Cara Rosenbloom, RD

WORDS TO EAT BY

for something nutrishus

I met Cara at a Dietitians of Canada conference, at which I also picked up a copy of her cookbook, Nourish. Hers is a name I have seen attached to numerous articles, and now I know why. Part of the reason for this series is to showcase our diversity and Cara's background in literature does just that. She has created a unique and valuable business out of her passions and expertise.

Why did you become a RD? 

My first university degree was in literature and I studied journalism. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about! I had a personal interest in food and nutrition, so I took one undergrad course in nutrition at Brescia to satisfy my “science” requirement in my “liberal arts” degree…and I was hooked. Nutrition was fascinating! After I finished the literature degree at Western, I applied to Ryerson to study food & nutrition full-time. I knew somehow I’d fuse writing and nutrition. I became a dietitian so I could write about nutrition as trusted source with true expertise.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I run a nutrition communications company called Words to Eat By. I wear many hats under the umbrella of “communications and nutrition education.” I’m a journalist, blogger, recipe developer, professional speaker, cookbook author and content creator.

How would you explain what you do? 

I watch nutrition and food trends and follow the science, then I consolidate the most important nutrition information into articles, lectures, recipes, soundbites and blogs that the public can understand. My goal is to translate the complex world of nutrition into clear, concise and useful information for consumers. I’m a trend spotter, myth buster and reporter. I try to inspire people to eat better, even if it’s just through one small change.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I work from a home office and spend most of my time developing content. I am a freelance writer/blogger with the Washington Post, Today’s Parent, Huffington Post, Heart and Stroke Foundation and others, so I’m always writing something! When I’m not at my desk, I’m in the kitchen creating new recipes or teaching cooking classes. I’m also working on my second book.

What has been your career path? 

During my internship, I spent a few months at Canadian Living magazine, and I knew writing was my passion. I worked in corporate marketing roles for seven years to hone my communication skills, then started Words to Eat By in 2007 when I was on maternity leave with my daughter. One of my first clients was Canadian Living, and I freelanced for them for six years. Words to Eat By now has a diverse client list and something new happens every day. I love it!

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I have a degree in literature and have taken university courses in journalism, freelance writing and public relations.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now? 

It’s a very meaningful time to be a dietitian. So many of today’s hot button issues touch on food – from climate change to chronic disease to sustainability to childhood obesity. Dietitians can be part of the solution for so many current issues. It’s important for dietitians to pick something they are passionate about and help change the world for the better. Every day. Every month. Every year. Five years from now, we’ll have made some inroads! With effort, dietitians can be seen as trusted leaders in the nutrition world, and the go-to source for reliable and accurate information about food.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

My six year old son just drew a picture of me for a school project about careers. I was sitting at my computer with a frying pan and spoon in my hand. He was pretty close!

What tip(s) would you give to our readers? 

I recently attended a wonderful lecture by author, activist and New York Times columnist Mark Bittman. His words of wisdom resonated with me and are worth sharing: “It’s important to work on many different things because you don’t know where your successes will be. If you fight enough battles, you will win some of them!”

More about Cara:

Website: Words to Eat By

Twitter: @CaraRosenbloom

Instagram: wordstoeatby

Facebook: wordstoeatby

Thanks Cara!