Culinary Medicine with Christina Badaracco

The Dr. Francavilla Show

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Have you ever been told what to eat—but not how to actually make it?
That gap between nutrition advice and real-life cooking is exactly what culinary medicine aims to fill. It’s the bridge between knowing what supports your health and actually making it work in your kitchen and your lifestyle.

In this episode, we’re diving into the practical side of healthy eating—through the lens of culinary medicine. You’ll hear from registered dietitian and public health expert Christina Badaracco, who leads culinary medicine training programs nationwide and recently co-authored a new cookbook called Mix It Up.

We talk about:

• What culinary medicine really means (and why it matters)
• How teaching kitchens and group cooking programs help build skills and confidence
• Common barriers to cooking and how to overcome them
• Creative ways to bring culinary medicine into healthcare, community settings, and even your own home
• Christina’s journey writing Mix It Up and how it’s designed to help beginners and hesitant cooks eat better without the overwhelm

We also dig into a big question: how can patients eat well—even when they’re eating less, such as during treatment with medications like Wegovy or Zepbound? Christina shares the thinking behind flexible recipes, ingredient swaps, and why making every bite count doesn’t have to mean complicated cooking.

Whether you’re a provider, patient, or just someone who wants to feel more at home in the kitchen, this conversation will leave you with tools, ideas, and a fresh perspective on food and health. Press play now to get started.

Connect with Ms. Christina:

• Book: Mix It Up
• Co-Author’s Website: Olivia Thomas
• Website: Christina Badaracco
• Linkedin: Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN
• Information about teaching kitchens: Growing the Value of Teaching Kitchens to Promote Healthy Cooking and Lifestyle Behaviors
• Teaching Kitchen Collaborative members: https://teachingkitchens.org/member-list/
• Teaching kitchen training toolkit: https://teachingkitchens.org/toolkits/
• Characteristics of Current Teaching Kitchens: Findings from Recent Surveys of the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative

Connect with me:

• Instagram: doctorfrancavilla
• Facebook: Help Your Patients Lose Weight with Dr. Francavilla
• Website: Dr. Francavilla Show
• Youtube: The Doctor Francavilla Show
• GLP Strong: glpstrong.com