The Dietitian Cafe

Nualtra

The Dietitian Cafe is a podcast for healthcare professionals to learn from. We meet a number of different dietitians and discuss many areas of dietetics and nutrition, from studying to academia, clinical to industry, the NHS to freelancing.

  1. 28 JAN

    From Veg Battles to Bean Boosts: What it Really Takes to Shift a Nation’s Eating Habits With Rebecca Stevens

    For decades, public health campaigns have tried to get both children and adults to eat more vegetables, often with little success. Traditional messaging like “five-a-day” has struggled to inspire behaviour change, leaving dietitians, parents, and educators searching for approaches that actually resonate.  Veg Power has taken a different path. Through playful, story-led campaigns, creative advertising, and cross-sector partnerships, they’ve transformed the way the nation thinks about healthy eating. By pretending veg are evil, making children the heroes, and building national campaigns that reach classrooms, homes, and retailers, Veg Power has shown that healthy eating can be fun, culturally relevant, and genuinely behaviour-changing. In this episode, we delve into what makes Veg Power’s campaigns so effective. From the bold creativity behind Eat Them to Defeat Them to the nationwide push to get beans back into everyday meals with Bang in Some Beans, we share insights, strategies, and collaborative approaches that are changing the way the UK eats.  Joining me today is Rebecca Stevens from Veg Power, who is committed to helping the nation eat better through creative healthy eating campaigns. Rebecca offers insight into what truly shifts behaviour, how we can make healthy eating fun again, and where nutrition professionals can play a meaningful part in that change.  Rebecca Stevens is a registered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition and holds an MSc in Human Nutrition from St Mary’s University. Before returning to university, she spent over a decade working in healthcare PR. In her Communications & Campaigns role at Veg Power, Rebecca enjoys bringing together her expertise in nutrition and communications and is always on a mission to expand her family’s vegetable repertoire.   Show Notes  Veg Power Newsletter Sign Up: newsletter-signup - Veg Power  Veg Power LinkedIn: Veg Power CIC: Posts | LinkedIn  Veg Power Instagram: Simply Veg @ Veg Power (@vegpoweruk) • Instagram photos and videos  Bang in Some Beans Campaign: Boosting Beans - Veg Power  Eat Them to Defeat Them Campaign: Home - Eat Them To Defeat Them  National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 - 2023: National Diet and Nutrition Survey - GOV.UK

    38 min

  2. 7 JAN

    Working Against the Clock: The Nutrition Challenges of Shift Work With Clémence Cleave and Andy Picken

    For millions of people across the UK, working outside the traditional 9-to-5 is simply part of life. From nurses and doctors to delivery drivers, factory workers, construction workers and police officers, shift work means eating, moving, and resting against the body’s natural rhythm, often with consequences  for health, wellbeing, and performance. As dietitians and healthcare professionals, we’re in a unique position to support these patients, helping them navigate the challenges of irregular schedules, make practical nutrition choices, and maintain balance despite working against the clock. In this episode, we’re exploring the physiological and nutritional challenges of shift work, from metabolic and gut health impacts to practical strategies for meal timing, employer support, and longterm wellbeing. Joining me today are two guests committed to helping shift workers thrive, offering clear, practical advice on how to eat, recover, and maintain health whilst navigating the nutritional challenges of working outside the 9-to-5.  Clémence Cleave is an award-winning Registered Nutritionist, author, trained chef, visiting lecturer, and founder of Rocket Fuel Wellbeing – the corporate nutrition consultancy for healthy people and healthy growth. Clem specialises in workplace wellbeing, gut health, women’s health, and longevity, and delivers trusted, practical guidance that drives lasting change for individuals and organisations. Andy Picken is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health with 19 years’ experience in public health and workplace health and wellbeing. Based in Manchester, Andy works for the HSQE Partnership across multiple sectors and currently serves as Head of Health and Wellbeing within the rail and construction sector, where shift work is an integral part of the operational cycle. Andy’s professional passion lies in lifestyle and preventative medicine, particularly in addressing the challenges of applying these approaches within shift-working environments. Show Notes: Clem Cleave: Website: Home | Rocket Fuel Wellbeing | Nutrition & Workplace Wellbeing Services Instagram: CLEM CLEAVE | Nutritionist RNutr | Rocket Fuel Wellbeing (@clemcleavenutrition) • LinkedIn: Clemence Cleave RNutr, FRSPH | LinkedIn Andy Picken: Website: Our Team - HSQE Partnership LinkedIn: Andy James Picken FRSPH | LinkedIn

