culinary nutrition program myths

With the advent of the farm-to-table movement and more and more information being shared about the benefits of healthful eating, people are turning their focus to eating fresh ingredients and healthy foods. Enter: the culinary nutritionist.

If you enjoy cooking meals that taste good and are good for you, you might enjoy studying culinary nutrition, which combines cooking with learning about how different foods help the body.  Since culinary nutrition is a fairly new field, most people don't know very much about it, which can only mean one thing: lots of assumptions. And where there are assumptions, there are bound to be some myths to debunk! Here are six of them: 

Myth #1: You "Just" Learn to Be a Chef

After watching cooking competition shows, you may think culinary degrees are only for chefs.  In fact, consumers and health professionals are now demanding that food is not only good tasting, but also healthy. As a consequence, the hospitality industry needs people who can both cook and analyze the nutrition in food.  The culinary arts part of the program does include cooking skills such as:

  • Kitchen Organization
  • Cooking Methods
  • Baking and Pastry
  • Meat, Poultry & Seafood
  • Presentation 

However, the applied nutrition aspect of the program goes beyond cooking techniques into the science of food and beyond. Students learn about nutrition, dietary management and food safety.

Myth #2: You Won't Receive Any Practical Experience

Culinary nutrition includes both classroom hands-on experience and the opportunity to do an externship at a business or health facility.   In addition, students may get practice in skills like:

  • Dietary Therapies
  • Nutrition Analysis
  • Recipe Modification
  • Alternative Cooking Techniques
  • Development of Menus

Practical experience in evaluating and creating healthy foods is not just about counting calories or preparing food for people with diabetes. Many people are eating vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or other specialized diets. Culinary nutritionists are taught how to create individualized dietary plans and recipes to meet a variety of nutritional goals.

Myth #3: Food Science is . . . Too Scientific

It is true that a culinary nutrition program includes the science of food techniques and nutrition. However, that scientific information is learned within a practical context, which means hands-on experience. To complete the degree, students take courses in college mathematics, communication, writing, culture, and even psychology. Believe it or not, all of these generalized courses help students to achieve the goal of being able to understand the science of nutrition and to apply that knowledge to create food people will love to eat.

Myth #4: Culinary Nutrition is Only for People Working in Hospitals

While some culinary nutritionists work in hospitals, other career possibilities are:

  • Community Health Education: This job may include teaching in schools, health clubs or at community events to promote better dietary habits in order to reduce obesity and improve health.  A community health educator might also prepare recipes for a newsletter or brochure.
  • Food Service Manager in Restaurant or Hotel:  A person in this career is responsible for the operations of a restaurant or other eating establishment.  They may be in charge of menus to create healthy choices and use local ingredients.
  • School Food Service Manager: People in this job may be in charge of a creating menus for a school or University, or might supervise the production of food for a company.
  • Catering and Event Services:  This career would involve planning good tasting, healthy food for events and making sure the food is prepared safely.
  • Food Safety Specialist for Resort or Spa: A safety specialist makes sure that food preparation complies with food regulations in cooking and storing food.

Myth #5: You Don't Get to Cook Great Food in School

Perhaps this is the biggest myth of all.  While studying culinary nutrition, you will learn to think about all of the things which go into preparing really excellent food, including what that food does to the body.  For many people who enjoy food preparation and creating recipes, the challenge of combining great nutrition with wonderful flavor is exciting.

Myth #6: Job Prospects Aren't Very Good

food service manager salaryAs our population ages and people have become more interested in healthy eating, the job of culinary nutritionist is becoming increasingly important. Because of this, graduates of culinary nutrition programs may have even better job opportunities than people trained only in culinary arts.  Plus, the job prospects and pay are generally good for people who have the ability to analyze nutrition and safety as well as create healthy foods.  As an example of some of the job prospects that could be available for a person with culinary nutrition training, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics notes the following median annual salaries for jobs in this field:

Does mixing beautiful presentation and killer taste with healthful principles sound like something you'd love to do? Consider an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts and Applied Nutrition through ECPI University's College of Culinary Arts. Contact us TODAY to find how in less than 15 months you could be prepared for a new career in the emerging field of healthy hospitality! It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

Learn more about ECPI's College of Culinary Arts TODAY!

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