The phrase "meal planning" can immediately trigger a sense of dread. But brainstorming healthy recipes, cooking, and portioning out all your meals for the week doesn't have to be a slog.

On this episode of On Nutrition, we talk with Chef Jen Welper - author of the cookbook "Cook Smart, Eat Well" - about her favorite methods for meal prep. She'll share strategies for conquering the kitchen, from family meals to holidays.

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

A snide remark from a coworker. Airplane seats that only fit a certain size. A provider’s insistence that your knee pain is due to overweight. More than 40% of U.S. adults have experienced stigma due to their weight. But where does it come from, and how can it come between you and your healthcare?

On this episode of On Nutrition, we talk with psychologist Dr. Afton Koball about the harmful impact of weight bias, and how providers and patients can push back against stereotypes, in the medical field and beyond.

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

Many of the eating habits we learn or adopt in childhood can continue into adulthood. So let's take a trip down memory lane. What was the nutritional advice when we were kids, and how has it changed or evolved? How do parents influence our eating and exercise? And is it actually fair to blame your parents?

On this episode of Mayo Clinic on Nutrition, we talk with pediatrician and childhood eating disorder specialist Dr. Angela Mattke — and host of Mayo Clinic Kids — about habit-building, habit-breaking and nostalgia for ham in a can.

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

The rise in diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's could have a surprising source: the gut. Scientists are still exploring the link between the gut and the brain, but there is evidence that a balanced holistic lifestyle could reduce stress, inflammation, and, potentially, the risk of neurodegenerative conditions.

On this episode of On Nutrition, we talk with gastroenterologist Dr. Partha Nandi about his new book, "Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain: The Five Pillars of Enhancing Your Gut and Optimizing Your Cognitive Health."

Purchase Dr. Nandi's book today.

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

There’s this one weird trick doctors don’t want you to know… because it doesn’t work. It’s natural to hope for a one-size-fits-all, lose-weight-fast-and-forever solution. And if your sibling or friend is doing it or you saw it on TikTok, it can be tempting to just give it a try and see what happens. But what's the science behind these diets? Are some better than others? And will your nutritionist judge you if you try one?

On this episode of Mayo Clinic on Nutrition, we talk with Dr. Summer Allen about the good and the fad: what makes diets work (or seem like they do) and what you should consider before trying one yourself.

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

Many of us have reached for a sweet or salty treat out of loneliness, anxiety, or stress. But where does the emotional impulse to eat come from? And does what we eat impact our mood too?

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

People choose to ‘go vegan’ for a myriad of reasons, from animal welfare to environmentalism. But is veganism automatically healthier just because it's plant-based? What do people need to know before they make the whole food switch?

On this episode of On Nutrition, we talk with Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a longtime vegan and doctor of osteopathic medicine, about how a plant-based diet has helped both herself and her patients—and how it could help you.

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

"Diet" is one of those words where two people can say it and mean totally different things. And in a medical nutrition context, those differences are important. So what do we mean when we talk about diet vs. dieting? And how can we move from restricting how we eat to being more mindful of our habits? Because when it comes to food, what's on our mind and what we put in our mouths matter.

On this episode of On Nutrition, we talk with Dr. Donald Hensrud about diet, dieting, and the topic that has launched a thousand Google searches: what should I eat?

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.