The Produce Moms on choosing the right produce
Fruits & veggies as a love language: Episode 61
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How to vet information in the media: Episode 60
Ever wonder if that tasty sound bite on the news about what you eat is true? Our guest, Emmy award winning journalist Kate Delaney, shares how to vet what you hear and why a sensational headline is more likely to get media attention.
Chemicals, hormones, and an anniversary – oh my! Episode 59
58 episodes have flown by and here we are, a year into the Food Bullying Podcast! Michele and Eliz reflect on the first anniversary of the podcast with a look at some of their favorite episodes. Listen for more information on nutrition, neuroscience, farming, exercise, GMOs, healthy eating, hormones, science, and wellness.
Why isn’t food raised the way it used to be? Episode 58
Social media memes and marketing messages often ring nostalgic for how things used to be on the farm. But were the “good old days” really better? In this episode we chat with fruit and vegetable expert Gene McAvoy about how farming used to work (and how it still works in some parts of the world) and how research has made farming better. He also explains how Florida agriculture lost half a billion dollars over six weeks due to the pandemic in spring 2020.
Why isn’t food raised the way it used to be?
Gene McAvoy
The family business struggles of agriculture: Episode 56
“Have good resources, be a good neighbor and check in with farm families” says Jolene Brown, a real “Farmer Brown.” From Eastern Iowa, she’s an internationally known professional speaker in agriculture. Her consultations in family business earned her the reputation as the “Dr. Phil of Agriculture.” In this episode, she’s shares experience, insight, and tools to help make a good family business even better.
Roundup, dorm diets, and chemicals: Episode 55
What’s with the claims about glyphosate in hummus & cereal? Why is there so much blame and fear about agriculture and the environment? What can we do to eat better when we are eating dorm food? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Michele and Eliz welcome Callie (Eliz’s daughter) for a wide-ranging Q&A session. Callie Greene is about to begin her second year at Lawrence University, where she studies psychology and harp performance.
Feeding kids with confidence: Episode 54
Food shaming puts undue stress on parents, especially as kids go back to school. Amy Reed is a pediatric dietitian who teaching parents how to advocate for the needs of their kids. Whether your child is labeled as a “picky eater” or has significant challenges receiving nutrition, parents who aren’t confident in what they feed their kids are susceptible to food shaming and bullying. As a pediatric dietitian, Amy evaluates how well a child is growing and how their nutritional status is helping or hurting their growth.
Cooking, culinary medicine, & comfort in nutrition: Episode 53
Did you know there is a science dedicated to teaching cooking skills? How and what we serve at our table makes a big difference in our health. Our guest shares why she teaches medical students about nutrition. Dr. Jacque Nyenhuis is a chef, dietitian, professor of medicine, and farms on the side. She offers a unique perspective on food, medicine, and comfort of knowing nutrition.
Cooking, culinary medicine, & comfort in nutrition: Episode 53
Dr. Jacque Nyenhuis on teaching nutrition to doctors
Chemicals, creepy crawlies and crops: how safe is your food? Episode 52
Agronomist Kevin Hoyer joins the podcast to talk about his experience helping farmers diagnose and treat their plants and soil as well at traveling the world looking at food production in other countries. As a “doctor for crops,” he says “you can be thankful and trust that the product you buy are at the highest level of safety possible. America carries the highest standards found anywhere in the world.”
Should we be afraid of sugar? Episode 51
Sugar gets the blame for many of our health issues. Should we avoid sugar? Are there good sugars and bad sugars? Our guest, Melissa Joy Dobbins is a registered dietitian and diabetes expert. She brings a common sense approach to eating well and says “if people with diabetes can have sugar, you can too!”
Honoring choices in food and farming: Episode 50
How do we honor the people who produce our food when most of us never set foot on a farm or ranch? Our guest this week suggests the key is educating yourself about the benefits of food and choosing what you want without giving into what other people may think. Joe Anderson, an Idaho farmer, talks gluten, GMOs, and getting firsthand perspective.
What does organic mean?
There is no singular right way to raise...