    1 hr

  3. 10/12/2025

    Mastering Mealtimes With Dr Kirsty Porter

    For many families, mealtimes can feel far from peaceful. Between juggling busy schedules, food preferences, sensory sensitivities, and the constant noise of “shoulds” from social media and parenting advice, it’s easy for stress to replace enjoyment.  As dietitians, we’re often the ones supporting parents through that experience, helping them navigate the balance between nutrition, nurture, and realistic expectations. In this episode, we’re exploring what’s really going on at the dinner table, from picky eating and food neophobia to evolving feeding advice and the guilt that can so easily come with it all. Joining us is Specialist Paediatric Dietitian, Dr Kirsty Porter. Kirsty has over 15 years’ experience working with families across the NHS and private practice, helping them build more positive, confident and calm relationships with food. She was named Paediatric Nutritional Professional of the Year and Social Media Personality of the Year at the 2025 CN Awards, recognising not just her clinical expertise, but the impact of her reassurance, practicality and voice in this space. Show Notes Facebook: Nutrition4kids Children's Dietitian Instagram: @nutrition4kidsni Website: www.nutrition4kidsni.com

    47 min

  4. 03/12/2025

    Health Halos, Indulgence, and Food Industry Confusion With Sophie Gastman & Jemma Joel

    2025 alone has seen a wave of food launches designed to make a statement. At one end of the spectrum are products wrapped in a health halo - clean labels, minimalist ingredients, wellness claims. At the other, unapologetically indulgent creations that celebrate excess and nostalgia. Both command attention, but together they highlight just how blurred the lines around healthy eating have become.  In today’s episode, we’re exploring what these extremes say about modern food culture, how they shape public perception, and whether they bring us closer to balance, or pull us further apart.  Joining me are two guests dedicated to cutting through nutrition confusion and helping people find a more balanced, confident approach to eating.  Sophie Gastman is a Registered Nutritionist, speaker, and soon-to-be author with a passion for translating complex nutrition science into simple, balanced, and enjoyable advice. Her work spans public health, education, and digital communications – supporting families, schools, and a community of over 140,000 followers to eat well without myths, rules, or guilt.  Jemma Joel is a Registered Nutritionist, coach, mentor and TEDx speaker with a background in psychology, specialising in public health and behaviour change. She coaches clients to improve their health and relationship with food, and mentors' fellow nutrition professionals to integrate behaviour-change techniques into their practice.  Together, we’ll unpack how “health halos” and hyper-indulgent products influence our relationship with food and explore the role nutrition professionals can play in helping people find genuine balance.  Show Notes  Sophie Gastman  Instagram: @sophiethenutritionist TikTok: @sophiethenutritionist  Jemma Joel  Instagram: @lifewithjemmajoel

    53 min

  5. 19/11/2025

    The Burnout Behind the Bedside Manner With Emma Green

    Burnout has become an all-too-familiar reality for many dietitians. The pressure to care deeply, manage heavy caseloads, and keep up with growing demands can leave little energy for ourselves.  We’re trained to support others’ health and wellbeing, but what happens when our own starts to slip?  In this episode, we explore what burnout really looks like in dietetic practice, how to recognise the early signs, and what it takes to build a sustainable career without losing the passion that started it all.  Joining us is Emma Green, NHS Stroke and Neurorehab Dietitian and founder of Cheshire Dietitians. Alongside her clinical work, Emma’s passionate about helping dietitians protect their wellbeing, set boundaries, and create a positive, sustainable working culture.  Show Notes  Cheshire Dietitians: https://cheshiredietitians.co.uk/  Cheshire Dietitians Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheshiredietitians/  Emma’s Food Stories Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmasfoodstories/

    1h 7m
  6. Should Dietitians Recommend Against Meat Consumption? With Rebecca Tobi and Kate Arthur

    06/11/2025

    Should Dietitians Recommend Against Meat Consumption? With Rebecca Tobi and Kate Arthur

