Watch What You Eat – Details, episodes & analysis

Host Carolyn O’Neill and food futurist Mike Lee explore the promise and limits of precision nutrition, the romanticization of the “natural” past, and analyze the simplistic rules of food virality, noting media rewards absolutism over science’s nuanced “it depends.” Lee also traces his path from a Detroit restaurant family to Chobani and to his current work at The FutureMarket, and discusses his use of speculative fiction to analyze the future in Mise and The Tomorrow Today podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever wondered what to order at Taco Bell to ring a bell for both taste and health, then this is the episode for you! Carolyn is talking tacos and so much more with registered dietitian Missy Schaaphok of Taco Bell. From Missy’s culinary path that led her to work at one of the world’s most popular quick serve restaurants to how to make healthier choices when navigating restaurant menus, Carolyn and Missy share tips and taste hacks to add flavor and build good nutrition when dining out. Also, you’ll get a sneak peek of new flavors headed to the Bell! Guest info: Missy Schaaphok, RDN, Registered Dietitian NutritionistDirector of Global Food Innovation, Sustainability and Regulation. Taco Bell BIO:Named an “American Food Hero” by Eating Well Magazine, Missy Schaaphok is the registered dietitian for Taco Bell, where she’s been for nearly 15 years.Global food innovation director and registered dietitian who brings together culinary nutrition science, food & planet regulatory strategy, and strategic leadership to shape the future of food across borders, business units, and brand experiences. With nearly two decades of experience spanning quick-service restaurants, consumer health, and food systems, Missy specializes in turning bold ideas into scalable, compliant, and craveable products. Her background blends R&D know-how withhands-on menu development, global commercialization, and front-line collaboration with supply chain, marketing, and operations teams. Missy launched first-of-their-kind AVA-certified vegetarian menusand sodium reduction strategies as well as sustainable packagingredesigns and clean-label reformulations. What drives me is the intersection where culinary creativity meets nutrition science, where regulation guides innovation, not restricts it, and where the right cross-functional partnerships unlock global impact Links to resources:https://www.tacobell.com/nutrition/info Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we welcome registered dietitian nutritionist Sharon Palmer who is known as the Plant-Powered Dietitian! She’s a vegan registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) with more than 20 years of experience in the field of plant-based nutrition and sustainability. Sharon is the author of multiple cookbooks with incredibly delicious and nutritious recipes including The Plant Powered Diet, Plant Powered for Life, The Plant Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes and since she lives in Ojai, California – California Vegan! She’s also the Nutrition Editor for Today’s Dietitian Magazine and has an MSFS Masters in Sustainable Food Systems. Sharon is truly an expert in how to shop, cook, dine out all around the world…and live a 100% plant -based lifestyle.  Contributor to several book chapters on nutrition and sustainability  Blogger for a passionate online community that’s strong AND growing!  Nutrition Editor for Today’s Dietitian  Nutrition consultant for many organizations  Conference speaker and event guest  Farm and sustainability tour organizer  Associate faculty for MS Sustainable Food Systems program, Prescott College Recipes: https://sharonpalmer.com/recipes/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonpalmerrd/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Food and Nutrition trend watcher and analyst, Janet  Helm, joins Carolyn O’Neil to reveal what’s hot and what’s not for  2025. Say hello to even more world cuisines, grab your proteins and  enjoy delicious plant foods not pretending to be meat. The convergence of the Food as Medicine movement and the climate crisis is driving greater interest in plant-forward eating, including heritage diets and cultural foodways.  While taste remains the top driver of food choices, consumers are increasingly influenced by health. Protein content, freshness and minimally processed are among the top motivators. Health is also behind the growing popularity of non-alcoholic or zero- proof beverages.    Even during times of economic stress, consumers are seeking elevated food experiences. Although this is not solely about price or premium products. It’s about high-quality ingredients, authenticity, craftmanship and personalization.    