Food Bullying Podcast

Our November hunger series kicks off with one of our favorite guests, anti-hunger advocate Diane Sullivan. She shares how COVID-19 has impacted people who are experiencing food insecurity. For example, did you know people who use SNAP benefits aren't able to use grocery delivery services that have been essential to many who are at high risk? Diane Sullivan is a mother and a grandmother with lived...

Cranberries! One of the stars of autumn tables evokes beautiful images, wonderful scents, and a distinct taste. We discover how cranberries are grown and harvested sustainably in this episode, plus why we shouldn't be afraid of the "sugar" in these nutritious berries. We also learn how a cranberry bog in Massachusetts looks different than a cranberry bog in Wisconsin. Michele and Eliz are joined b...

We've all seen the ads for pet food featuring happy dogs with happy owners who buy the very best food for their furry family members. But is that food better? How do you know what is best for your pet? Does grain-free dog food make sense or are you being food bullied into buying a boutique brand that offers less nutrition? Our guest, veterinarian Tammy Lons, gives us the scoop on the facts about p...

Did you know popcorn is an entirely different crop than the sweet corn you enjoy on the cob? Eliz didn't! Michele and Eliz welcome Brian Scott to talk about popcorn, sweet corn, field corn, GMOs, and why seeds are intellectual property. Brian is a corn, soybean, popcorn, and wheat farmer in northwest Indiana raising two young boys on the farm with his wife, Nicole. He started The Farmer's Life blo...

There is a critical time between diagnosis and treatment when patients are vulnerable and searching for anything to control.   Too often, people receive lots of unsolicited, non-science-based advice about what they should and shouldn't eat to get rid of cancer. Patients will run with advice, even if it is not supported by science, just to have some action to take.   Unfortunately, that advice can...

What role does disgust play in our fear of disease?   Why should we be careful about the language used to describe disease?   Dr. Tyler Davis is back to discuss how exotic foods are associated with "otherness." Neophobia (fear of new things) creates stigmas.   Bonus, Michele expresses her feelings about snakes. It's a great start to Season 7! Dr. Tyler Davis is an associate professor of psychologi...

Do you wonder which apple will taste the best, or which is healthier?   Our guest today writes a very popular blog that inspires people to eat more produce.   Lori Taylor also started using TikTok to illustrate how eating produce is love language for your body. Lori is the founder & CEO of The Produce Moms. For 10 years she sold fresh produce to over 300 grocery stores in the United States . Today...

Ever wonder if that tasty sound bite on the news about what you eat is true?   Our guest, journalist Kate Delaney, shares how to vet what you hear and why a sensational headline is more likely to get media attention. Emmy award-winning talk show host and speaker Kate Delaney's talk show "America Tonight" is syndicated across the U.S. and is heard in 20 other countries. In the 15 years of the show,...

Fifty eight episodes have flown by and here we are, a year into the Food Bullying Podcast! Michele and Eliz reflect on the first anniversary of the podcast with a look at some of their favorite episodes. Listen for more insight on nutrition, neuroscience, farming, exercise, GMOs, healthy eating, hormones, science, and wellness. Episode 11: How do you feed a vegan NFL player & a carnivore ballerina...

Social media memes and marketing messages often ring nostalgic for how things used to be on the farm. But were the "good old days" really better?   In this episode we chat with fruit and vegetable expert Gene McAvoy about how farming used to work (and how it still works in some parts of the world) and how research has made farming better.  Gene McAvoy is currently the Associate Director for Stakeh...

Have you ever had an authority figure make you feel bad about your food choices? Are you drawn in by people selling sensation rather than by facts around food?   We talk peanut allergies, low-FODMAP diet, health literacy, and why you can eat a pound of chocolate if you really want it (but maybe that isn't the best idea in the end) with our guest Sherry Coleman Collins. Sherry is an award winning R...

Do you know a farm family?   The vast majority of agriculture businesses are family-owned.   Our guest, Jolene Brown, consults with hundreds of farm families each year and shares the stresses and delights of farming. Jolene Brown is a real "Farmer Brown." From Eastern Iowa, she's an internationally known professional speaker in agriculture. Jolene is a long-time friend of Michele and Eliz, who can...

