Why I love being a virtual dietitian in Alberta, helping clients from Calgary to Edmonton build confidence and joy in their relationship with food.
Full disclosure, I didn’t start out as an Albertan. Neighboring Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, to be exact) was my first home, where I was born, raised, and eventually became a dietitian. I did, however, get tastes of Alberta along the way.
I attended school band trips to Edmonton, marveling at the West Edmonton Mall and Windsphere Centre. I have memories of family trips to the Calgary Zoo & Banff when I was young and Lake Louise as a slope-seeking snowboarder in university. I remember feeling exhilarated by the mountain air, standing on Tunnel Mountain for the first time. I loved it then.
That fondness has grown even deeper — I got my first professional job here, met my husband, grew our family by two adventure-seeking girls, and have lived, played, and worked in this province for the past 13 years. This is my home.
Come with me to find out the top reasons why I absolutely love being a dietitian in Alberta.
Whether a raised box on a patio or a sprawling garden in a farmyard, Albertans love growing their own produce. My mother-in-law taught me how to plant my first garden in Lloydminster, passing down hacks from their family farm near Lea Park on the North Saskatchewan River.
Even if you don’t have a garden, a greenhouse is just around the corner. Southeastern Redcliff touts itself as the “Greenhouse Capital of the Prairies”, with warmer climates that allow them to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers all year round! If you’re ever rolling through on Highway 1, stop in at Huber’s for an old-timey grocery market experience.
And of course, there’s the magic of Alberta’s farmers’ markets — from parking lots to community centres, anywhere a few folding tables can be laced together. One of my all-time favourites is in the heart of Edmonton at the Strathcona Market. If you’re closer to Calgary, check out one of Calgary Farmers’ Markets’ two locations.
If you can’t tell, I love helping folks make the most of locally grown food, whether it’s elevating a salad, roasting veggies, minimizing waste, or supporting our communities.
One of the biggest privileges of being a virtual dietitian in Alberta is working with clients from all kinds of cultural backgrounds. I love hearing about their food staples, family traditions, and ways of nourishing themselves.
Take rice, for example, a staple for many of my clients living with diabetes. We’ll explore ideas together like adding lentils, swapping to brown rice, reducing portions, and boosting meals with hearty veggies and protein. In return, I’ve received cooking tips, ingredient swaps, and recipes that have added so much to my own family’s meals.
Love it or hate it, Alberta gives us four very distinct seasons — which means how we eat shifts constantly too. Here’s how I see it play out:
Every season brings its own challenges. Just when you find a routine, things shift again. Helping clients adjust to the pace and priorities of each season is one of my favourite parts of being a dietitian in Alberta.
It’s no secret that Alberta ranchers produce some of the best beef in the world. For many Albertans, that’s part of their identity — and I fully get it! As a registered dietitian in Alberta, I help folks find realistic ways to support heart health while still enjoying the foods they love.
That might mean:
Alberta also grows incredible crops — barley, oats, lentils, and beans — all fibre-rich and packed with plant-based protein. Need ideas? Try a barley pilaf or whip up one-bowl banana barley breakfast cookies.
Albertans know how to make the most of the outdoors and I love hearing about their adventures! Whether it’s skiing, biking, camping, or festivals, I get to help fuel those moments.
As a virtual dietitian working with clients from Edmonton to Calgary and beyond, I offer strategies for keeping meals and snacks simple but effective, from pocket-sized fuel for skiers at Sunshine Mountain to cooler-friendly options for a beach day up north.
If you haven’t noticed… I really love food. And being a dietitian in Alberta lets me share that love across the province from Cold Lake to Pincher Creek and everywhere in between.
Some road trip faves I always recommend:
After more than a decade of counselling, one thing hasn’t changed: I love walking alongside people as they figure out how to nourish themselves in ways that feel good. Whether it’s coaching intuitive eating, supporting diabetes management, working through gut health issues, pediatric nutrition, or eating disorder recovery, every client journey is unique, and I feel lucky to be part of it.
At Centred Nutrition Collective, we believe nutrition counselling is about building trust, finding joy in the food we eat, and creating a peaceful relationship with our bodies. Our nutrition counselling services cover everything from chronic conditions to everyday challenges — and I’ve seen firsthand how even small shifts can lead to big changes.
One of my favourite moments? Equipping a mom with the tools and confidence to talk to her teenage girls about nutrition using food- and weight-neutral language. Those are the wins I’ll never get tired of.
