Taste Life Blog

What better way to celebrate RDN Day than to share our beloved spouse food stories!!

Has candy ever hit you in the head?

Almost every year, my beloved husband Gary buys Halloween candy and does not want me to see the amount he buys so he hides it in his workshop cabinet.  The first year, I opened the cabinet and Almond Joys hit me in the head. Gary was busted. It continues every single year and now he buys Halloween Candy “on sale” for his November hunting trips.

Gary met me as a dietetic intern at my Milwaukee County Internship.

He knew what he was getting into.  It used to drive me nuts when he ate ice cream in bed when we first got married. I shut up and woke up to the ice cream bowl stuck to our vanity counter! Kidney stones ended that evening adventure!  Every night we have a salad or soup or both and then an entrée. I am always trying to fill him up. And, we always use placemats and light candles. I try to make dinner extra special. I asked Gary, “What is your favorite part about being married to a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. He replied, “Your attention to details for meals.” I then asked, “What is your most difficult part being married to a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist?” He replied, ‘Your attention to details for meals.”  Like I said I thought when he met me in that little white uniform and hairnet at Milwaukee County Hospital, he knew food would be extra special in our house!

At least 25 years ago, he wanted to start the “SAD group.”  Spouse. Of. Dietitians.  He even had a T-shirt designed. He thinks it is hard to be married to a dietitian! I just remind him how lucky he is to be married to a dietitian as I cook him yummy meals and I tell him I keep him alive. He thinks he could write a book!  So could I.

I asked my fellow dietitian friends what food habits their spouses have that drive them nuts and also how being married to a dietitian helped their spouse. You will enjoy reading these answers!

Madeline Basler MS, RDN, CDN

Ok, what aggravates me (and I shouldn’t let it, I means it’s not like he’s eating fast food haha), but he mixes everything together in one plate and also eats pasta with strawberries and blueberries and salad all together. Drives me insane.  Looks disgusting!

I think it’s helped him as we have eaten really well since he had a heart attack 5 years ago.  Now since becoming an RDN I am even more aware of what we are putting into our bodies!

Good for you Maddy!

Twitter: @RDNMaddy

Jen Flachbart, MS, RD 

Jen’s husband before and after he lost 50 pounds!

My husband calls himself “patient zero” now! He was the first of my “weight loss clients” (not by choice!) After we got married and I started doing most of the food shopping and cooking he went from having access to a lot of processed foods all the time to just about none and ended up losing 50 pounds! We both encourage each other to make good choices in our diet these days and I love that he has become almost as passionate about food and nutrition as I am! He now eats a whole food plant based diet, has way more energy, runs all the time and feels great! Although that doesn’t stop him from occasionally inhaling an entire pint of dairy free Ben + Jerry’s Ice Cream, but I choose my battles! 🙂 Here is a before and after picture!

Wow Jen what a success story!

Twitter: @JenFlashRD

Sonja Stetzler, MA, RDN, CPC

It’s the night-eating that drives me nuts! After dinner, after everything is cleaned up and put away, he’ll sneak back into the kitchen and start munching on something like chips or ice cream.

As far as being married to an RD…yes, his eating habits have certainly improved. He’s eating more fruit and veggies, and sometimes he’ll make a fruit smoothie for dessert instead of eating ice cream.

You are a great influence Sonja!

Twitter: @sonjastetzler

Kim Kulp, RD

My husband Jack says I’ve taught him to enjoy a greater variety of vegetables and grains, and even the occasional tofu. He’s learned to stop eating when he’s full, not stuffed, especially at restaurants. However, the lesson he likes best, is that dessert can be OK, just not every night!

I love the cereal box in the bookshelf Kim. And, wow, getting your hubs to eat tofu is admirable. I tried that in our house without success!

Twitter: @KimKulpRD

Mary Lane Carlson

As my husband and I transition from child rearing to the empty nest, we are experiencing a surge in our life to be healthier.  That is, getting more physical activity and eating foods that promote health.  We accomplish this by exercising together whether it is walking or trimming trees and by cooking together.  We discuss the upcoming week’s menu (review recipes) and go grocery shopping together.  When time permits, we even take cooking classes together.  When we go out to eat, we split the dish and perhaps order a side salad. This has not only improved our health but also strengthened our marriage.

