RD Exam Ready Podcast

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak walks through toddler and preschool nutrition and the key life cycle concepts you need to understand for the RD Exam. You’ll review how growth assessment changes at age two when we transition from WHO growth standards to CDC growth charts, including BMI-for-age classifications for overweight and obesity. Zak also covers feeding development, appropriate portion sizes, choking hazards, and how children develop food preferences through repeated exposure to new foods.

The episode also reviews important nutrient needs for toddlers and preschoolers, including protein requirements, energy needs, and key micronutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, fluoride, fiber, and vitamin D. 

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Mailing List: 

If you want to get notified when new episodes release, hear about upcoming YouTube Live sessions, and receive PDF notes from those live review sessions, join the RD Exam Ready mailing list here:
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Listen or watch the podcast anywhere:
 https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

If you’re finding the podcast helpful, make sure to subscribe, leave a rating, and share it with other students studying for the RD Exam.

Happy Studying, RD2Be 💙

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak reviews the key concepts you need to know about meat, poultry, and fish for the RD Exam. You’ll walk through the physical and chemical properties of these foods, their nutrient content, and how structures like muscle, connective tissue, collagen, elastin, and marbling impact tenderness and cooking methods.

The episode also covers USDA inspection versus grading, beef and poultry grading systems, and the common cooking methods used for different cuts of meat and types of seafood. Zak explains when to use moist heat versus dry heat cooking and how tenderness, connective tissue, and fat content influence preparation methods. 

Join the RD Exam Ready email list here:
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When you subscribe, you’ll get notified about new podcast episodes, upcoming YouTube Live review sessions, and receive PDF notes from live sessions sent directly to your inbox.

Follow RD Exam Ready for more exam prep:

Instagram: @RDExamReady
 TikTok: @RDExamReady
 YouTube: RD Exam Ready

Listen or watch the podcast anywhere:
 https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down Endocrine Disorders MNT to help you feel confident tackling these topics on exam day. This episode focuses on key non-diabetes endocrine conditions you’re expected to know — including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, pituitary disorders, adrenal disorders like Addison’s and Cushing’s, and PCOS.

You’ll review core physiology, lab patterns (T3, T4, TSH), common signs and symptoms, medical management, and the Medical Nutrition Therapy that matters most for the RD Exam. Zak connects hormone imbalances to nutrition implications like changes in metabolic rate, insulin resistance, sodium balance, and energy needs — then wraps up with practice questions to help you apply what you learned.

Join us live on YouTube March 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM Central (5:00 PT | 6:00 MT | 7:00 CT | 8:00 ET) as we review foodborne illnesses together:
https://youtube.com/live/273roYBV4Y8?feature=share

Want the notes from live sessions and updates on new episodes? Join the email list here:
http://eepurl.com/jvGxaA

When you subscribe, you’ll get notified about new podcast episodes, upcoming YouTube Lives, and receive PDF notes from live review sessions directly to your inbox.

Follow RD Exam Ready for more exam prep:

Instagram: @RDExamReady
TikTok: @RDExamReady
YouTube: RD Exam Ready

Listen or watch the podcast anywhere:
 https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

Subscribe, rate, and share with your study group.

Happy Studying, RD2Be 💙

*Sorry for the poor audio on this one folks. Turns out forgetting to plug in the correct microphone can decrease the quality! We'll get it right for next time, and this seemed like a fine topic for audio issues. Thanks!* 

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down Menu Development and why it matters for the RD Exam. From menu types (static, cycle, and single-use) to pricing styles like prix fixe and à la carte, we review the key concepts you need to recognize on exam day.

You’ll also learn how menus impact the entire foodservice system — including staffing, equipment, cost control, sustainability, cultural considerations, government regulations, and nutritional adequacy. We walk through menu psychology, aesthetics (color, texture, shape, and balance), and the Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, and Dog framework for evaluating menu items.

If menus feel straightforward but you’re not always sure what the exam is really asking, this episode will help you connect the dots and approach these questions with more confidence.

