Meet Lisa Andrews | Registered Dietitian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Andrews and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Being in the nutrition field for 30 years, I assume that everyone knows the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist.

I joke that RD stands for “Real Deal”. Here’s the numbers: Dietitians must obtain a 4-year degree, complete a 6-10 month dietetic internship, pass a 4-hour exam, and maintain 15 hours of continuing education each year. As of 2024, someone that wants to become an RD must also complete a Masters Degree.

On the flip side, a “nutritionist” may or may not be a dietitian, For example, someone could do an online course in nutrition and say they are a nutritionist but not have nearly the qualifications that a registered dietitian has. In short, RDs can call themselves nutritionists but nutritionists are not necessarily dietitians.

Dietitians are qualified and licensed to practice MNT (Medical Nutrition Therapy). We work with patients with nutrition-related diseases like diabetes, gastrointestinal issues or cardiovascular conditions.

If you seek nutrition expertise, look for the RD credentials behind a person’s name.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m not ‘eggsactly’ an artist but more of a food punster. I started writing food puns (think dad jokes) about 6 years ago after seeing a food-related tee shirt in a big store and knowing I’d never wear it.

I asked a friend to make a few designs for me, had one printed, and then sent it to 25 friends and family members. I continued to make designs and eventually had a web designer put together an e-commerce store.

I have many designs, so I have a lot of them done through a “print-on-demand” service. I also have notecards printed locally and sell them at a few gift shops around Cincinnati. I also use them myself when I write letters.

The biggest challenge for me is marketing. My primary market is people in the food business as well as other dietitians. I’ve offered raffle baskets,, collaborated with people on giveaways, and have done my own giveaways to get more exposure.

What I want people to know about my brand is that it’s meant to start a conversation about food and connect people. Part of my proceeds goes to food insecurity programs. My brand is called “Lettuce beet hunger”.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely take a friend to Findlay Market. It’s one of the oldest food markets in downtown Cincinnati and has a variety of delicious restaurants and locally owned fruit, veggie, dairy, and meat products. The area is called OTR (Over the Rhine). There are plenty of fun breweries and restaurants nearby as well.

Downtown Cincinnati also has the Aranoff Center for Broadway shows in addition to a handful of museums and places to shop.
A few of my favorite restaurants include Nada (Mexican), Via Vite (Italian), Pho Lang Tang (pho), and Sacred Beast (eclectic American).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My fellow dietitians work so hard to protect consumers from all the nutrition noise out there. I’d like to give a shout out to my colleague and friend, Laurie Dunham. She works with eating disorder clients and is an expert in the field.

Website: www.soundbitesnutrition.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/nutrigirl

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/nutrigirl

Twitter: www.twitter.com/nutrigirl

Facebook: www.facebook.com/soundbitesnutritionllc

Image Credits
Leah Brady