    If you haven’t yet caught our last episode, you’ve probably noticed it’s a new voice introducing The Dietitian Cafe today so allow me to quickly introduce myself.  My name is Kate Hilton and I am a Freelance Registered Dietitian at Diets Debunked, and your new host of The Dietitian Café, proudly recognised as CN Nutrition Resource of the Year. I’m really excited to be stepping into the role and continuing the brilliant conversations this podcast is known for.  Before we start- if you enjoy The Dietitian Café podcast, how about giving us a like and hitting that follow button? The more support we receive the more exciting guests we can bring on to have even more in-depth and interesting discussions for you, our listeners.  Thank you so much for your support! Without further ado, let’s dive straight into our topic for today….  Conversations about meat can quickly become polarising. Health versus environment, reduction versus production, plants versus protein. But the reality is far more nuanced.  We’re told to limit meat intake, and while many already do, global targets like EAT-Lancet push for more change, not just in how much meat we eat, but how it’s produced.  So, should dietitians recommend against meat consumption? And if not, what does a balanced, evidence-based approach really look like?  To explore that, we’re joined by two experts approaching the issue from very different, but equally evidence-based perspectives.  Rebecca Tobi is Head of Food Business Transformation at The Food Foundation. A Registered Nutritionist with an MSc in Nutrition for Global Health, Rebecca leads initiatives like Peas Please and  Plating Up Progress, working with businesses and investors to create structural change towards more plant-rich, sustainable diets.  Kate Arthur is a Registered Dietitian with over 25 years of experience and Head of Nutrition and Health at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, AHDB and the daughter of a dairy and beef farmer. Kate brings insight into how nutrition and sustainability connect across the supply chain, from farm to table.  Both Rebecca and Kate share a passion for making evidence-based healthy, sustainable eating accessible to everyone, but they approach it from different angles, bringing two sides of the same story to the table.  Show Notes  The Food Foundation: MEAT FACTS What meat is the UK eating and why does it matter?  https://foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/meat-facts  The Food Foundation: Beans Campaign  https://foodfoundation.org.uk/initiatives/campaign-launched-double-bean-consumption  AHDB Role of Red Meat Report: https://ahdb.org.uk/role-of-red-meat-report  Impact of consuming an environmentally protective diet on micronutrients: a systematic literature review: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.01.014  Adherence to the Healthy Eating Guidelines in the MyPlanetDiet study is associated with healthier and more sustainable diets: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114525000662  Modelling the impact of reduction in meat and dairy consumption on nutrient intakes and greenhouse gas emissions in children and young people living in Scotland: https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/document-web-version/modelling-the-impact-of-reduction-in-meat-and-dairy-consumption-on-nutrient-intakes-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions-in-children-and-young-people-living-in-scotland

    50 min

  7. 22/10/2025

    Is Digital Deception Fuelling a New Wave of Nutrition Misinformation? With Kate Hilton

    Is digital deception fuelling a new wave of nutrition misinformation? That’s the big question we’re unpacking today, and the answer might be more complex than you think.  From AI-generated deepfakes to impersonation and identity misuse, digital deception is becoming more common, and more convincing, across health and nutrition platforms. These tools are being used to spread false claims, mimic trusted professionals, and blur the line between fact and fiction online. And in a field where credibility is everything, that kind of manipulation can have real-world consequences.  To help us make sense of it all, we’re joined by Kate Hilton.  Kate is a Registered Dietitian who has worked across the NHS, private sector, and freelance practice, with specialist experience in weight management, learning disabilities, and neurological rehabilitation. Under the name Diets Debunked, she’s built a growing presence on TikTok, LinkedIn, and her blog, where she shares practical, evidence-based advice and challenges nutrition misinformation in an accessible, engaging way.  She’s also part of TikTok’s Clinician Creator Network, an initiative that amplifies trustworthy health content on social media. But even Kate hasn’t been immune to digital deception, having experienced online impersonation herself.  In this episode, we’ll explore how these tactics are being used in the nutrition space, who’s behind them, what the impact can be for healthcare professionals, and what you can do if you or a colleague are targeted.  Show Notes  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-hilton-rd/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietsdebunked?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dietsdebunked  Website: https://dietsdebunked.co.uk/

    44 min

  8. 15/10/2025

    EAT-Lancet 2025: What Does It Mean for Dietitians? With Ellen Cecilie Wright

    When the first EAT-Lancet Commission launched in 2019, it put the “Planetary Health Diet” on the global agenda, uniting nutrition and sustainability in one set of global scientific targets and sparking one of the most influential food conversations of the decade.  Six years on, the 2025 update has arrived and this time, the report broadens the agenda. Alongside health and the environment, justice is brought centre stage: asking how food systems can uphold the right to food and the right to a healthy environment. It’s a recognition that sustainability alone isn’t enough if diets aren’t also fair and accessible to everyone.  For dietitians, this isn’t just about global goals it’s about the realities we face every day. Whether it’s helping patients access affordable healthy food, shaping healthier menus in institutions, or contributing to national guidelines, the call for justice and sustainability is increasingly part of our professional landscape.  Fresh back from the Stockholm Food Forum and the launch of the 2025 EAT–Lancet report, I’m joined by Ellen Cecilie Wright, Senior Science Officer at EAT.  Ellen has more than a decade of experience working with UN agencies and international organisations, with her early career focused on nutrition and food security in emergency contexts around the world. Today, her work centres on healthy, sustainable food systems, and alongside her role at EAT she is completing a PhD at the University of Oslo, focusing on sustainable diets.  Show Notes  The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission Report Launches: https://eatforum.org/update/the-2025-eat-lancet-commission-report-launches/  The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission Livestream: https://eatforum.org/event/2025-eat-lancet-commission-livestream/  EAT Communities for Action: https://eatforum.org/communities-for-action/

    57 min
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About

The Dietitian Cafe is a podcast for healthcare professionals to learn from. We meet a number of different dietitians and discuss many areas of dietetics and nutrition, from studying to academia, clinical to industry, the NHS to freelancing.

Information

  • Creator
    Nualtra
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    129
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Dietitian Cafe
  • Show Website
    The Dietitian Cafe

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