AN entrepreneur who made her own healthy snacks to power her through gym sessions – has turned her hobby into a business.

Mother-of-four Fatima Vanjaria now sells her healthy treats as part of 'graze tables' – an alternative to dessert tables at weddings and parties.

The 39-year-old makes protein-packed filled dates alongside nuts and fruit snacks.

The gym fanatic started healthy eating after having her third daughter and made nutty dates to power through gym sessions.

Mrs Vanjaria’s gym partner tried the dates, and loved them, urging her to make more and start to sell them.

The mum said: “The dates are usually packed with things like peanuts or chopped walnuts, or coconut.

“It’s a really good snack for work, before the gym, or part of graze tables for children and adults.

“I started selling the dates to gyms around East Lancashire in 2015, and people liked then.”

She also makes cheese boxes to be given as gifts or eaten o the day, as well as nutty dates and various fruit and chocolate platters.

But after being hit by a car while out running in December of that year, she smashed her kneecap and was unable to continue.

Mrs Vanjaria said: “I had to close the business as I was bed bound for six months.

“I also had time off my main job, as an account manager at Gap Plastics.”

After being away from the business for three and a half years, Mrs Vanjaria set back up in September 2019, while still on maternity leave.

She said: “I started my own Instagram page and now make graze tables which are decorative and a new alternative to dessert tables at weddings and parties.

“I made a breakfast graze table recently for my family, I told them not to eat breakfast, and when they came over, they all loved the spread of various fruits, savouries, nuts.

“Children are usually into chocolates more, so I will do both chocolates and healthy snacks for them, but I make it look appealing.

“They’re less likely to eat it if there is nothing but fruit on the plate.

“My children love it, they prefer eating the dates because I can fill it with different things.”

She said: “It is just passion, I really enjoy it and I am always entertaining at my home."

You can keep track of Fatima or contact her on Instagram at 'nutty.dates'.