Julia Maclaren, RD, a culinary dietitian with Alberta Health Services, leverages her diverse experience to pioneer culinary medicine programs, enhancing nutrition interventions. Delivered in partnership with clinical teams, and amplified through broadcast media technology, these programs are accessible to 4.4 million Albertans and provide innovative nutrition care opportunities for populations from pediatric to geriatric, covering a range of preventative and condition-specific topics. As an advisory board member for the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, Julia advances this transformative approach to care. Julia received a 2024 Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Research Fellowship, contributing to evidence-based practices in healthcare settings.

Picture yourself learning to drive a car for the first time. How confident would you feel getting behind the wheel, alone, with no expert in the car to support you? You are given a few handouts and the opportunity to listen to someone talk about driving, and then you are expected to hit the highway without any practice or support. Most would say I don’t feel that confident! Join Julia and Olivia in this episode of Culinary Medicine Chats as they discuss how culinary medicine transforms traditional nutrition approaches, empowering individuals through hands-on learning to cultivate self-efficacy and confidence. Julia vividly illustrates the significance of practical, method-based learning in culinary medicine.

Resources referenced:

Culinary Medicine or Culinary Nutrition? Defining Terms for Use in Education and Practice: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/5/603

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Taking the Lead in Teaching Kitchens: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37453534/

Rewire Health Culinary Medicine in Clinical Care: https://www.rewire-health.com/blog/culinary-medicine-in-clinical-care