Agriculture and nutrition. Answers to your questions about how food is grown and why. Insight on ways dietitians and consumers may have been food bullied.

No farmers, no food. No food, no need for nutrition experts. While that may be an oversimplification, Michele and Nicole have heard one message clearly: RDNs are hungry for connection with those who grow, raise, and produce food. In this Food Bullying podcast, Michele and Nicole bring together voices from the agrifood sector to help you better understand the food you're so passionate about. The dietitian community will be armed with the REAL stories of agriculture, the truth in food, and most importantly – empowered to help others feel more confident in their food choices.

Latest Podcast Episodes

Potato, potahto, vegetable or grain? Episode 141

The humble potato: is it a vegetable or a grain? Coming from a family that has farmed America’s favorite vegetable (yes, we’ll refer to the potato as such), Mitchell Searle offers a unique perspective on the cultivation, harvesting, and sustainability of this crop.   While Searle expresses concern about what he...

Healthy fields, happy farmers – drones deliver sustainability: Episode 140

Where’s the future of food production? You might want to look to the sky. In this episode of the Food Bullying podcast, Nicole and Michele chat with Sarah Hovinga of Bayer Crop Science in California and Bryan Sanders of HSE-UAV in Washington about how precision agriculture is transforming farming. According...

Pork Yeah, for your nutrition: Episode 139

No - you DON’T have to cook pork until it’s gray. This, along with the idea that pork is somehow not a healthy protein choice are two misconceptions that Jeanette Merritt, director of Communications for Indiana Pork, wishes would go away already.  “Pork still has the perception of not being...

Farming pain, inflated food prices, and Pad Thai: Episode 138

Sure, grocery prices are through the roof, but are farmers paying the ultimate price? This insightful podcast gives dietitians, consumers, and farmers insight on the impact of inflation around the food plate.  In this candid conversation, Michele and Nicole take a deeper dive into the impact of the yet-to-passed Farm...

Dietitian’s top five super foods: Episode 137

One dietitian with three decades of experience believes RDNs must be a part debunking nutrition myths and overcoming food bullying so people can enjoy food. Is eating well on a budget…impossible?  Dr. Keith Ayoob, EdD, RDN, FAND, CDN, is an Associate Professor Emeritus in the department of pediatrics at the...

Eggs, Angus, & healthy animal proteins: Episode 136

With the rise of Avian flu, should consumers take caution when buying eggs? What do dietitians need to know about the safety of animal proteins? And why are egg prices so high? Andy Bishop, Kentucky farmer and ag lender, confirms that Avian flu is not transmitted via eggs, but that...

Science connecting dietitians & agriculture: Episode 135

Scientific curiosity can change the conversation about nutrition, whether from a food, farm, or dietetic perspective. Likewise, scientific illiteracy can leave people susceptible to food bullying. Listen to this latest episode of the Food Bullying podcast and learn about how a new book can help you better communicate science. Amy...

Food demons & dietitians as decongestants: Episode 134

In a sea of dis- and misinformation, what’s the most important thing dietitians can do to help consumers? Milton Stokes, Senior Director of Food and Nutrition at the International Food Information Council (IFIC), has some ideas to help RDNs cut through the congestion of information swirling around about food and nutrition....

Eat like a pig with high quality amino acids: Episode 133

If you close your eyes and imagine a “healthy” meal, is a salad the first thing that comes to mind?  Dr. Eric P. Berg of North Dakota State University discussed the concept of a 'complete plate' in the context of good nutrition. He explained that a complete plate should have...

Do dollar stores help meet dietary needs? Episode 132

Would consumers be healthier with fewer dollar stores?  While the plethora of expanding bargain chains across the country offer fewer nutrient-dense choices than other food retailers, Dr. Sean Cash, an economist on faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, where he chairs the Division...

Science & sensationalism on the food plate: Episode 131

Algorithms. Shortened attention spans. Competition from uncredentialed food influencers.  In communicating science, even the best in the industry may occasionally fall prey to the siren song of sensationalism in an effort to deliver evidence-based information. Dr. Jess Steier, creator of Unbiased Science, emphasizes the importance of nuance in science communication...

The gluten lie: Episode 130

The gluten-free market is valued at over two billion dollars. Yet the question remains...do so many people really need to avoid this protein? Heidi Wells, a dietitian by day and farmer by night, and her farming husband Byron - are proud owners of Lucky W Dairy in Kansas. They grow...

Dairy safety and cognitive dissonance: Episode 129

Dr. Andrea Love on milk safety, food anxiety & chemophobia Ever since fragments of the H5N1 virus (also known as avian influenza or HPAI) were detected in milk, the safety of our dairy supply has come into question, with some wondering if they should forego dairy in favor of alternatives,...

Cutting through nutrition science noise: Episode 128

Are seed oils poison?  Is it worth purchasing produce if it’s not organic?  Are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans actually killing us? Today's guest has a unique perspective for dietitians and everyone interested in food. These are just a few of the questions Michele and Nicole pose to Dr. Adrian...

What the Washington Post got wrong about dietitians: Episode 127

When dietitians are offered a seat at the table of commodity boards, food brands, and non-profit associations, there are benefits for all involved - including the consumer. But what’s the emotional price tag the RDN must pay when partnerships are erroneously scrutinized for all the world to see? Is the...
Dietitian podcast

Why listen?

Michele and Nicole help dietitians and consumers get firsthand perspective from farmers about how food is grown. One knows farming, the other dietetics - and neither are afraid to ask the tough questions. You'll get candid conversation from two moms who have unique insigh on food, experts from around the food plate, and how label choices effect your health. This 30-minute podcast will help you navigate grocery store aisles, better understand farming, and be prepared for those sticky conversations with clients.

  • Real insight from experts who are working in farming, science, and dietetics.
  • Answers to the most common questions around farming and food.
  • Tools to battle bullying found in the 200,000+ label claims found in a grocery store.
  • Ideas for creating your own social, ethical, environmental, and health standards when making eating decisions.

Meet the Hosts

Michele Payn

Michele Payn Food BullyingKnown as one of the leading voices in connecting farm and food, Michele helps you simplify safe food choices while understanding food bullying. An international award winning author, she brings common sense to the overly emotional food conversation and perspective from the cows in her front yard. Michele is a mom who is tired of the guilt trips around food, so she wrote Food Bullying: How to Avoiding Buying B.S. She’s also a kick boxing professional speaker who has helped thousands of people understand the real story behind food. Michele’s work has appeared in USA Today, Food Insight, CNN, Food & Nutrition Magazine, NPR and many other media outlets. Armed with science, compelling stories, and a lifetime on the farm, Michele will upend the way you think about food. She is also the author of No More Food Fights! and Food Truths from Farm to Table, an IPPY award winner in health, medicine and nutrition

Nicole Rodriguez

Dietitian podcast hostNicole Rodriguez, registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, resides in the metro New York area, where she offers nutrition counseling and fitness coaching to a diverse clientele.  Always encouraging her friends, family, followers, and clients to make fruits and vegetables the stars of their plates, Nicole serves as a partner in kind with the Produce For Better Health Foundation.  Eager to inspire the next generation of bold, active, and compassionate entrepreneurs, Nicole serves as leader of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.  In her spare time, you’ll find her browsing the grocery store aisles, working on her deadlift, and on the beach with her family. Visit enjoyfoodenjoylife.com for more info.