Healthcare Innovation & Culinary Medicine: Food Skills Programs in Canada & the US

How are clinicians on both sides of the border integrating nutrition into the healthcare system? In this episode of the Culinary Medicine Recipe podcast, Dr. Falquier chats with registered dietitian, Julia MacLaren, to explore the evolution of food skills programs across Canada and the US.Whether you are a healthcare professional looking to improve patient outcomes through lifestyle medicine or an individual focused on preventive nutrition, this conversation offers a cross-border perspective.In this episode, we explore:Bridging the Gap: How clinicians can move beyond "prescribing" a diet to teaching the food skills necessary for long-term adherence.National Agency Funding of Healthcare Innovation: Is there interest in culinary medicine?Systems Innovation: A look at food skills initiatives in Canada.Culinary Medicine in Public Healthcare: Can it be done?Timecodes:·      Culinary medicine program success stories [1:40]·      Are healthcare systems recognizing the benefits of food skills programs? [6:30]·      Julia MacLaren’s path into culinary medicine [9:30]·      Collaboration in culinary medicine [13:10]·      Food skills in Canada’s food guide [15:15]·      How culinary medicine will evolve in Canada’s public healthcare system? [17:00]·      Culinary medicine in Canada vs. the U.S. [19:20]·      One of Julia’s favourite food skills intervention programs [20:00]·      Terminology in culinary medicine [22:20]·      Culinary medicine as part of healthcare innovation in Canada, U.S. & globally [24:00]  Connect with the Show:·       Instagram: @alternativefoodnetwork ·       Website: alternativefoodnetwork.comIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review - it helps us reach more listeners looking to take control of their health through food!Credits:Host – Dr. Sabrina Falquier, MD, CCMS, DipABLMSound and Editing – Will CrannExecutive Producer – Esther Garfin©2026 Alternative Food Network Inc.To help support the podcast, please go to Buy Me a Coffee.Dr. Sabrina Falquier is a board-certified physician and a leader in Culinary Medicine. She specializes in bridging the gap between scientific evidence and the actual food on your plate, empowering listeners to use the kitchen as a place of wellness and healing.Show Topics Include: Nutrition, Food as Medicine, Health and Wellness Podcasting, Microbiome, Metabolism, Weight loss, Gut health, Healthy recipes, Health, Inflammation, Longevity, Blood sugar, Protein, Magnesium, Sleep quality, Immunity, Hormone balance, Sunday meal prep, Medically tailored meals (MTM), Produce Prescription (PRx), Prevention, Teaching kitchen, Health equity, Evidence-based nutrition, food podcast insights