A food systems policy expert and social impact entrepreneur, Deb Eschmeyer has dedicated her career to the betterment of society. From co-founding the national nonprofit Food Corps, to serving as Executive Director of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative, and driving change in the food industry, her efforts have permanently influenced the way we think about food and health. In this episode, Deb shares her journey as a changemaker emphasizing agility and persistence, finding your “zone of genius”, and balancing perspectives and patience to achieve long-term change.

Deb Eschmeyer: “Don't take no for an answer and just keep pushing and speaking up and showing up. And it’s sometimes really uncomfortable. There's so many people who don't like public speaking. There's so many people who are brilliant and just have fabulous ideas… Speak up, show up, and develop lines of empathy. To be a better change maker is to understand all the different avenues of change it takes to get things done.”

00:00 Intro to Deb

01:44 From farmhouse to the White House: be relentless, speak up, show up

06:30 How empathy and a diverse set of experiences can help you find your “zone of genius” 

09:21 Why school nutrition reform can spark system-wide change 

13:03 Focusing on the long view and the direction of travel

15:35 Embracing collective responsibility to drive meaningful systems change

18:20 Complexity and the impending food crisis

21:01 Why trust, accountability, and collaboration are key to impactful change

25:10 Deb’s advice: embrace uncomfortable spaces, focus on your strengths, and keep pushing forward

28:25 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• FoodCorps
• Let's Move! Initiative
• AmeriCorps
• ASU Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems
• Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Olivia Thomas is a registered dietitian, entrepreneur, and the co-founder of “Rewire Health”, a culinary medicine platform that simplifies healthy home cooking and expands access to teaching kitchens. In this episode, Olivia shares her experiences building a culinary medicine startup, including how active listening and a multidisciplinary approach can lead to impact-focused solutions. 

Olivia Thomas: “We need to be focusing on how resources, especially within food as medicine, can be used to reinvest into disinvested communities... I have been redefining how I work on projects based on the impacts. What foods am I marketing? Who is it benefiting? How is the data being used? And the idea of sovereignty is important and making sure that it aligns with the communities we're focusing on and working with.”

00:00 Intro to Olivia

01:09 From childhood cooking to culinary medicine 

02:13 How food-based interventions help manage chronic disease

04:50 Overview of Rewire Health from pitch to startup

07:58 Cultivating a culinary medicine platform

09:49 Enabling personally relevant food choices

11:22 Investing in local communities to impact the whole food system 

12:30 Embracing change and using technology to stay ahead

14:24 Why navigating complex systems requires a multidimensional approach

17:00 The role of collaboration and community building

18:14 Using culturally affirming recipes to empower choice

20:51 Accelerating behavior change with personalization, practice, and insight

23:37 Shifting perspectives on the role of food’s impact on health

25:44 Creating sustainable habits

28:15 Redefining problem-solving

29:23 How active listening builds trust and drives impact

30:13 Looking towards the future of culinary medicine 

32:23 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• Rewire Health
• Pursuit App
• Boston Medical Center’s Teaching Kitchen
• The Teaching Kitchen Collaborative
• Corbin Hill Food Project
• Boston Medical Center: Eat to Treat

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Jack Bobo is the Director of the University of Nottingham’s Food Systems Institute which brings together transdisciplinary researchers to address some of the most pressing food systems challenges. He is also the author of the 2021 book “Why smart people make bad food choices.” In this episode, Jack shares how breaking down silos can foster collaboration, why reframing your thinking can help navigate tradeoffs, and how small shifts in language can impact people’s perceptions.

Jack Bobo: “I believe less in right and wrong and good and bad, and more in thinking in terms of choices and consequences. And if you can help to lay out the consequences of actions, I think in many ways you can lead people to knowledge instead of sort of beating them up with science. Researchers and academics love to tell people what to do and they like to tell them the answer. I think it's much better to be able to help people to understand the consequences of different choices. And then you may end up getting a different outcome, but at least they understand the consequences of it and it's an informed decision.”

