Infocus: with Just Nourish owner Cinta Rymer
“I’m far from perfect at this, and it will be an ongoing delicate dance depending on what is happening in both work and home life. A very wise woman once said to me that there is no such thing as “work-life balance” – there is just life which we should fill with things that make us happy, within our capacity. ”
Recently I sat down for a coffee on my back deck in the morning autumn light with the delightful Cinta—who, of course, arrived with gifts in tow. Food gifts, naturally—the best kind!
We’ve been in each other’s orbit for some years now through personal connections, and there’s always something a little magical about crossing paths again in a professional context years later. I’ve noticed this happens often after the transformation into motherhood.
Motherhood inevitably brings deep reflection, and Cinta knew that, by its very nature, her uber-corporate life could no longer offer the kind of existence she desired for herself and her family. Having lived the high-pressure, long-hours corporate lifestyle, she made a shift—retraining as a nutritionist. This mum of two started a business inspired by a service she wished had existed when she returned to work after her first baby.
And so, the seeds of Just Nourish were sown. Cinta set to work creating a new family–work paradigm with a business of her own, centred on healthy, delicious, and convenient food.
Just Nourish is a meal delivery service offering wholesome, family-friendly meals designed to lift the mental and physical load of planning and prepping food. Cinta hopes to create a supportive space grounded in evidence-based nutrition while celebrating a shared love of good food.
She wants parents to feel free from the guilt so many of us carry (herself and myself included) about parenting and what ends up on the dinner table. She’s a firm believer that picky plates are a valid and nutritious dinner for our little ones—and yes, cereal is a totally acceptable dinner option too. The nutritionist said so… and you won’t hear any arguments from me!
I’m always in awe of mothers and parents as they settle into their new role and begin exploring creative ventures that speak to this transformed, forever-changed version of themselves. So, Cinta and I sat down, had a proper catch-up, and then I asked her a few questions about how she got to where she is now—and what advice she might offer someone who finds themselves seeking a new path once family life begins to shift their priorities. There are some real gems in what she shared.
This is a question I ask the people I work with as a doula and I always love the answers. So, how would you introduce yourself at a gathering or party?
This is something that has definitely shifted in the past few years as I’ve become a mum and realigned my life. The answer is always slightly different depending on the audience, but there’s always a few fundamentals that come into the answer: I’m a mum, I’m a small business owner, I’m a staunch feminist, and I’m terrible at introducing myself so apologies for the awkwardness!
What motivated you to transition from a career deep in the corporate world to founding Just Nourish? How did your personal experiences as a mother influence this journey?
I can’t say that there was any single moment or experience that led me here – it was a transition that happened over a few years and was pretty organic in nature. The first catalyst was probably during the time spent rocking my eldest to sleep, whilst doom-scrolling through a barrage of nutrition content and being ravaged with hunger from breastfeeding - thinking I was leading myself to an early death with my food choices.
After going back to work following my parental leave, I was struggling to engage in a job that I’d always loved, and couldn’t shake the feeling that the monumental shift I’d been through in the transition to motherhood deserved to be reflected in my professional life. That led me to study a postgraduate Nutrition degree, which sparked the idea for Just Nourish.
As a mother of two and a business owner, how do you balance family life with the demands of running a company?
I’m far from perfect at this, and it will be an ongoing delicate dance depending on what is happening in both work and home life. A very wise woman once said to me that there is no such thing as “work-life balance” – there is just life which we should fill with things that make us happy, within our capacity. For some people, this might mean working around the clock – but if this gives them purpose and joy, then that is what matters. For me, I know that my energy ebbs and flows and so at times, I might be happy dedicating my days and presence to my kids and working late into the night. But I also need to be able to recognise when this isn’t serving me anymore, and I need an adjustment or a break. That may mean that the business socials go dark for a period of time, while my attention is elsewhere, but that’s the balancing act of being a mum to young children and a small business owner. And I’m grateful that I’m in a position where I can recognise and move with those ebbs and flows.
