Why I Don't Include the Nutrition Information for My Recipes (2024)

Home » Intuitive Eating » Why I Don’t Include the Nutrition Information for My Recipes

By Kara Lydon - - Updated

It’s the most frequently asked question I get on the blog so I figured it’s about time I answered it in depth! Explaining why I don’t include the nutrition information for the recipes on my blog.
Why I Don't Include the Nutrition Information for My Recipes (1)

One of the questions I get asked most often in the comments section on the blog is why don’t I provide the nutrition information for my recipes. I’ve even had some people question if I’m truly a dietitian because I don’t include the nutrition information. Here’s what I can assure you:

  • I am a registered dietitian nutritionist
  • I create damn good recipes that taste delicious
  • I’m most often keeping nutrition in mind when I develop recipes
  • When you visit my blog, you will never feel an ounce of food guilt or shame due to some numbers.

If you’ve asked me this question before or thought about asking me it, this post is not meant to call you out or offend you, it’s meant to shine a light on the WHY behind this decision. It’s really hard to include everything I want to say on this topic when I’m responding to a comment on the blog so I hope that this will help better explain my stance.

I don’t include the nutrition information on my recipes because it goes against everything that I practice and believe as an intuitive eating dietitian. When we reduce recipes to numbers (like calories or grams of this or that), we lose out on everything else the food provides to us: satisfaction, joy, comfort, taste, celebration. It’s really hard to truly enjoy the food you are eating when you’re worrying about it fitting your allotted calories or macros for the day. I want this blog to be a safe space where you can celebrate and enjoy food, without feeling guilty, and I wouldn’t be able to achieve that if I included the nutritionals for my recipes.

Even before I became a certified intuitive eating counselor, I never included nutritionals on this blog. I never talked about calories or numbers with my clients because I knew that focusing on one number would take away from seeing the larger nutrition picture. For instance, if you only looked at calories, you might dismiss certain foods that are more calorie-dense but provide important satiating nutrients like protein and healthy fat and fiber. Also, counting calories simply doesn’t work for weight loss. When I talk about nutrition and health with clients, I’m always trying to use a wider lens. Over the course of a week, are you getting a variety of food groups and nutrients? Are you focusing on mental and emotional health in addition to physical health?

Now I totally understand that some people may need nutrition information for specific medical conditions. If you need that information, there are plenty of recipe blogs out there catered to specific medical conditions; this blog is not one of them. There’s the saying you can’t be everything to everyone and I think that’s applicable here on the blog. I have to stay true to my purpose and my mission and help those who are interested in healing their relationships with food and their bodies.

Why I Don't Include the Nutrition Information for My Recipes (2)

Now perhaps you are trying to heal your relationship with food or you’re trying to recover from your eating disorder or diet culture and the thought of not having access to the numbers freaks you out a bit. I totally get it. The unknown is scary. Numbers and rigidity and rules can provide a sense of structure and comfort, but at what expense? What are you losing out on as a result? How is your ED or diet culture acting as a life thief (love this term from Christy Harrison of Food Psych)? Are you willing to let go of the numbers to take back a piece of your life?

Why I Don't Include the Nutrition Information for My Recipes (3)

Again this post is not to judge or criticize or call out anyone who desires or asks for the nutrition information for my recipes, it’s simply to shine a light on my decision and motive to not include nutritionals.How does having the nutrition information for recipes serve or hurt you? Maybe it’s both. I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

If you’re interested in learning more about my approach to nutrition and wellness, you can read more about why I stopped taking the stairs and how I became an intuitive eating dietitian.

As for me, on a personal note, I’m still slowly but surely recovering from jet lag from my trip to Japan (I swear it takes me a full week to fully recover – I’m super sensitive to jet lag). Japan was incredible and I learned a lot about the Japanese culture and culinary traditions and I can’t wait to share more highlights with you soon! For now, I’m looking forward to a long holiday weekend to fully recover and hang out with my hubs since he left to travel for work as soon as I got back from Japan! Two ships passing…

Enjoy your Mem Day weekend!! xoxo

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10 Comments

  1. LAURA R RADELL

    Hi! I totally agree with you about nutrition labels and calorie info. Unfortunately, I am diabetic and I NEED to know Carbs and Fiber, and Sugar numbers. Please reconsider publishing it. I really need help keeping myself in check and so far, you and I are on the same page with everything but that!! 🙂 Thanks,
    Laura

    • Kara Lydon

      Hi Laura, I totally understand where you’re coming from! As a dietitian, I know how important those numbers are for diabetics and many others with specific medical conditions. However, it’s important for me to stay true to my purpose and mission, which is to help those who struggle with their relationship to food, sometimes in the form of a diagnosed eating disorder. An important part of that healing process is to move away from numbers in order to focus on internal cues and reconnect to the body and mind. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts, and I hope this helps clarify my reasoning!

      August 18, 2021

  2. Rebecca

    This is great! I don’t include the nutritional value of my recipes and in the past, I have felt like I should even though I didn’t like the idea of turning my food into numbers. This makes me feel much more comfortable with how I have my recipes on my blog so thank you!

    Also – so glad I am not the only one super sensitive to jet lag. I swear it takes me weeks to recover sometimes haha

    June 8, 2018

    Reply

    • Kara @ The Foodie Dietitian

      I’ve been there too, Rebecca. Feeling like I should because there was a demand for it but it’s so important to stay true to your values and morals! Glad you decided to stay true to your beliefs! Oh my gosh, me tooooo! re: jet lag.