00:00 Intro to Jack

01:14 Overview of the University of Nottingham’s Food Systems Institute

03:44 Taking a systems approach to lead global change 

05:18 Why consensus is important for problem solving

06:45 Addressing the “language barrier” in food systems solutions

08:38 How shifting from “should” to “could” focuses on opportunities and solutions 

11:40 Leading people to knowledge by framing the consequences of choices

13:56 Building trust by understanding confirmation bias and the misleading nature of our brains

17:38 The paradox of improved nutrition research and rising obesity rates

20:00 How to overcome the invisible influences on food choices 

23:14 Changing the food system by focusing on social norms

25:51 The importance of word choice for effective change making

27:59 Why networking and storytelling are life skills

29:39 Balancing the continuum of local vs. global sustainability 

31:37 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• University of Nottingham Food Systems Institute
• The Nature Conservancy
• Book: Why smart people make bad food choices
• TEDx: Why We Fear the Food We Eat
• Futurity Food

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Salaam Bhatti is the SNAP Director at the Food Research and Action Center, a 501(c)(3) that uses advocacy and strategic partnerships to improve the health and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States. Tune in to learn how to bring together diverse perspectives, challenge established norms, and seek innovative solutions for modern society. 

Salaam Bhatti: “The best way to find change is to go out and find like-minded people. Create a coalition to make that change happen. But if you want to perfect that, then you have to find people who disagree so that you can really understand why you believe what you believe. And maybe there are things that just need education, that just need more facts to help bring them to your side. Or maybe you were wrong and you can come to a compromise or an agreement. But until you get out of your comfort zone, the change you will try to make will only be fleeting and never systemic.”

00:00 Intro to Salaam 

01:25 From law to public benefit activism

04:50 How sparking joy drives passion in food justice

06:09 Addressing food insecurity for an equitable food system

08:20 How zoning and economic inequalities exacerbate food insecurity

10:55 Why building strategic alliances can bridge divides to pass policy reform

14:28 Exploring the ripple effects of SNAP program changes on the economy

18:00 Overview of the Food Research and Action Center

19:14 Addressing poverty related hunger solutions and challenges

21:20 How choice and increased access improves health outcomes

26:17 Reimagining food policy for modern needs

28:22 Why getting out of your comfort zone can lead to systemic change

31:11 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• Food Research Action Center (FRAC)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Report: Household Food Security in the United States in 2022
• Quantifying the Impact of SNAP Benefits on the US Economy and Jobs

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Dr. Christopher Gardner is a nutrition scientist focused on what foods to eat and what foods to avoid for optimal health, as well as the forces that can successfully motivate people to improve their food and beverage behaviors. His recent research interests include: “stealth nutrition,” which focuses on shifting diets through the integration of non-health related approaches, like the connection between food and climate change; institutional food; and the microbiome.

Christopher Gardner: “I would say the biggest thing for me is humility. I am a nutrition scientist. I understand the mechanism. You should eat that. [But] there is the business aspect, the marketing aspect, the legal aspect, the policy aspect, the cultural aspect, the historical aspect, the storytelling aspect… The humility to recognize how many other disciplines and factors are tugging at people's tongues and hearts and brains, has really been the greatest learning experience for me.”

00:00 Intro to Dr. Gardner

01:03 How nutrition research becomes a Netflix documentary 

04:22 Using humor to inspire retention

06:09 The road from philosophy to nutrition science

07:20 The dissonance with access to nutrition information

09:21 Food & Society: External motivators and behavior change

14:51 Why institutions have a powerful role in food systems transformation

16:55 The "instead of what" and "with what" approach to behavior change

21:26 The complex nature of food choice

25:50 How “stealth nutrition” influences choice

29:34 Embracing humility and creative storytelling in science communication 

32:18 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• Stanford School of Medicine Nutrition Studies Research Group
• Netflix Documentary - You Are What You Eat
• The Game Changers Documentary
• Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins A Randomized Clinical Trial
• Michael Pollan’s Omnivore Dilemma 
• Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
• Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation
• Marian Nestle's Food Politics

• CIA’s Greg Drescher on Using Deliciousness to Drive Change | Food Lab Talk Episode 13

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones are nationally recognized Registered Dietitians and Certified Diabetes Educators. They are the founders of Food Heaven – a multimedia platform originally founded for women and communities of color experiencing barriers to food, healthcare and nutrition education - and the newly launched Diabetes Digital - a trusted source for virtual personalized nutrition counseling dedicated to diabetes and prediabetes. In their highly successful podcast, videos, books and more, they dive deep into health and wellness topics with a lens on inclusivity and cultural competency.

