This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is with To Taste’s Registered Dietitian and culinary nutrition specialist Lexi Cole. To Taste is a culinary nutrition company on a mission to enhance nutrition education and culinary experience. We discuss the importance of learning how to cook, as well as kitchen and knife skills, for mental and physical health, including the emerging field of culinary medicine. Lexi shares her journey to becoming a dietitian, rooted in family food memories and a desire to fuel better as an athlete. Lexi has a particular interest in nutrition sustainability, sharing two top tips: eat more plants, and waste less food. We help listeners better understand food safety labeling, as well as how to use leftovers before they go bad.  Lexi and I also talk about the importance of honoring your heritage and culture through food; the episode’s overarching message is that food is for more than nutrition or fuel, it is to be enjoyed! Finally, Lexi leaves listeners with advice for fueling their sport: trust your body’s intuition and cravings, it’s most likely right! TOPIC TIMESTAMPS: 6:30 Understanding “To Taste: A Culinary Nutrition Experience” 11:30 Learning how to cook confidently; teaching nutrition  15:50 To Taste’s settings and services  18:35 The importance of kitchen and knife skills; therapeutic benefits of cooking 24:20 Lexi’s journey to dietetics and culinary nutrition: family food stories, fueling as an athlete 29:00 Culinary medicine: promoting health in the kitchen 31:15 Sustainability in the kitchen: Lexi’s 2 top tips 34:10 Eat more plants (but not only plants); “beans is how” 39:45 How to use your leftovers and waste less; food safety and “best before” labels  46:00 Lindsey’s fueling and food waste tip for athletes! 49:30 Catering to culture and heritage 55:45 Summary: food is more than fuel, it is to be enjoyed as well!  57:40 Athlete intuition: lean in to your cravings  Find out more about To Taste here: https://totaste.com/  If you find value in this podcast and would like to support the show, join our patreon community! Become part of our Fiercely Fit and Fueled community today, and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition Your support means a lot! Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?  Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com use code RISEUPNUTRITION for 20% off the entire store  THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY: Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders. Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp  Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order