In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Michele and Eliz welcome Callie (Eliz's daughter and manager of the Food Bullying Facebook Page) for a wide-ranging Q&A session. Callie Greene is about to begin her second year at Lawrence University, where she studies psychology and harp performance. Callie's Questions: What's with all the Roundup in hummus and cereal? Roundup kills weeds and has been us...

Food shaming puts undue stress on parents, especially as kids go back to school.   Our guest, Amy Reed, is a pediatric dietitian who is teaching parents how to advocate for the needs of their kids.   Whether your child is labeled as a "picky eater" or has significant challenges receiving nutrition, parents who aren't confident in what they feed their kids are susceptible to food shaming and bullyi...

Did you know there is a science dedicated to teaching cooking skills?   How and what we serve at our table makes a big difference in our health.   Our guest shares why she teaches medical students about nutrition. Dr. Jacque Nyenhuis is a chef, dietitian, professor of medicine, and farms on the side. She started working in restaurant kitchens when she was 16 and moved up from dishwasher through ju...

Agronomist Kevin Hoyer joins the podcast to talk about his experience helping farmers diagnose and treat their plants and soil as well as traveling the world looking at food production in other countries.   As a "doctor for crops," he says  "you can be thankful and trust that the products you buy are at the highest level of safety possible.   America carries the highest standards found anywhere in...

Sugar gets the blame for many of our health issues.   Should we avoid sugar? Are there good sugars and bad sugars? Our guest, Melissa Joy Dobbins is a registered dietitian and diabetes expert.   She brings a common sense approach to eating well and says "if people with diabetes can have sugar, you can too!" Melissa Joy Dobbins MS, RDN, CDE is known as The Guilt-Free RD® – "because food shouldn't m...

How do we honor the people who produce our food when most of us never set foot on a farm or ranch?   Our guest this week suggests the key is educating yourself about the benefits of food and choosing what you want without giving into what other people may think. Joe Anderson is a fourth generation farmer in Idaho & has been farming probably all his life, but as a career since 1983. Like many farme...

USDA Certified Organic is more than a label.   Our guest, Carolyn Olson, shares the attention to detail and expense necessary to produce an organic crop.   She also shares how raising pigs conventionally is part of their plan. Carolyn Olson is a wife, mom, grandma, and farmer. She is a district director on the Minnesota Farm Bureau board of directors and was the first chair of the American Farm Bu...

Life on the farm may be a mystery for those of us in urban and suburban areas. One of the best ways to understand where food comes from is to meet the people who grow it.   Farm kids balance school, sports, service clubs, and helping on the farm.   In this behind the scenes episode, meet our Food Bullying Podcast editor and find out about her life as a farm kid. She shares what she's learned showi...

Does how you feel about a cut of steak or whether it is labelled "natural" impact how much you enjoy it? Our guest, Dr. Mark Miller shares his research on consumer beef preferences and how labels influence what we choose to eat. Dr. Mark Miller is the San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science at Texas Tech University. He has been instrumental in developing consumer thresholds...

Did you know that people can use food to threaten others? When it comes to food allergies, food CAN kill!   Our guest in this episode has great advice on how to truly welcome everyone to your table AND avoid killing someone (or making them sick) with the food you serve. Tracy Stuckrath is a food allergy and inclusivity expert who wants to ensure no one is offended or hurt with the food they are se...

Do you know how labels, ads, and menus are designed to make you buy? The job of a marketer is to get you to choose their item and sell more.   Our guest Gerry O'Brion shares how giving people a rational reason to choose a product is the key to influencing buying behavior. Gerry O'Brion is a professional speaker and branding expert who speaks to 10,000 CEOs and sales professionals every year about...

This episode's guest and her husband are millennials and third generation dairy, beef and crop farmers in Michigan.   They are working hard and using technology, including robots, to secure the future of their farm.   Ashley Kennedy shares insights on being a working mother, fostering a positive attitude toward food, and what exactly robots are doing on their farm. Ashley Kennedy is mother to two...

We are likely to stand in line to get the latest smart phone technology —  so why do we fear technology in food? In this delightful episode, Dr. Kevin Folta makes Eliz and Michele roar with laughter and sheds light on genetics, technology, and how to he's working to make strawberries taste better.   We discuss how science is working to solve important problems for people and the environment. Kevin...