Wendy Lopez: “Needs vary based on what community you're talking about, what country you're in, what neighborhood you're in. Talking to the people that are impacted the most by the food system to learn more about what their needs are, what they would want out of a food system, is really important because they're the main stakeholders.”

Jessica Jones: “It's also making sure that people have access not only to health promoting foods, but also culturally relevant foods. Because so often people want to come into communities and say, you should be doing this, or, these are the foods that are helpful. And it's like one list. But it's more effective, and we've seen this firsthand, trying to incorporate foods that people enjoy that are part of their cultures and not demonizing those foods.”

00:12 Intro to Wendy and Jess

01:55 The evolution of Food Heaven to Diabetes Digital

03:46 How prioritizing cultural relevance builds inclusive, sustainable food systems

06:35 Celebrating diversity to reduce stigma and shame

08:09 Socioeconomic and cultural factors influence on choice

10:42 Improving access to healthy, sustainable foods 

12:50 Building trust through science and lived experiences

15:01 How motivational interviewing balances nutrition advice and personal preferences 

18:11 Embracing life’s fluctuations

21:08 Why growing a diverse support community can enhance impact

24:14 The importance of embracing “fun” in business development

26:47 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• Food Heaven
• Diabetes Digital
• Diabetes Digital Podcast

• Motivational Interviewing: An Evidence-Based Approach

Keep in Touch

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Clancy Cash Harrison is a food equity advocate, registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, and international thought leader who challenges the way food insecurity is approached and discussed. Her mission to demolish the stigma around food access places her on the cutting edge of advocacy. Clancy is the founder of the Food Dignity® Movement, a strategic program for leaders who want to shift how they approach nutrition outreach by making healthy food access a priority.

Clancy Cash Harrison: “How can we create solutions that work? First, I had to be humble enough to say I was wrong. One of the questions I started asking myself is, where am I wrong so I can be right? Now we have our volunteers asking the same question. What are we here to learn today from the people that we're working with?”

00:24 Intro to Clancy

01:49 How uncovering personal bias began the Food Dignity Movement

04:56 Breaking down silos to collaboration 

07:32 Defining hidden hunger 

09:04 Why changemakers should adapt solutions to each unique audience

11:33 Creating solutions that work: “Where am I wrong so I can be right?”

14:19 Taking hunger out of the charity box

16:30 Driving systems change through local agriculture

17:41 How to use skepticism and appreciation to fuel changemaking

19:10 The material impact of one $8,000 walk in cooler

21:23 People are the experts in their life 

22:50 Uncovering the “why” instead of judging food choices

25:16 How admitting what you don’t know can fuel personal growth

27:46 Call to action: find the cracks and be the glue 

29:17 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• Food Dignity Movement
• Clancy’s TEDx
• Food Dignity Movement Podcast 
• Food Dignity Challenge 
• Food Dignity Documentary 

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Dr. Walter Willett is a physician and Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He also co-chairs the EAT-Lancet Commission, a group of 37 world-leading scientists working to determine how to provide a healthy diet for a future population of 10 billion people while respecting planetary boundaries. Dr. Willet’s career has centered on the development of methods to study the effects of diet on the occurrence of major diseases. His research has provided unparalleled insight into the long-term health consequences of our food choices.

Walter Willett: “Look at where you are and start off working there. Ultimately at a much larger scale, you'd like to have an impact. But if you don't have control of the dials and the levers at that level, your own food service and wherever you happen to be working or studying can often be improved a lot, and you learn a lot from that experience. I certainly have. Almost everybody has part of their life in a workplace or in their community that they could be making some improvements. And a lot of times that's where the biggest changes start.”