      June 29, 2018

  3. Jenna

    Great article! As a dietitian myself I really like this perspective you have. It can be too easy to get caught up in numbers. Thanks for sharing Kara!

    May 30, 2018

    Reply

    • Kara @ The Foodie Dietitian

      Thanks, Jenna!

      June 29, 2018

  4. I love this Kara! Do you mind if I direct people here who ask me the same question? It is hard to explain in a reply to a comment.

    May 29, 2018

    Reply

    • Kara @ The Foodie Dietitian

      Of course! Please feel free to, Kaleigh!

      June 29, 2018

  5. I love this! It’s so true that food should be more than numbers. Thanks for sharing!

    May 25, 2018

    Reply

    • Kara @ The Foodie Dietitian

      Thanks, Becca!

      June 29, 2018

Why I Don't Include the Nutrition Information for My Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the benefit of including nutritional information on a recipe? ›

Your readers will appreciate It

People are becoming increasingly more aware of the food they are eating and the nutrients that food provides. Make it easy for your readers to count calories or adhere to a specific diet by giving them the information they want from the get-go.

Why doesn't nutritional information add up? ›

No, because the label (the %DV) does the math for you! It helps you interpret the nutrient numbers (grams, milligrams, or micrograms) by putting them all on the same scale for the day (0-100%DV). The %DV column doesn't add up vertically to 100%.

Do cookbooks need nutritional information? ›

Cookbooks these days often incorporate a nutrition aspect to them with each recipe. Readers not only want to know how to make the recipe, but also how it will affect their bodies and minds. Adding nutrition information is a great way to enhance the content of a cookbook and add value for your readers.

Why is it a good idea to look at the nutritional analysis on a recipe? ›

Especially if you have medical issues, it helps to know the calories, sodium, and fat in a recipe—all targeted as substances to limit—so you can then adjust the ingredients.

Why is nutritional information important? ›

Understanding the Nutrition Facts label on food items can help you make healthier choices. The label breaks down the amount of calories, carbs, fat, fiber, protein, and vitamins per serving of the food, making it easier to compare the nutrition of similar products.

Why is nutrition important in culinary? ›

Culinary nutrition is a section of culinary arts that combines food science with cooking skills to create more nutritious and fulfilling meals for individuals and families. This takes place in a variety of ways. First of all, it helps educate people about what they are putting into their bodies.

Why is nutrition information so confusing? ›

There are a few things that make nutrition a tough nut to crack, scientifically speaking. For example, because we all eat a variety of foods, it's hard for researchers to parse the body's response to one specific food the way they could with a medication.

Why do some products not have nutrition labels? ›

Short answer is that the FDA regulations mandate some items but not others. For example, nutritional labelling for most raw agricultural products including eggs, meat, and fish are voluntary. Nutritional labels for salt and spices are not required, as another example.

Is it illegal to not show Nutrition Facts? ›

Due to the fact that many states require manufacturers to list nutritional information on packaged foods, it is actually against the law to sell any food product that does not have nutritional information.

What information should recipes contain? ›

A standard recipe must contain the following data:
  • Title.
  • Description.
  • Preparation and cooking time.
  • Number of servings and serving size.
  • List of ingredients with accurate measurements.
  • Step-by-step directions.
  • Accurate nutrition information.
  • Notes and FAQ.
Feb 11, 2021

Is nutritional information mandatory? ›

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which is the apex food governing body in India issues guidelines and regulations to be followed by all food manufacturers. As per FSSAI, all packaged foods are required to have a compulsory food label along with a nutrition label (with a few exemptions).

What is nutrition information in culinary? ›

1. Providing the consumer with information about a food so that wise choices can be made. 2. Providing a means for conveying information of the nutrient content of a food on the label.

Why is it so important to read a recipe accurately? ›

When you read recipes before cooking, you'll know what ingredients you need to make the dish you're planning to serve. This step also helps you plan your grocery shopping list to ensure that you don't leave any essential items off your list - it saves time and money at checkout.

Why nutritional value is important to be considered when planning a menu? ›

Nutritional Value

A well planned meal should have a balance of ingredients from each of the five food groups. Healthier meals made from whole foods such as vegetables, whole grains and lean meat will keep guests satisfied for longer and will cater for a wider variety of dietary requirements.

Why is it important to measure ingredients according to recipe requirement? ›

Measuring while cooking avoids wastage of the food prepared and consequently the ingredients employed. When you know the number of your guests and their appetite, you add the ingredients accordingly keeping in mind the judicious use of the kitchen scale resources and the avoidance of food waste at the same time.

How accurate is nutritional info? ›

It depends on the food matrix and the nutrient, but in general NIST's measurements are accurate to within 2% to 5% for nutrient elements (such as sodium, calcium and potassium), macronutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates), amino acids and fatty acids.

How inaccurate can Nutrition Facts be? ›

Nutrition labels can be inaccurate by up to 20% when it comes to listing calories, according to the FDA. This can be frustrating, but experts say it probably won't ruin an otherwise healthy diet.

Why does sugar and fiber not add up to total carbs? ›

In calculating net carbs, most manufacturers take the total number of carbohydrates a product contains and subtract fiber and sugar alcohols because these types of carbohydrates are thought to have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels.

Why do calories and macros not add up? ›

Rounding Errors: Food labels often round the values of macronutrients. For example, if a product has 3.6 grams of carbohydrates, the label might just state 4 grams. This rounding can add up across different macronutrients and create a small discrepancy in the total calorie calculation.

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