We caught up with Alexandra Dudley, founder of Punch Foods, to talk all things business, health, and her yummy collection of Superseeds snacks. Punch Foods’ philosophy is that healthy doesn’t have to be hard. They believe that life should be full of flavour. So, this deliciously healthy snack was born.

We LOVE your Superseeds and are so exited to feature them as our Gift of Purchase this month! What inspired you to start your own food business?
A lot of it came from my own frustration with the lack of snack choice for those who had intolerances or wanted to avoid additives but were still after something substantial as well as tasty. The idea was to create something that delivered primarily on taste but also on nutrition. My brand philosophy – eat real feel real – is about a celebration of eating well and feeling well, and celebrating deliciously good food, and I really wanted to share that with people.

How does Punch foods Superseeds differ from other healthy snacks on the market?
I think Superseeds differentiate themselves from other healthy-healthy snacks in their simplicity. They are made with high quality, natural ingredients, which are unprocessed, free from additives and 100% organic. Also, it was really important to me to create a snack that was actually substantial, and that wasn’t full of sugar. So many of the supposedly healthy bars around are actually very high in sugar, and then have a negative effect on our blood sugar levels. I wanted to avoid this in any snack I created, so Superseeds are sweetened only with a touch of coconut sugar. Eating well doesn’t have to mean a compromise on taste, and Superseeds are very real, and very delicious!

What is your favourite Superseeds flavor? Do you use them for toppings as well as for snacking?
Chilli Smoke! Absolutely, I have it on everything – scrambled eggs, avocado on toast, steamed or wok’d greens… I’m constantly finding new meals to sprinkle it on! And I like creating recipes that incorporate the seeds into them, like the Twice Baked Sweet Potato one that you can find on the back of the Chilli Smoke pack.

There’s also Japanese Tamari, which is savoury, and then Maca Caramel, Cinnamon Spice, and, the most popular, Coconut Brownie. I think people love anything chocolatey but the Coconut Brownie uses the best raw cacao as well as coconut oil so the bonus is that they are incredibly good for you as well as being delicious.

We love the recipe section on Punchfoods website – where did your love of cooking and healthy eating begin?
It sounds cliche to say it was ever since I can remember but it really was. I’ve always had a fascination with the kitchen, and used to write my own little recipe books and leaflets by ripping things out of my mother’s magazines and copying the pictures. I knew early on that I wanted to do something in food and started catering mainly cakes, when I was about 14 to make a bit of money. I loved it and initially wanted to set up a healthy cake business. It was my days on the go in London as a young art student that made me think I had to fix the poor snacking options first.

What is your typical day on a plate?
I have lots of protein for breakfast, as it fuels me for the rest of the day. I love eggs in any way or a good chia pudding with some creamy almond milk and of course always topped with my Superseeds. A lot of the time I will actually have a sweet potato for breakfast. It may sound odd but it in fact is delicious. Teamed with some nut butter, fresh berries and whatever toppings you have to hand – be it Superseeds or flaked coconut and chopped nuts – it makes for a wonderfully comforting and tummy loving breakfast. Generally I’ll make myself a packed lunch, always full of lots of colourful veggies, and some good protein, usually some oily fish like mackerel or salmon. I have always been big on packed lunches, not just because it saves money but also because it means I get what I want. If I haven’t had time or am treating myself I head to the Detox Kitchen for one of their salad boxes. I adore all of their salads and they have great protein options too. Dinner is when I have time to experiment, so I spend some time in the kitchen trying out new dishes. Lots of veggies, lots of spices and often some form of cake I am working with. Recently I have been making a lot of blood orange, almond, polenta cakes trying to perfect the recipe. You can now find it on the website too.

What are your top three tips for maintaining a happy, healthy and fulfilling life?
I write my gratitude list every day and have done so for the last 13 years. It’s becoming quite popular and mainstream now and I cannot recommend it enough. No matter how stressful your day has been taking that moment just to sit down and think about what you are grateful for makes all the difference.

What do you do to de-stress and keep on top of things when you’ve had a bad day?
I try to meditate daily and practice yoga as much as I can, at least three times a week. Usually I do one class and two shorter sessions just in my sitting room at home. It really calms me. When I’m stressed, I do a few sun salutations and try and get on my head and practice my inversions, or get outside for some fresh air.

Where do you hope to see Punch Foods in 5 years from now?
I have lots of exciting ideas of how I want Punch Foods to grow. I want to expand our range, and also grow creatively in the types of areas we’re working on. Punch Foods was always meant to me more of a lifestyle business than simply a food brand. I want to try to have a little impact on the way we live as well as the way we eat.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs hoping to start up a business in the health sector?
Research, research, research. You can never do enough. And a love of what you do. You’re going to have to commit every minute of every day (and night!) to this, so you really have to love it.

Shop our activewear store here and receive a free tube of Punch Food superseeds with every order!