00:22 Intro to Walter

02:43 Connecting human health and the climate crisis

04:24 The Great Acceleration Theory

06:29 Three pillars for food systems transformation

08:47 Harnessing community action to catalyze systems change

10:30 The history of our food choices and related complexity of shifting diets

13:31 Levers to positively influence population diet quality

16:21 What global consumption habits tell us about public health trends

18:02 Lessons from effective grassroots movements

20:50 Building trust, providing better data, and acknowledging uncertainty

24:01 Integrating justice into food systems solutions

26:37 Generational awareness and action on sustainability

28:28 Embracing disciplinary diversity for systems transformation

29:36 Why patience is the #1 skill for change management

31:40 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health
• The Great Acceleration Theory
• Scientific Review: Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems
• Summary Report: EAT-Lancet Commission Summary Report (includes Five Strategies for a Great Food Transformation)
• Research Article: Improvements In US Diet Helped Reduce Disease Burden And Lower Premature Deaths, 1999–2012; But Overall Diet Remains Poor

• Video: What is a healthy and sustainable diet? The EAT-Lancet Lecture - Johan Rockström & Walter Willett

• EAT-Lancet 2.0

Keep in Touch

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Sara Burnett has more than 18 years experience developing brand-building strategies and campaigns. As Vice President of Food Beliefs, Sustainability & Public Relations at Panera Bread, Sara was responsible for the company’s policies on food issues ranging from sustainability to food additives. She also provided menu labeling and education to inform customer choice. Throughout her career, Sara expertly blends her communication skills with a deep understanding of policy, social responsibility, and sustainability, authoring, and managing bold ESG strategies. She is currently the Principal at Burnett Strategy and Communications.

Sara Burnett: “As food professionals, we can all find a way to convince ourselves that we're not part of the problem and we're not part of the solution. And we see it on both ends of the spectrum. When you're at a big food company, you're saying, oh man, it's hard to move this behemoth of an organization... [On] the small side of things, you might say, my voice isn't that big. But the reality is it is a very complicated and connected food system, and there is a role for everyone. So whether you're small or big, you're private or public, you're an NGO or a government… [we] all have an impact, and collectively we can do a lot more together.”

00:27 Intro to Sara

01:27 Sara’s career shift from health and wellness to sustainability 

03:05 Collective action and impact: critical elements to a truly sustainable food system

05:15 Coolfood menu labeling to nudge better-for-you choice

07:54 How post-purchase education influences future decisions

10:25 The surprising indirect impacts of calorie menu labeling 

14:06 Building trust with customers by working with credible partners 

17:04 The levers to support choice: transparency, demonstrating material impact, pursuing authentic solutions

19:40 Merging emotion and science for successful change management

23:20 Why a clear business plan can support resiliency and longevity for sustainability professionals

26:56 Takeaways for changemakers

Links

• Panera Food Beliefs
• WRI’s Coolfood
• Coolfood Menu Labeling at Panera
• HowGood
• Janet Ranganathan Food Lab Talk Episode

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.

Ravi Dhar is the George Rogers Clark Professor of Management and Marketing and director of the Center for Customer Insights at the Yale School of Management. He is an expert in behavior and branding who brings psychological insights to the study of consumer decision-making. Ravi’s research investigates fundamental aspects about the formation of our choices and preferences. His 4Ps Framework for Behavior Change outlines evidence-based “nudges” that can help make healthy choices easier, aligning behaviors with intentions.

Ravi Dhar: “This notion that providing information leads to better choices – there's very limited evidence for that. Providing information doesn't work because of information overload and because of distraction. It will not get their attention. That's where the researcher has to come in and say, when are people most receptive to this information? And that may not be at the moment of choice. It may be at other moments when they have a little bit more free time and they get this information.”

00:22 Intro to Ravi

01:36 Translating business challenges into research questions

03:36 Understanding what meta preferences reveal about consumer behavior

07:33 Three factors that might sabotage our choices 

11:25 What, how, and when to provide information 

15:20 Persuasion: “Making it fun”

18:35 Process: “Making it easy” 

19:51 Possibilities: “Choice architecture” 

21:11 Person: “Cost of delaying” 

22:54 Understanding the reasonable reasons why people do what they do

26:09 Differentiating between fact-based and feeling-based choices

27:58 Takeaways for changemakers 

Links

• Center for Customer Insights at the Yale School of Management
• Why Choosing Healthy Foods is Hard, and How to Help: Presenting the 4Ps Framework for Behavior Change
• Making Sustainable Choices Possible
• Getting Sustainability to Stick: Driving Long-term Habits in Consumers
• Unpacking the Climate Change Communication Challenge
• Challenging Assumptions: The Theory of Choice and Control
• How We Buy When Time Is Short
• How Much Are Millennial Engaged in Retirement Annuities?

Keep in Touch

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*The views expressed by the guests in this podcast don't necessarily represent the host’s views, nor those of his employer.