A former chef is using her Health Promotion degree from the University of the Sunshine Coast to improve the nutritional habits of busy families.

Bachelor of Health Promotion graduate Tracey Pascoe launched her business, Nutrition Pantry: Get Your Health Back on Track!, after completing her degree in 2014 and now provides nutrition, food coaching and allergy advice to clients across Brisbane’s northside.

Among the range of programs available to clients is a ‘kitchen boot camp’, which Ms Pascoe said utilised the knowledge and skills she gained from her USC degree as well as from her previous work as a chef and nutritionist.

“I’ve seen how difficult it can be for people to provide their families with healthy food, and so I work with my clients to overhaul their kitchens so they function effectively,” she said.

“I also teach them the skills to prepare simple, healthy whole foods within their budget.

“We’re also seeing more and more allergies and food intolerances, so another aspect of Nutrition Pantry is providing uncomplicated advice around alternate foods and meal planning.”

After taking up a chef’s apprenticeship at age 16, Ms Pascoe of Burpengary worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years before completing an Advanced Diploma of Nutrition and then enrolling at USC.

“I’m a chef by trade, but health and nutrition was always my passion, and I felt that studying Health Promotion could open up a number of career paths for me in that area,” she said.

Ms Pascoe said her USC studies had helped her to provide the best possible advice to the individuals and families she worked with.

“Providing targeted, useful programs in preventative health that suits the individual client is really important, and that was an area where my degree really helped me,” she said.

“My lecturers and teachers at USC were really helpful in guiding me towards a new career path and helping me to develop new skills in communicating effectively with many different types of clients.”

— Gen Kennedy