Check out the full Episode 26 show notes on our website!
In this episode of Healthy Family Project, we talk to Dr. Peggy Policastro, RDN, who is an advocate for empowering kids and families with the tools they need to live healthier lives. Peggy shares tips on cooking basics including how families can get started cooking at home, why cooking at home is so important and what basic skills to master.
Dr. Peggy Policastro, RDN, is the Director of Behavioral Nutrition in the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health at Rutgers University and the Director of Nutrition for Rutgers Dining Services. In addition to being a Registered Dietitian, she holds a master’s degree in Nutritional Science from Rutgers and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies-Nutritional Science and Psychology.
Her research interest is in the area of Behavioral Economics and the use of nudges to encourage healthy eating behaviors. She has numerous journal publications in the area of Behavioral Nutrition and during her tenure at Rutgers, has mentored hundreds of students on research projects investigating dietary habits of college students.
She currently is very active in the MCURC Research Group, leading multi-site projects and holding the position of Co-Chair of the Academic Committee. As a professional in both the academic and dining services arenas, Dr. Peggy Policastro is uniquely suited to be a champion and researcher for healthy eating behaviors.
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Relevant Links
Kids Cook Monday - sign up for the free Family Dinner Date Newsletter
Kid-Friendly Kitchen Tasks for Every Age
5 Tips for Getting Kids Involved in the Kitchen
Where to Start When You Don’t Like to Cook
Connect with Peggy - https://njhki.rutgers.edu/
Other Podcast Episodes to Check Out:
Episode 21: Meal Planning & Cooking with Kids
Episode 16: Journey of a Picky Eater
Episode 9: Quick & Easy Dinner Hacks
Timestamps
2:16 Meet Dr. Peggy
4:03 What is culinary literacy?
4:56 Tips for families looking to start their culinary journey
9:15 The importance of basic kitchen skills
11:23 Kid menu vs adult menu
17:24 Basic cooking terms