RD Exam Ready Podcast

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak Kaesberg breaks down the different types of community program evaluations to help you confidently answer public health questions on the RD Exam. You'll learn how to distinguish between formative, summative (outcome), impact, process, structure, and fiscal evaluations, when each is used, and the clues that help you identify the correct answer on exa...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak Kaesberg breaks down religious diets and cultural food practices to help you confidently answer RD Exam questions involving food restrictions, dietary patterns, and special considerations. You’ll review key religious dietary practices including Judaism and kosher diets, Islam and halal foods, Mormon dietary practices, Hinduism, Buddhism, Seventh-da...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, we review the respiratory system and medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for pulmonary conditions that you need to understand for the RD Exam. We’ll cover respiratory anatomy and physiology, gas exchange, acid-base balance, and how lung dysfunction impacts nutrition care. We’ll also discuss MNT considerations for conditions including COPD, cystic fibrosis,...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, we review the nutrition labeling concepts you need to know for the RD Exam. We discuss Nutrition Facts label requirements, ingredient and allergen labeling, and which foods and restaurants are required to provide nutrition information. We also break down the differences between nutrient content claims, structure/function claims, and health claims, incl...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks Quality Improvement in a clear, exam-focused way. You’ll learn about cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, performance improvement models, tools, and much more! We finish with 3 practice questions to prepare you for exam day.  📺 Join RD Exam Ready Live 🗓 June 3 at 7:00 PM Central Time 👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/zchUa5mgJS...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, we review the food science concepts behind fruits and vegetables that you need to remember for the RD Exam. Zak breaks down the structure of plant cells, carbohydrates found in produce, important vitamins and minerals, ripening processes, storage techniques, cooking methods, and USDA grading standards for fruits and vegetables.  We finish with three so...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak break down Anemias. He expands this into the labs, deficiencies, and ways to differentiate each anemia from the other. We finish by doing 3 practice questions to test our knowledge. RD Exam Ready Live 5/20/26 7:00 pm Central Join the email list for notes and updates: http://eepurl.com/jvGxaA Follow RD Exam Ready: Instagram: @RDExamReady TikTok: @RD...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down Foodservice Production Systems to help you feel confident tackling these concepts on exam day. This episode focuses on the four major systems you’re expected to know — conventional, ready prepared, commissary, and assembly serve — and how each one operates in real-world settings. You’ll review how food is prepared, transported, and serv...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down Community Needs Assessments and program planning to help you feel confident tackling these concepts on exam day. This episode focuses on how to approach community nutrition questions, understand the flow of a needs assessment, and apply critical thinking to identify the next best step in a given scenario. This episode emphasizes how to...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down phytochemicals and plant pigments to help you feel confident tackling these food science topics on exam day. You’ll review major phytochemical groups like polyphenols, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and phytoestrogens, their food sources, and their roles in health. Zak also explains how plant pigments such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down Wounds and Wound Healing MNT to help you feel confident tackling these topics on exam day. This episode focuses on the nutrition foundations behind wound healing — including pressure injuries, staging, and how nutrient needs change based on severity. You’ll review the phases of wound healing, types of wounds, and how to identify and und...

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, appropr...

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 ve...

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 pattern...

*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 styl...

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 Exa...

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, highlight...

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 t...

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. 📺...

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...

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...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down stress, inflammation, and the labs you’ll see in acute illness. Learn how acute phase reactants work, how to interpret albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, and CRP, and why inflammation—not nutrition alone—drives many lab changes in hospitalized patients. This episode helps you connect inflammation, metabolism, and nutrition care with conf...

In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak walks through common gastrointestinal disorders and the nutrition therapy used to manage them. You’ll review conditions affecting the esophagus, stomach, and intestines, with a clear focus on understanding etiology, signs and symptoms, medications, and nutrition interventions. The episode wraps up with practice questions to help you apply what you’...

YOUTUBE LIVE: 12/17/25 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time  [VITAMINS WITH Q&A] Link: https://youtube.com/live/za_riY2HouY?feature=share   In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down behavior change and educational theories you need to know for the CDR Exam. Learn how major models explain patient motivation, readiness to change, and counseling strategies—without getting lost in the det...

Episode Description: In this episode of the RD Exam Ready Podcast, Zak breaks down the key equipment and facility standards you’ll need to know for the RD Exam. From understanding equipment requirements and dishwasher basics to lighting standards and common exam traps, you'll learn how to identify what matters most on test day. The episode wraps up with practice questions to help you apply and rei...