10 Questions with digital creator Jennifer Fox, aka FoxNestFood

FoxNestFood aka Jennifer Fox is a food and cocktail-loving content creator with a Special Educational teaching background.

Jen uses the handle FoxNestFood on both Instagram and TikTok to share her content

Jennifer Fox is a Limerick-based digital creator. She is the founder of FoxNestFood. Many are curious about the name, which came about as Jen sees her household as a loving nest and her name just happens to be Fox. Jen is a food and cocktail-loving content creator with a Special Educational teaching background. Her recipes are fast, easy, and delicious and are geared toward the busy individual who has limited time but still wants tasty and interesting dishes. She is a mom-of-two, so knows exactly what it is like to juggle kids and work, and still cook a decent meal for everyone. She’s lived and worked in both Spain and London and is also a frequent visitor to Poland where her husband is from, so at times she does take influence from her experiences. She uses both Instagram and TikTok as platforms under the handle FoxNestFood to share her content and focuses on video reels with easy-to-follow recipes.

What was your childhood like and where did you grow up?

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I feel very fortunate to have had a wonderful childhood. My mom and dad always ensured we felt incredibly loved. The “Fox’s” house was where everyone gathered & loved to be. Throughout the years, the house would be packed to the rafters with children, then teens. My dad would be joking and having the craic and my mom would always be taking care of everyone and feeding us delicious food! I grew up in Caherdavin Lawn where we coined ourselves “The Lawners”. There was a huge gang of us the same age and we had the best adventures. I have very good memories.

Where does your love and passion for food come from?

Definitely, my love for food started with my mom and my two grandmothers. My mother has always been a great cook and loved and still loves to feed those around her. She actively involved me and my two sisters in the cooking, I love her for that. My Granny Mac from the hills of Clare is famous in the area for her homemade apple pie. She is 90 now, and when we visit to this day, you are guaranteed a fresh hot slice with fresh cream! My Granny Fox is sadly no longer with us but I have such fond memories of getting the most delicious traditional Irish dinners after school finished by a feed of warm rice pudding or semolina and jam for dessert. You would be rolling out the door!

Who is your biggest inspiration?

I think I have to say that both my mother and father are my biggest inspirations, I could never choose just one. The way that they have taught myself and my sisters to look at life has been invaluable. Love is absolutely everything, health is wealth, treat everybody with kindness and compassion as you don’t know where their shoes have been. Their outlook on life is so positive and kind, it’s really given us all such a solid foundation.

What inspired you to get into social media?

I think when I became a mother, I dived into that world wholeheartedly and just gave myself 100% on a mission to be the best mom that I could possibly be to my kids. Even though I absolutely love being a mom and wouldn’t change it for the world, over time, I felt that the creative, excitable spark I once had, had disappeared and I yearned for something I could do to express myself. As a mom, I found myself in the kitchen a lot meal planning and thinking up speedy meals that didn’t compromise on flavour. Over the first few lockdowns, I watched so many wonderful food content creators flourish and I started to think, ‘why couldn’t I do that?’ So after many months of feeling anxious and scared to put myself out there, I bit the bullet and started posting FoxNestFood content in September 2021. I haven’t looked back and continue to enjoy the learning process, I love it!

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to become an online creator?

I saw a great quote somewhere that helped me to make the leap and start FoxNestFood. Unfortunately, I don’t know who originally said it but it read “We all suffer from imposter syndrome, the best way to move past it is to move through it. You’re not the best or most qualified, so what, start anyway!” My advice is, there is no ‘perfect time’ to delve into this. If you keep waiting for that perfect moment, it may pass you by and you will continue to look at others and think “I could do that..”. The beauty about content creation is that you can do it, anyone can! Be brave! You will learn as you go and will be surprised with how many people will support you on the journey.

How do you manage to juggle your work and personal life with your kids?

It’s a big challenge! I’m not going to lie! My personal life is slightly on hold because the kids are still very young so it’s an all-consuming 24/7 job. I’m currently on unpaid parental leave from my teaching job as I wanted to be the one to mind my kids full time. I try to fit in my Instagram stuff when one is in preschool and the other one is napping. It’s the only window I have to catch that natural light for filming so it’s tight! I do my editing then when everyone is in bed. I’m an absolute night owl and enjoy those quiet moments to myself! I will be taking up part time teaching again next September so I will have to re-juggle it again but it’ll all work out.

Do you have anything exciting coming up for you?

I’ve just signed with an incredible agency so it’s definitely opened up some doors for me so I’m very grateful! I have just finished some work outside of Instagram with a wonderful brand where I was asked to come up with a handful of recipes for a booklet for a new product. As part of the brief, I had to try my hand at food photography, which I did! The photography part was a huge challenge because I am not a professional by any means. I’m a self-taught novice who uses her phone! I’m learning with each step and excited to see how I can push my own boundaries.

I’ve also been asked to create content for another big brand on TikTok which is exciting. These food videos won’t ever be on either of my FoxNestFood handles but I’ll be working in the background as a content creator for this particular brand’s TikTok, which is an exciting avenue for me also.

What is your greatest achievement so far?

Honestly, as cliche as it sounds, my biggest achievement is having my two gorgeous kids with my wonderful husband Michal. Parenthood absolutely throws a million spanners into the works but working through it together as a team has tested us, strengthened us and given us an entirely new perspective on what life is about for us.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

The truth is that I really don’t know! I truly live in the present and take each day as it comes. I have been trying to make little changes in my life so that I can be more present for my kids when they are this small. I’ve quietly been dipping my fingers into a few pots to see what comes of it all but only time will tell and I’ll let it all unfold naturally with ease and no pressure!

Lastly, what is your favourite thing about Limerick?

My heart aches with all the love I have for Limerick. I’m so proud to be from here and it’s exciting to see it really grow and flourish with every year I’m here. I think my favourite thing about Limerick has to be the walk of the Three Bridges. During the first couple of lockdowns, this route became our family’s safe haven. I know every inch of it, every nook and cranny. Lots of wonderful stops along the way for food and drinks accompanied by beautiful views of the river Shannon.

For more 10 Questions segments, go HERE

For more FoxNestFood content and recipes go HERE