A farm kid’s perspective: Episode 48
Life on the farm may be a mystery for those of us in urban and suburban areas. One of the best ways to understand where food comes from is to meet the people who grow it. Meet our Food Bullying Podcast editor and find out about her life as a farm kid. Farm kids balance school, sports, service clubs, and helping on the farm. She shares what she’s learned showing dairy cattle in 4-H, including how stubbornness and leverage can move a ton.
Does an expensive steak taste better? Episode 47
How does price impact how we feel about the value of a product? Does how you feel about a cut of steak or whether it is labelled “natural” impact how much you enjoy it? Our guest, Dr. Mark Miller shares his research on consumer beef preferences and how labels influence what we choose to eat.
Food allergies & food bullying: Episode 46
Did you know that people can use food to threaten others? When it comes to food allergies, food CAN kill! Our guest in this episode has great advice on how to truly welcome everyone to your table AND avoid killing someone (or making them sick) with the food you serve.
Food allergies & food bullying: Episode 46
Tracy Stuckrath on how to avoid making people sick with food
How do marketers influence your food buying? Episode 45
Do you know how labels, ads, and menus are designed to make you buy? The job of a marketer is to get you to choose their item and sell more. Our guest, branding expert Gerry O’Brion shares how giving people a rational reason to choose a product is the key to influencing buying behavior.
Dairy farmer millennial mom talks robots: Episode 44
This episode’s guest and her husband are millennials and third generation dairy, beef and crop farmers in Michigan. They are working hard and using technology, including robots, to secure the future of their farm. Ashley Kennedy shares insights on being a working mother, fostering a positive attitude toward food, and what exactly robots are doing on their farm.
Why is technology in food so scary? Episode 43
We are likely to stand in line to get the latest smart phone technology — so why do we fear technology in food? Dr. Kevin Folta makes Eliz and Michele roar with laughter and sheds light on genetics, technology, and how to he’s working to make strawberries taste better. We discuss how science is working to solve important problems for people and the environment.
Food doesn’t have morals: Episode 42
Do you feel guilty for not being able to afford the “better” food label? Food Science Babe is back for a rousing game of “Guess What I Saw in the Grocery Store?” Super foods, non-GMO, and other food bullying labels cause unnecessary guilt. “Food doesn’t have morals – food isn’t good, food isn’t bad.” Erin, a chemical engineer and a food scientist joins us for an eye-opening discussion about food labels, guilt, and her experience as a mom feeding a child with special needs.
Mother’s Day & a Big Block of Cheese: Bonus Episode
In this special Mother’s Day edition, Michele and Eliz are joined by Grace Greene, Eliz’s daughter. In a nod to the West Wing Weekly Podcast, Grace leads a “Big Block of Cheese” format to turn the tables on her mom and Michele. To peals of laughter, Grace asks questions on a range of topics including how her mom was a food bully, GMOs, selective breeding, the non-GMO butterfly, and using your own food standards.
Mother’s Day & a Big Block of Cheese: Bonus Episode
Two moms and one daughter talk food
Motherhood, Cancer, and Unsolicited Advice: Episode 40
Navigating through unsolicited advice as a new mom is hard enough. Imagine the complexity of bringing a child into the world hours after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis! Brooke Taylor is an Oklahoma ranch girl who has lived in various cities, while working with agricultural organizations through ad agencies. While juggling life as a full-time, self-employed business woman, Brooke welcomed her first baby into the world six hours after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Parenting a child with diabetes through food bullying: Episode 39
Having a child with different dietary needs opens the door to bullying. Parents have to make the choice about what is right for their family. We need to respect the choices and the benefits of science.
Heather is married to a second-generation farmer, a professional in agriculture, and mom to three sons, ages 7, 4 and 1. Their oldest son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder four years ago and their middle son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes almost one year ago.
Sustainability trade-offs on Earth Day: Episode 38
Did you know the term “sustainable” is used in food marketing to achieve price advantage, without any science backing the claim? In this Earth Day episode, Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, a livestock geneticist at University of California, Davis, sheds light on why genetics is an important component of sustainability. She also warns that anytime breeding innovations are taken off the shelf (e.g., GMOs), the tradeoff a less sustainable food production system.
