Laura Ford's love of food sparked a passion to start her blog, Laura Ford Nutrition to capture her food-filled life. From the food she eats and cooks to the places she likes to eat out, we dare you not to feel hungry while scrolling her scrummy site! We caught up with the recently graduated nutritionist/dietician to get the lowdown on her love for food...

What first sparked your interest in food and nutrition? I have always loved cooking and food since I was a child. I was always helping my mum and grandma in the kitchen whether it was picking mint leaves, whisking a sauce or helping cut pastry dough; they always found something for me to do and that’s really where my love of cooking started. It sparked my interest in nutrition and I found myself becoming more and more interested in how food can nourish the body and how it can help or hinder health.

Why did you decide to start a food blog? I decided to start my food blog four years ago when I started my nutrition degree so I could create a credible voice for nutrition science in the blog space. It also became a much-needed creative outlet for me when I needed a break from all my study and essay writing.

What’s your favourite food to eat and cook? This list could actually be never-ending! My favourite foods to cook tend to be those that my friends or family request as I always love seeing their smiles. Some of these would be my lasagna, spinach and ricotta cannelloni or red velvet cupcakes. For myself, I really love making interesting salads or nourish bowls as people always think of salads as boring rabbit food but I love getting creative with vegetables and trying out different flavour combinations.

What’s your personal food philosophy? I believe everything in moderation, including moderation. The more we deny ourselves the food we love, the more likely we are to create negative food habits and associate food with guilt (which it never should). I think the language we use with foods, especially around children, can really shape one’s attitude to eating. Food should be about fun, happiness and bringing people together. Additionally, it can also have a profound effect on our health and marrying these two concepts is important to the way I cook and eat.

What does an average day in your life look like? I never have an average day, which is exactly the way I like it. Typically I will have breakfast shortly after waking up, check my emails and then do some form of exercise. I’m currently working on a research project so the rest of my morning and part of my afternoon will be spent focusing on that. I may then work on recipe development in the afternoon before heading off to my part-time job in the evening. Some days I’ll start the day with a brunch or meet other bloggers for lunch and other days I may spend the whole day in the kitchen. It really varies.

Follow Laura's foodie adventures via her blog or Instagram.