Join Janet Helm, a registered dietitian nutritionist and global food culture analyst, as she provides an overview of the food and nutrition landscape in 2025 and what it means for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop throwing cash in the trash and learn how to plan food shopping, properly store foods from pantry to freezer, get creative with what you’ve got and decode expiration dates with registered dietitian nutritionist Rosanne Rust, author of Zero Waste Cooking.  BASIC CONCEPTS •    Have a Food Plan •    Shop Smart •    Store It Right •    Use it all INTRO •    Food waste stats •    Money wasted per household •    When you throw food away, you are throwing both money AND nutrition away Have a Food Plan •    Food planning, in lieu of meal planning •    Consider batch cooking – grains, ground beef, chicken breasts – then use in another meal to save time or freeze them cooked. •    Take inventory once a week in your kitchen – what do you already HAVE, and what do you NEED – fridge, freezer, pantry shelves. THEN make your shopping list.  •    Use your freezer!! Take inventory for “what do I need to cook or freeze within the next few days?” Cook it or freeze it!!  •    Keep in mind that cooking food can lengthen its life – for instance, spinach – cook the bag even if you aren’t going to eat it – it’ll last cooked longer, and you can throw it into an omelet or soup or freeze for another time. Same with meats. Shop Smart •    Of course, the #1 way to waste less, is to buy less – buy what you need and can USE. •    Have a plan for everything that goes into your cart. Be a mindful shopper •    Fresh produce tops the list of “most wasted foods” – choose some fresh but also add frozen veggies and fruit to your cart. Frozen vegetables have a comparable, and sometimes a better nutrition profile over fresh. •    Check the freezer section for other products too – frozen shrimp, cooked chicken Store it Right •    Keeping foods stored properly helps preserve the food – this preserves nutrition too! •    There’s a whole section in my book about properly storing produce – there’s a reason for those humidity levers in those drawers in your fridge! •    Essentially – air is an enemy. You want airtight bags or containers. And in many cases moisture is an enemy – delicate produce like greens or berries do not want too much moisture! •    People are super into all sorts of fancy storage containers on social media, but in fact produce manufacturers go to great effort to come up with packaging that works! So keep the apples in bag, keep the berries in their clamshell, etc. •    Best-by, Sell-by Dates! These are quality dates, not food safety dates Other Notes •    You don’t have to follow a recipe exactly – swap ingredients. •    Use Versatile and Multi-purpose Ingredients – plain yogurt (baking, dips, with fruit) •    Staples make meals – canned tomatoes, canned beans, grains (pasta, rice) •    Shop your freezer and pantry! Use AI to figure out what to make with what you have •    Storing food properly keeps it food-safe, but also preserves flavor and nutrition! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Liz Weiss, a registered dietitian nutritionist and someone deeply connected to the realities of dementia to learn about the importance of brain health.  Her father, who passed away from Lewy Body Dementia at the age of 91, inspires her ongoing desire to educate others about the role of food in protecting  our brains as we age. One evidence-backed approach she often recommends is the MIND diet, a plan that blends elements of the popular Mediterranean  diet and the DASH diet. What Is the MIND Diet? The MIND diet is an acronym for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It features 9 nutrient-rich foods (and the occasional glass of wine),  which have been shown to support brain health, and it limits (but does not eliminate) foods such as fried or fast foods, pastries and sweets, and red meat.   Research shows that moderate to strict adherence to the MIND Diet can reduce Alzheimer’s Disease risk by 35% to 53% respectively and slow the rate of  cognitive decline. (Note: Further research is needed to determine the specific effects of the MIND diet on Lewy Body Dementia. Read what the Lewy Body  Dementia Association recommends re: diet and exercise for overall brain health.) Here are the 10 brain-healthy foods emphasized on the MIND diet, along with suggested portions: 1.    Leafy Green Vegetables: At least 6 servings per week (1 serving = 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked). Examples: spinach, kale, arugula, collards. 2.    Other Vegetables: At least 1 serving per day (1 serving = ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw). Aim for a variety of colors! 3.    Berries: At least 2 servings per week (1 serving = ½ cup). Blueberries and strawberries are top picks. 4.    Nuts: At least 5 servings per week (1 serving = ¼ cup). Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios are great options. 5.    Beans: At least 3 servings per week (1 serving = ½ cup cooked). Chickpeas, lentils, and black beans are nutrient powerhouses. 6.    Whole Grains: At least 3 servings per day (1 serving = 1 slice bread or ½ cup cooked grains like quinoa). 7.    Fish: At least 1 serving per week (1 serving = 3–4 ounces). Focus on fatty fish like salmon or sardines. 8.    Poultry: At least 2 servings per week (1 serving = 3–4 ounces). Chicken and turkey are ideal. 9.    Olive Oil: Use as the primary oil in cooking and dressings. 10.    Wine: Up to 1 glass per day, if you drink alcohol. Foods to limit include red meat, butter and margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast foods. Recipes: https://www.lizshealthytable.com/recipe-index/recipe-index/ Instagram: Where you’ll find even more links to Liz’s Healthy Table Recipes!  https://www.instagram.com/lizweiss/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch What You Eat with Carolyn O'Neil - Teaser  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s better for people and the planet - wild fish or farmed? Well, just like carrots and cucumbers it depends on the farmer! Best practices in farming fish make the difference. Todd English of Riverence Provisions takes us on a journey to Idaho’s Magic Valley to explain how this aquaculture company is doing things right. As North America’s largest vertically integrated producer of premium steelhead and rainbow trout, Riverence creates great tasting trout using crystal clear Rocky Mountain waters, and a sustainable approach to raising and feeding their fish while keeping the environment pristine. Let’s go fish! Links to resources: www.riverence.com https://us.asc-aqua.org/news/riverence-provisions-llc-and-riverence-farms-llc-achieve- challenging-asc-certification/ Recipes: https://riverence.com/recipe/grilled-baja-trout/ https://riverence.com/recipe/mango-habanero-rainbow-trout/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From a panel at SKS 2025: Fibermaxxing? GLP-1s? 2025 is proving to be year of immense change when it comes to food and nutrition. Join us for this session where we talk about the changes come to food and nutrition.  Panelists: Kristofer Cook (Carbiotix), Matt Barnard (One.Bio), Noosheen Hashemi (January AI). Moderator: Carolyn O'Neil Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara Baer-Sinnott is President of Oldways, a nonprofit food and nutrition organization helping people live healthier, happier lives through cultural food traditions and lifestyles. She has been an instrumental figure at Oldways since its early days, joining the staff in 1992 to work on one of the first overseas Symposiums (Food, Culture and Discovery in Spain) and the first International Conference on the Diets of the Mediterranean, where the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid was introduced. Sara assumed the presidency of Oldways in May 2010, and she develops company strategy, oversees all Oldways projects and programs, and works closely with members of the Oldways staff. In her years at Oldways, Sara has been an integral part of Oldways’ growth and success. She has helped develop ground-breaking programs including its Traditional Diet Pyramids; African Heritage & Health program; the Whole Grains Council; Mediterranean Foods Alliance; Healthy Pasta Meals; High Five Children’s Cooking Curriculum; Culinary Travel; and many others. Sara is also co-author of The Oldways Table with Oldways’ Founder K. Dun Gifford. Before joining Oldways, Sara was the Special Projects Editor at Inc. Magazine, and she’s also worked for state and federal government agencies. She has a B.A. in Economics from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and an M.A. in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Sara also sits on the Oldways Board of Directors and is an Oldways African Heritage Diet Advisor. Before joining Oldways, Sara was the Special Projects Editor at Inc. Magazine, and she’s also worked for state and federal government agencies. She has a B.A. in Economics from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and an M.A. in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Sara also sits on the Oldways Board of Directors and is an Oldways African Heritage Diet Advisor. Links to resources: Oldways Website: https://oldwayspt.org Upcoming Culinaria Tours https://oldwayspt.org/culinary-travel/upcoming-trips/ Recipes: https://oldwayspt.org/recipes/ More: Photo Links to Culinary Travel Destinations with Oldways Croatia (https://oldwayspt.org/trip/croatia/) The Peloponnese and Athens (https://oldwayspt.org/trip/peloponnese-athens-culinary-tour-may-2024/) Parma and Emilia Romagna (https://oldwayspt.org/trip/parma-culinary-tour-april-2024/) The Black Sea and Istanbul (https://oldwayspt.org/trip/black-sea-and-istanbul/) San Sebastian (https://oldwayspt.org/trip/san-sebastian/) If you choose travel destinations based on a region’s cuisine then you are enjoying the delicious trend in culinary travel. From farm visits to city market tours to cooking classes and finding those out of the way local eateries, travel companies such as Oldways, specializing in culinary experiences can help you discover the best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices