars, you can interact with your lecturer and fellow students. I know I’m not alone. There are a lot of mature-aged students in the same boat with family and study,” she said.

“My law career has helped with my studies because there’s also a large volume of content you need to cover in law. Plus, critical thinking is encouraged. You’re always taught that there are three sides to any story. I think this skill will be even more useful when I’m building an understanding of my clients and their health needs.”

When she finishes, Claudia would like to set up a practice or work alongside other practitioners in theirs. With many followers from around the world, Claudia also plans to keep up her creative social media presence and offer online assistance to future clients.

“Nutrition is not only about how food makes you feel physically, but also emotionally and socially,” Claudia said. “I’m determined to share this knowledge and teach my children too. I also want them to know it is never too late to follow your dreams.”