Culinary demonstrations enable dietitians and other health professionals to communicate nutrition information to consumers; entertain their audiences; teach basic or advanced cooking skills; and showcase healthy recipes that are affordable, easy to prepare, and flavorful. Gaining the confidence to cook in front of a captive audience—on-site or online via a Facebook Live or Zoom-style class—is a critical skill set for professionals working in clinical, community, and private practice settings. During this session, attendees will learn how to organize and implement a dynamic cooking demonstration; assess audience, location, equipment, and recipe selection; and cook in front of an in-person or virtual crowd. A nutrient-rich recipe utilizing WIC-approved foods will be demonstrated.

• Identify why cooking demos can build consumer confidence in the kitchen and trigger behavior change for healthier eating patterns.

• Outline the steps required to plan, prepare, and adapt a cooking demonstration for various in-person and virtual settings

• Modify and demonstrate one nutrient-rich recipe for different presentation formats and audiences

Liz Weiss, MS, RDN is a well-seasoned media dietitian. She’s the voice behind the food and nutrition blog, Liz's Healthy Table and the podcast, EAT, DRINK, LIVE LONGER. She has written several cookbooks including Color, Cook, Eat!, No Whine with Dinner, and The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers. Weiss is a sought-after speaker, spokesperson, TV guest, and cooking instructor. She is a contributor to Today's Dietitian magazine where her primary focus is the magazine’s Culinary Corner column, and she’s a Fruit & Vegetable Ambassador in Action for the Produce for Better Health Foundation. Liz began her media career at CNN where she served as senior producer and correspondent for the daily Food & Health News segment and weekend show, On the Menu, and in 2015, she received the prestigious Media Excellence Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Liz splits her time between Boston and Nantucket.