Food safety, expiration dates & processing codes
How do I know if my milk is expired? Should I throw out the can of fruit from my pantry that’s dated a month ago? Is my meat expired? How am I supposed to wash my groceries? These are all common questions I’ve heard from friends concerned about their food during a global pandemic.
Fighting hunger with dignity: Episode 37
How can you support people who are food insecure with dignity? Our guest, Community Network Dietitian Nicole Weeks, share how her organization uses the My Plate Model in choice food pantries. Nicole shares ways to help by, “Shopping with your wallet and having a voice, as well.”
What’s cooking in your quarantine kitchen? Episode 36
As we all cope with stay-at-some orders due to COVID-19, cooking and grocery shopping have become more challenging. In this special episode, Registered Dietitians Alice Henneman and Liz Ward share tips for stocking your fridge, pantry, and freezer while sharing quick meal ideas.
The unintended consequence of food elitism: Episode 35
Fancy shoes and cheap prices. Chicken breasts and hormone myths. Food snobbery and the hungry. Healthy food and fat. Cheap food and sustainability. “It’s really easy for us to look at a product that has a fancy name or claim and assign higher perceived value to it.”
Exploring the environmental science of meat: Episode 34
“Kids are dirty and if you’re worried about what you’re feeding them, you’re a good a mom.” says this millennial mom who prioritizes low-cost food at the grocery store. Brandi Buzzard Frobose is a rancher and environmentalist who offers insight on how the science of producing food is remarkable, along with the care that farmers and ranchers provide for the planet. She’s not a fan of the mud while she’s ranching in Kansas, but loves to go roping at the rodeo as a cowgirl.
Stress, Uncertainty, & the Coronavirus: Episode 33
If you are feeling unsettled, stressed, or have jangled nerves as we all weather changes due to COVID19, there is a good reason. Michele and Eliz discuss why your brain likes a predictable environment and how uncertainty creates stress. Eliz shares her research on stress and some tips to decrease the impact of these unsettling times. As always, there’s humor, real talk about food insecurity, bullying, and even Michele’s stress brought on by a drunk driver destroying her cattle fence.
Stress, Uncertainty, & the Coronavirus: Episode 33
Behind the scenes with Michele Payn & Eliz Greene
How can farmers & dietitians help with food insecurity? Episode 32
Did you know that nutrition programs are the majority of the farm bill? It’s one of the many ways agriculture and nutrition go hand-in-hand. That’s why the Food Bullying podcast is celebrating National Nutrition Month and National Agriculture Month with a joint release with the Sound Bites podcast.
Melissa Joy Dobbins, RDN, is the host of the Sound Bites podcast and she loves learning from farmers! She talks with Michele & Eliz about opportunities for agriculture and nutrition to work more closely together to address hunger.
How can farmers & dietitians help with food insecurity? Episode 32
RDN Melissa Joy Dobbins on nutrition & agriculture collaborating
Where food grows, bugs go: Episode 31
Wine. Tomatoes. Green beans. Tofu. What may sound like a menu is actually what one farm grows. Jennie Schmidt shares how she produces so many crops, why her farm transitioned from organic to conventional to be more sustainable, and what food bullying terms like factory farming mean to her family farm.
Are you bullying yourself about food? Episode 30
When was the last time you judged or criticized yourself about food? National Nutrition Month is a great time to change the restrictive mentality we have around food and today’s guest will help you spend less energy worrying about food.
How now, brown cow? Why a dairy farmer talks to his cows: Episode 29
Are dairy farmers crazy? Maybe, but it’s because they always put their cows first. Derrick Josi, known as TDF Honest Farming, is an Oregon dairy farmer encouraging other farmers to bridge the gap with consumers – and understand the divide goes both ways. He talks about his little brown cows, while Michele accuses him of being a cow racist. Derrick shares the mental health impact of bullying by activists, how he actually cares for cows, and the work that goes into producing healthy milk.