What a beautiful way to start the next stage of your life together Mary. 

Karla Moreno-Bryce, MDA, RD

A food habit that my husband has is that he gets carried away with certain snack foods at home and eats more than he intends to. We sometimes have dark chocolate, pretzels, trail mix, or tortilla chips and he sometimes needs a reminder to portion control! But this is also a reminder to myself, which he always tells me too, is to not bring home foods that may be tempting.

According to my husband, being married to a dietitian has helped him have a more balanced, nutritious plant-based diet. Since I do the grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking in our household, this has made it easier on him to make sure he is meeting his nutritional needs.

Karla you are both helping each other. What a team!

Twitter: @kmorenord

Gisela Bouvier, MBA, RDN, LDN

Every time we go out to eat, Richard “HAS” to order a minimum of 2 appetizers. He states we should “wine and dine” every time we go out to eat and doesn’t realize how all of our healthy eating during the week can go down the drain in a single meal. Whether it is the fried calamari, tuna tartar, or appetizer sampler, he always orders one and then some. He then of course likes to eat the largest entree and drink a glass of wine or two.

Although I complain about his luxury dining, I know that it has significantly downsized since we have been together over the past 7 years. Further, although he always ate relatively healthy, portion sizes, the amount of fat used in his cooking, or lack of fiber weren’t always considered. I help him stay more on track throughout the week. We cook more meals at home and always make certain to include a fresh salad or cooked veggies, lean protein, and high fiber complex carbohydrates at dinner time. He is a food service director and eats very similarly at breakfast and lunch at work as well.

I definitely know that being married to a dietitian isn’t always easy, but I am sure he would agree it is completely worth it!

Sounds like a food love story to me Gisela!

Instagram: @bnutritionandwellness.

Julia Robarts, MS, MPH, RDN, LDN

My dear husband has come a long way since 1987 when we first started dating J The only food habit he has that drives me nuts is his knee-jerk reaction to buying many, many of one item when it’s on sale – leading to 17 boxes of cold cereal, 20 boxes of white pasta, etc. But I can’t fault him for shopping frugally and supporting our bottom line, even if it doesn’t support our other ‘bottom line’ haha.

How has being married to an RD changed him? One word – VEGETABLES. He packs his lunch every single day and has for 25 years. When we were first married he would not put any vegetable of any kind in his sandwich. Now he slathers on avocado, and layers with tomato and lettuce. He pretty much can’t eat his chicken sandwich without it J So, I’ve made him more high-maintenance, but in a GOOD way.

Julia his sandwiches are impressive…all because of you!

Twitter: @jugglingjuliaRD

Hilary Raciti RDN CDN

So from me (the dietitian) to him- it drives me nuts when he leaves raw meat out in the kitchen for hours to defrost or puts it on the second or third shelf in the fridge… all I can think is contamination and bacteria. He is learning though!

From him to me: Jared cannot stand when I sometimes eat “darkened” or what he calls “rotten” guacamole. I explain it’s just oxidation but he thinks I’m just disgusting. 

Jared tells me almost daily how much I’ve helped him since we started dating 6 years ago. When I met him he was overweight, but beyond that weight (I believe health at every size) he lived a lifestyle heavy in drinking, take out/delivery and little to no exercise. As we spent more time together I showed him the beauty of home cooked meals, vegetables, physical activity and just cherishing your body. I cannot take all the credit though- jared taught me how to be more flexible and to try various new cuisines.  Sometimes I do get caught in my dietitian head. Together we have gained balance and happiness in this crazy hectic world! 

Instagram: trucenutrition 

Courtney Ferreira, MS, RD, LDN

realfoodcourt.com

Habit that drives me crazy: Dustin doesn’t like to have his veggies touching his other foods!! If it’s green it needs its own plate and for packed lunches they need their own tupperware.

How has he benefited: He eats out significantly less and has cut down on processed/ convenience foods. Believe it or not, living with him has improved my relationship with food and eliminated some restrictive habits I didn’t even realize I had! Way to go Courtney!

Twitter: @f00dCOURT

Here’s to putting your best fork forward!!

What food habits bug you? And how has being married to a RDN helped your spouse? We call can’t wait to hear.

Happy Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day!

Celebrate!