Follow RD Exam Ready for more exam prep:

Instagram: @RDExamReady
 TikTok: @RDExamReady
 YouTube: RD Exam Ready

Listen or watch the podcast anywhere:
 https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with your study group.

Happy Studying, RD2Be 💙

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak reviews key Nutrition Assistance Programs you’ll want to understand for the RD Exam and real-world community nutrition practice. We break down what each program provides, who is eligible, and the income guidelines that determine benefits — from SNAP and WIC to school meals, older adult nutrition programs, CSFP, CACFP, and more. 

📺 Upcoming RD Exam Ready YouTube Live — 2/18/26
Mark your calendar! We’ll be going live on Wednesday, February 18th at 7:00 PM Central Time with another review session designed to help you study smarter. More practice questions, explanations, and real-time support. You don’t want to miss it!

📲 Follow RD Exam Ready
Instagram: @RDExamReady
YouTube: RD Exam Ready

🎧 Listen or watch the podcast anywhere:
https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) and staffing calculations, a topic that often causes confusion in foodservice management. You’ll learn how FTEs fit into the management functions, how to calculate FTEs per day, week, and year, and how to account for relief employees and adjusted FTEs. Zak walks through common exam-style scenarios, highlights unit-tracking tips, and finishes with practice questions to help you apply these concepts with confidence on exam day.

📺 Upcoming YouTube Live – EN & TPN Calculations
Join us Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 PM Central Time
(5:00 PM Pacific | 6:00 PM Mountain | 8:00 PM Eastern)
👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/rhQiFfnCVd4?si=UQygvJ_tVdvPesZL

📲 Follow RD Exam Ready for more practice questions & live updates:
Instagram: @RDExamReady
YouTube: RD Exam Ready

🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help spread the word and support fellow RD2Be’s.

Happy studying 💙

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak reviews the major types of bariatric surgery and the nutrition considerations you need to know for the RD Exam. You’ll learn how each procedure changes digestion and absorption, what vitamin and mineral deficiencies to watch for, and how these concepts show up in exam-style questions. The episode wraps up with practice questions to help you apply the material with confidence on exam day.

📲 Follow RD Exam Ready
Instagram: @RDExamReady
YouTube: @RDExamReady

🎧 Listen or watch anywhere:
https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

📺 Upcoming YouTube Live:
February 4th at 7:00 PM Central
https://youtube.com/live/rhQiFfnCVd4?feature=share

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down fixed, variable, and semi-variable costs in a clear, exam-focused way. You’ll learn how to identify each type of cost, avoid common points of confusion, and apply these concepts to calculation and break-even style questions. This episode is designed to help you think more confidently through foodservice finance questions on exam day.

📺 Join RD Exam Ready Live
🗓 January 21, 2026 at 7:00 PM Central Time
👉 https://youtube.com/live/yE5PpAN18SI?feature=share

📲 Follow RD Exam Ready
Instagram: @RDExamReady
YouTube: @RDExamReady

🎧 Listen or watch the podcast anywhere:
https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak focuses on one of the most important skills for passing the RD Exam: QUESTION STRATEGY. You’ll learn how to approach every question with confidence using process of elimination, smart calculation techniques, and structured thinking for more complex clinical scenarios. This episode is all about improving performance on questions—not just memorizing content—so you can put the odds in your favor on exam day.

📲 Follow RD Exam Ready
Instagram: @RDExamReady
YouTube: @RDExamReady

🎧 Listen or watch anywhere:
 https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down the organizing function of management in a clear, student-friendly way. You’ll learn how managers group tasks, delegate authority, structure organizations, and manage staff through concepts like organizational charts, line vs. staff authority, span of control, and centralized vs. decentralized organizations. The goal is simple: help you recognize where these concepts fit so you feel confident on exam day.

📺 Join RD Exam Ready Live
January 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM Central Time
We’ll be reviewing minerals live on YouTube.
👉 https://youtube.com/live/C7A6KrCYl8A?feature=share

📲 Follow RD Exam Ready
Instagram: @RDExamReady
YouTube: @RDExamReady

🎧 Listen or watch anywhere:
 https://feeds.transistor.fm/rd-exam-ready-podcast