Designing meals that are both nutritious and appealing requires creativity and skill. Can you share insights into your team and the creative process when developing new recipes for Just Nourish?
Initially, I worked with 2 consultant chefs who were insanely talented in menu development. I had a strong idea in my mind in terms of how I wanted the meals to fare from a nutritional perspective, but I needed support to make sure we had recipes that translated well to cooking in a commercial kitchen, and freezing.
We went back and forth with recipes until we found a common ground that met the brief. Now, it’s more about creativity and experimentation in the kitchen! We might have some leftover ingredients, or be feeling creative one day and just decide to give something a go – we’ve had some epic spontaneous creations like our Lactation Brownie and our Goji Granola.
What are the main ways in which you ensure your meals are geared to meet the nutritional needs of new mothers?
There are a few fundamentals that we adhere to with our meals. However in saying this, I always say that the most important consideration for postpartum nutrition is ensuring you’re eating ENOUGH and you’re staying hydrated. Easier said than done.
Our principles combine the traditions and knowledge of generations past and other cultures, with modern nutrition knowledge. That means you will find elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Focusing on warming foods, the inclusion of traditional bone broths, and using ingredients such as ginger and goji), and Ayurveda (cooking with warming spices such as turmeric and cumin, and including traditional recipes such as kitchari).
In addition, our meals are mostly slow-cooked to aid digestion and we have a heavy focus on protein content from both animal and plant sources. We also know that for many mothers, they will have other children that they’re trying to look after whilst recovering from birth, which is why we’ve put an emphasis on making our meals family friendly. That means holding back on the spice and being mindful of the sodium content.
Why do you choose to use organic, free-range, and locally sourced ingredients?
It was important to me that we were a business with ethical offerings and practices from the get-go, which meant being mindful of our sourcing and making sure we are truly transparent with our customers. All of our beef is grass-fed and finished and sourced from farms utilising regenerative practices.
Our chicken is sourced from free-range farms, and we prioritise certified organic produce and dry goods wherever we can. We mark which of our ingredients are organic on the ingredient labels of our products. I firmly believe that the choices with our ingredients are better for the land, for animal welfare and for our health. I’m an open book about where our products are sourced from, and customers often contact me to ask – which goes to show that it’s just as important for others as it is for me.
Since becoming a mother, what has changed, a big question but focus perhaps on what comes to mind first?
Everything! Most notably for me, I’ve become a softer, more empathetic version of myself. I think that in itself is the core that has led to so many shifts in my life over the past 5 years.
What advice would you offer to mothers who are looking to start their own creative ventures while in the thick of mothering?
You need to give yourself permission to have the space to mull over things and think through ideas and problems. So often as mothers we race between our roles and commitments, without leaving any time to sit with our thoughts. This means carving out space for where you do your best thinking – going for a walk, having a hot bath, driving in silence with no kids in the car (lol). Realigning your thoughts and giving yourself the space to be creative is going to be the lifeblood of whatever endeavour you decide to pursue.
Looking ahead, not that we need to as being present is 100% amazing. What are your dreams? Are there new creative projects or expansions on the horizon that you're excited about?
We’ve just started delivering to NSW, which has been a monumental shift for the business. Right now, I have so many new food ideas, but my focus is firmly on leveling up our existing offerings and improving our customer experience. I want every customer of Just Nourish to live in a world of food and postpartum bliss!
Looking forward, I’d love this business to transcend the nutritional needs of women across life stages. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women are so horribly underrepresented and supported in the food and nutrition space – something I’d love to address and support.
So, check out Just Nourish, we love their postpartum bundles. Our students and doula mums all get access to a cheeky discount.
The postpartum bundle contains a selection of nutrient-dense foods, whilst being uniquely curated to support the needs of a new mum:
Energy dense snacks
Slow-cooked meals for easy digestion
Iron-rich meals
High protein content
A wide variety of wholegrains and plants
Follow Cinta’s Journey here: