Episodes
-
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 -
Missing episodes?
-
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
