Culinary Medicine: The Importance of Teaching Kitchen Interventions Across the Clinical Care Continuum

Experiential culinary medicine (CM) programs delivered from teaching kitchens are emerging as practical, patient-centered approaches to nutrition intervention. Designed to improve and sustain healthy dietary patterns, CM interventions build on traditional nutrition education by incorporating hands-on food skills alongside nutrition education, supporting patients to practice the behaviors recommended to improve health outcomes.

Although CM interventions are gaining popularity, best practices to integrate CM into clinical practice are still being defined. Many RDNs are hesitant to develop and implement new programs in this field due to a lack of training or support to integrate CM interventions within their practice, and are seeking resources to align existing RDN practice competence, professional scope, and expertise within this growing field.

This panel presentation highlights opportunities to implement CM in healthcare settings, illustrate strategic interdisciplinary collaborations that support successful CM interventions, and present the RDN as an integral professional in multi-disciplinary CM practice.

CPE Level: Level 1 (basic knowledge/experience)
CPEU: 1.5

Performance Indicators

• 3.2.1 Advocates for and influences local, federal and global nutrition and health policy to promote health and well-being of individuals, communities and populations.
• 9.4.4 Selects and uses appropriate content and teaching methods to meet individual and group needs.
• 8.4.1 Gains an understanding of integrative and functional medicine models and interventions and how these models and interventions are applied to nutrition and dietetics service.

Learning Objectives

• Identify at least three ways dietitians can enhance patient care and improve care outcomes through teaching kitchen interventions.
• Identify at least two best practices RDNs can use to implement culinary medicine interventions in clinical settings.
• Describe at least one aspect of CM that aligns with current national healthcare priorities, including those expressed through the 2022 White House Nutrition Conference.

Moderator

• Christina Badaracco

Speakers

• Julia Maclaren
• Miiette Siler
• Olivia Weinstein