Are your hands a food safety risk? Episode 28
Did you know that only 8% of males wash their hands after using the restroom? And those people might have picked up or touched the apple you just bought? Hygiene is important – both on your hands and in your kitchen. It’s a greater concern than the chemicals many worry about. Meat scientist Jennie Hodgen loves to talk about bacteria, meat cuts, cleaning produce, and keeping your food safe. “The food you’re getting has gone through quite a bit of rigor from a food safety stand point.” She helps us remember that food safety done well is invisible.
Are You Eating Beyond the Headlines? Episode 27
Are you leaving foods out of your diet? You can run the risk of creating health issues if you are leaving out major food groups, like carbohydrates. “Our bodies need a variety of nutrients, which are obtained from variety of foods in our diet” points out Neva Cochran, a registered dietitian nutritionist. When you eliminate most of the foods in your diet, you are not going to be adequately nourished and may not have enough calories. Great tips on balanced diet choices!
Oscars and Vegetarians and Starbucks, OH MY! Episode 26
Artificial insemination. Vegetarian choices. The Oscars. STDs. Greenhouse gas emissions. Baby calves. Nursing. Starbucks. Nutrient density of food. Personal choices.
If those topics don’t add up to a civil conversation in your mind, listen in for a model on how to have a discussion around food and the environment that’s respectful and informative with someone different than you.
Are chemicals in food poisoning you? Episode 25
“Don’t eat what you can’t pronounce. Chemicals in food are killing us. There is no safe level of pesticides…” It’s no wonder we are scared of food with these myths flying around our plates. Today’s Food Bullying podcast guest, Food Science Babe, is a chemical engineer and a food scientist. She’s also a mom of a special needs toddler. She not only knows and loves chemicals, she can help you understand why it’s O.K. that your food is filled with them.
How can eating help you never miss a heart beat? Episode 24
Did you over-indulge during the Super Bowl festivities, Christmas, or the last family holiday? You’re not the only one – holiday heart syndrome and atrial fibrillation (afib) is not uncommon after eating too much. Food can help you proactively manage your health – or it can lead to missed heart beats. In addition to explaining more about afib, Mellanie True Hills talks about figuring out what fuels your body the best and creating your own personal diet.
Do you know the pecking order of the egg? Episode 23
A basic nutritional building block. Part of your everyday eating. Used for baking, breakfast and bullies. Wait, what? Eggs – or the hens that produce them and the people who care for those hens – have long been the target of animal rights bullies. But rest assured, there is no big nutritional difference in eggs – and science shows that no single hen housing is superior.
How to overcome food anxiety & B.S. health claims: Episode 22
“The food and health marketing industry is out-of-control,” says Australian RDN & exercise physiologist Bill Sukala. Advertising confuses people and creates anxieties around food and health. Bill brings a voice of reason and is concerned that the “gatekeeper of information has been chloroformed.” His B.S. detector raises red flags about bad information, misinformation and quackery in food and health claims.
How to overcome food anxiety & B.S. health claims: Episode 22
Australian RDN & Clinical Exercise Physiologist on the health industry
Does your voice matter in the politics of food & agriculture? Episode 21
“Misrepresentation that affects farm families through agricultural policy” is what food bullying looks like to to Oregon State Representative Shelly Davis. She shares her experiences as an elected official, building consensus by reaching across the aisle, and what she saw with the #TimberUnity movement in Oregon. “Your voice matters” – especially when combined with others.
Does your voice matter in the politics of food & agriculture? Episode 21
State Representative Shelly Boshart Davis builds consensus
How to have a meaningful conversation about food: Episode 20
“Do you think our psychology around food is skewed not just because sometimes we can be hypocritical in our choices but because what we want to believe isn’t always true?” It’s tough to have a meaningful conversation with others in today’s overly emotional food arena. Millennial dietitian Leia Flure explains the steps to maintaining respectful discussion and making personal choices about what you eat. She suggests more critical thinking is needed in food-based decisions by being analytical and verifying information.