What The Actual Fork Podcast

Ever wonder if you're the only parent struggling with toddler mealtime battles? Jenna and Sam are here to tell you that you most definitely aren't. Tune in as they report from the toddler trenches, all about food, control, and the art of meal negotiations with little ones. From table tantrums to family meals in front of the TV, they're squashing mom guilt and sharing insights on flexible, realisti...

Dalina Soto, threepeat guest, is back and helping Jenna answer your questions. They provide insight to your questions about the value judgments between diet soda and pre-workout, fears around gaining weight on vacation, why ARFID isn't just "picky eating," dealing with food pressures during the holidays, and good questions to ask yourself about the food choices you're making. We are SO excited to...

Sam and Jenna have a conversation about The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and the Internet's reaction to dirty sodas that leads to a deep dive on comparison, making choices about how we spend our time, and setting boundaries–for social media in particular, and our lives in general.  Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com/ Visit Carawayhome.com/ACTUALFORK to see all of our...

This week is a dream conversation! Jenna talks with Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up and voice behind the podcast, memoir, and foundation, The Big Silence. Jenna and Karena explore vital topics like mental wellness, fitness, and managing stress. Karena opens up about her own journey, offering a fresh perspective on the wellness industry. She also highlights The Big Silence and the movement de...

Sam and Jenna are diving into the latest buzz on social media, starting with the annual return of pumpkin spice content and comparing popular 'healthy' smoothies to pumpkin spice lattes. They discuss the nuances of food choices, exploring the marketing strategies behind what we label as 'nutritious.' Plus, they chat about the rising popularity of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and reflect on how s...

Sam and Jenna are diving into the trials and tribulations of motherhood, diet culture, and those pesky unexpected life events. From traumatic ER visits involving our toddlers to the ongoing struggles against diet culture, we're exploring everything at the intersection of food, body image, and motherhood. Join us for an open, heartfelt, and hilarious conversation that aims to normalize this messy a...

Shana Minei Spence, MS, RDN, CDN is a registered dietitian and author of the new book, Live Nourished, Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy. Shana joins Jenna and Sam this week to talk Live Nourished, her personal journey with diet culture, teaching without shame, the demonization of convenience foods , and so much more. Seriously, we cover a lot of ground in this one. Shana is...

We're getting the rest of Sam's birth story this week! More specifically, we're talking all things C-section. Sam shares what the experience was like, how she's supporting her recovery, and offers tips, guidance, and recommendations for anyone navigating C-section recovery. Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com/ What The Actual Fork https://www.instagram.com/whattheactu...

Sam's back!! She fills Jenna in on how things have been going since she added another little one to her family. She talks about the ways she prepped for her second baby that made all the difference, what she felt good about leaving behind, how she's trying to keep things as calm and collected as possible (which we all know is basically impossible–but she's trying, folks!), and why it's so importan...

You've got questions, Jenna's got answers! Here's what you asked this week: How do I navigate gentle nutrition for high blood pressure and high cholesterol with all of the diet noise out there? How do I balance wanting to "get back in shape" after pregnancy without going overboard? What are some good food tips for staying hydrated in the summer heat? What does intuitive eating look like if I'm tra...

Our What the Actual Fork listeners always have the best, most thoughtful questions, so Jenna's answering some more of them! Here's what you wanted to know: How can I encourage my toddler to choose anything other than cookies when I offer him snacks? What should I do for my recent gestational diabetes diagnosis? How do I navigate gentle nutrition for high blood pressure and high cholesterol with al...

Cole Kazdin is a writer, performer and four-time Emmy Award-winning television journalist. Her first book, What's Eating Us: Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety blends personal narrative and investigative reporting to reveal disordered eating as an epidemic crisis killing millions of women. She joins Jenna this week to talk about how her lived experience led her to writing this book, how...

This week, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes from the early days. It's a very special Jenna solo ep. where she talked all things fitness. This topic is very special to her because she has had quite the history with exercise. She dives into fitness obsession vs intuitive movement, when does exercise become obsessive, and must haves in your fitness routine. Jenna shares her story more in...

Dalina Soto is a registered dietitian and positive health advocate. She joins Jenna this week to talk about her upcoming book, the whitewashing of dietetics, social media's dangerous reliance on a lack of nuance, and why it's so important to consider culture's role in food and nutrition.  Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com/ Go to puritywoods.com/FORK or enter code FO...

Mindy Hoffman is a licensed professional National Certified Counselor and an eating disorder recovery advocate. She joins Sam and Jenna this week to share her own recovery journey and how her work as a counselor allows her to connect with people on similar journeys. She shares how her "Living in the Hot Pink" philosophy has helped her move beyond strict black and white thinking into a more vibrant...

Margaret Doherty is a New York based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She joins Sam and Jenna this week to share her pregnancy journey. She discusses how her experience was so different from what everyone told her to expect, offering a unique perspective on the ways social norms and expectations can shape the stories we tell ourselves. She also offers some practical ways folks in larger bod...

Jenna's answering all your listener questions this week! From tips for folks who are new to intuitive eating, to dealing with bad body image days, and so much more in between, you had questions, and Jenna's got answers. Plus, fellow Jersey girl, Producer Andrea, swings by for a little Springsteen chat, why not? Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com/ Unlock an exclusive...

Just before Sam heads off for maternity leave, she and Jenna peel back the layers on what's really in store post-baby. Sam dishes on her epic watchlist for those late-night baby feedings, and then they delve into the unfiltered reality of the "roommate phase" of new parenthood. They pull no punches, discussing the genuine struggles couples face in keeping their relationship solid amidst the chaos,...

Amanda Bullat is a certified intuitive eating counselor and self-described "undiet dietitian" who helps active women 40 years and older learn how to achieve their happiest and healthiest lives during perimenopause and menopause. She joins Sam and Jenna to breakdown what to expect with the stages of perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, why it's so important to nourish your body during this...

Lillian Rishty is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. She is a certified anxiety specialist, a certified complex trauma professional, and is also certified in Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™. Basically, Lillian really knows her stuff. She joins Sam and Jenna this week to talk all things mental health and motherhood. Resenting your partner, f...

Sam's in the home stretch of pregnancy number 2! While we wait to meet her new little one, she and Jenna are sharing some practical ways you can show up for your pregnant friends. From meal trains, to gift cards, to putting in some time and elbow grease, to simply being a shoulder to lean on (maybe even literally), there are so many good ways you can support the people you love, no matter what sta...

Once again, people who have no business giving medical advice are saying really concerning stuff on social media. We're talking specifically about a claim that it's totally fine to intentionally lose weight while pregnant, but this is also just a general discussion about the difference between sharing opinions and facts and why we need to be careful about the content we consume.  Listen to more po...

Jenna's recent social media post addressing weight-stigma and fatphobia is causing a stir on Instagram, but TikTok's reaction? Well, let's just say it's not exactly making waves. Sam couldn't even find it! It's like TikTok's hit the mute button on conversations challenging fatphobia and advocating for awareness about weight stigma. And that's before we even begin to break down the content of the v...

A new Washington Post article is treating "anti-diet" like a dirty word, and Sam and Jenna are here to break down what's going on in this conversation, refuting the claim that "anti-diet" means "anti-health" and that the anti-diet movement is being funded by "Big Food." Come on. Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com/ Head over to cozyearth.com and use promo code " FORK...

In this episode, Jenna shares her postpartum experience four months after giving birth. She and Sam break down the challenges they've faced, including changes in sleep patterns, hair loss, and even a shift in the body's oil production (time to embrace the slicked-back pony). They also talk about the struggle of feeling alone in this phase of motherhood, the pressure to "bounce back," and the impor...