When the joyful sparks of passion meet wisdom shaped by profession, magic unfolds and food content creator Shaza Khatib is a prime example of it.
With a background in nutrition and dietetics, Shaza’s love for food underpinned by a desire to focus on health drove the creation of her Instagram page @shazas.plate.
The Florida-based Registered Dietitian who started her page as a creative outlet to share simple, healthy recipes saw a steady growth in audience, pointing to a social media gap rooted in accessible food content.
From a hobby page to an influential food content creator pushing 200k followers today, @shazas.plate which shares easy-to-follow recipes and food tips is laden with as much warmth as it is with aesthetics.
For her ability to create engaging, helpful content that is not only eye-catching but applicable in our daily eating habits alongside her approachable energy that makes content creation feel comforting, Shaza Khatib is March’s Monthly Muse.
In conversation with Shaza, we dive into how her profession shaped the creation of her page, experimenting on recipes, the pressure to create high-quality content, hitting major social media milestones and more.
Read our Q&A with Shaza Khadib below!
Tell me a bit about your professional background and what inspired you to create a food page?
My background is in nutrition and dietetics, so food has always been more than just something I enjoy; it’s something I understand on a deeper level in terms of health, balance, and functionality. I’ve spent time working in community nutrition settings, counseling individuals, and even doing cooking demonstrations, which really shaped how I communicate about food.
I started my food page initially just for fun as a creative outlet where I could share simple, approachable recipes. I realized pretty quickly that a lot of people were looking for meals that felt realistic, not overly complicated, and that really motivated me to keep going.
Your recipes are centred on being easy and healthy, what are your main sources of inspiration when it comes to new recipes? Do you experiment on your own and are you inspired to try your unique twists on already existing recipes?
Most of my recipes are inspired by everyday foods that people already love. I don’t believe healthy eating has to mean giving up comfort foods, so I enjoy taking familiar dishes and making them more balanced or simplified.
I definitely experiment a lot on my own. Sometimes things work perfectly, and sometimes they don’t, but that’s part of the process. I also love adding my own twist to existing recipes, whether that’s adjusting ingredients to make them more nutritious, quicker to prepare, or more elevated.
You mentioned starting this page for fun and it becoming something bigger than you expected ; do you feel any pressure to make high quality content? How do you keep yourself motivated in terms of trying new recipes?
When my page started growing, I did begin to feel a bit of pressure to consistently produce high-quality content. I think that’s natural when something that started casually becomes more visible.
That said, I try to remind myself why I started in the first place to enjoy the process. Staying motivated comes from keeping things realistic for myself. I don’t force content instead, I focus on recipes I genuinely enjoy or would actually make in my daily life.
“In my opinion, consistency and authenticity matter more than perfection. You don’t need fancy equipment or overly complex recipes to start”
Food pages are unique in that it’s mostly faceless content and the hero is always the food but how do you keep things interesting for viewers and yourself in terms of aesthetics and creativity?
Even though food is the main focus, I think storytelling and presentation play a huge role. I like to keep things visually clean and appealing, but still relatable, nothing too staged.
I also try to switch things up with different types of recipes, filming styles, and angles. Small changes in lighting, plating, or even the pace of a video can make a big difference. It keeps both my audience and myself interested.
What’s the secret – in your own opinion – to starting a successful food page on social media?
In my opinion, consistency and authenticity matter more than perfection. You don’t need fancy equipment or overly complex recipes to start. Focus on creating content that reflects you and what you genuinely enjoy making.
Also, understanding your audience helps a lot with what they’re looking for, what problems you’re solving for them like quick meals or healthy swaps. Growth takes time, but staying consistent and true to your style is key.
You’ve crossed 100k+ followers now. What was a surreal moment for you – any particular names sharing your videos or trying your recipes that surprised you?
Hitting milestones like 100k+ followers has definitely felt surreal. One of the most surprising moments has been seeing people I don’t know recreate my recipes and share them. It’s such a full-circle moment.
It’s also been really exciting when larger pages or creators share my content. Those moments make everything feel very real and remind me how far something small can grow.
(Images courtesy of @shazas.plate)
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