Divergent Dietetics

23/01/2026

📋Realistic Affordable Weekly Meal Planning 📋

This is what I have planned for next week for myself, my husband and my toddler (eats as much as me!). We usually have enough food leftover to feed another child so I’m saying a family of four!

Some notes/tips about my plan:
* Affordable meats purchased but eaten in smaller quantities, with cheaper veggies and carbs to fill our bellies. The reality is that many of us can’t afford lean cuts of meat and often prefer cheaper ones from a sensory perspective. Other weeks we have multiple vegetarian meals for the same reason.
* I’ve also chosen meats that I don’t need to cut while raw, often I can stick it straight in the pan from the packet without touching it at all.
* We dinner repeat multiple times a week to cut down on cooking and the amount of dinner ideas we need to come up with. Not everyone can do leftovers but it makes life easier!
* A few things made from scratch for affordability as well as health (i.e. chicken thighs roasted then sliced in bulk rather than purchasing deli meat for wraps)
* Seasonal fruit purchased for quality and affordability.
* Some things in this menu include ingredients I already had in the pantry/freezer, but I can usually stick to a $200-$250 weekly budget.
* Almost everything I buy is home brand or whatever brand is the cheapest per kg that week.
* My total grocery bill includes delivery fee, nappies/wipes and cat food.
* We’ve started eating frozen mint slice biscuits, this is actually one of my clients safe foods. We find the packet lasts longer in the freezer rather than the pantry (plus my son can’t see it 🤭)

05/01/2026

I’m back (sort of)! I’ve started seeing some existing clients on Tuesday’s via Telehealth and writing reports where needed. I will be back three days a week after Easter and will contact those on the waitlist that week.

25/11/2025

TW: Eating Disorders - My Story

I’ve been doing a lot of self reflection while I study for my eating disorder accreditation. On the left you see a timely Facebook memory from 14 years ago of me taking a pre-pub crawl selfie after two weeks of studying for exams and barely eating so that I wouldn’t be “fat” for the event (I wonder why my grades got worse 🙃).

This was part of a longer term pattern which was worsened by my time studying nutrition, I remember being so ashamed doing a skin fold class as the teacher let me know my results from my upper arms marked me as “obese”. With my body dysmorphia at the time I felt it must have been true (despite my BMI being “healthy”).

My eating during those years would have been classified as “orthorexic” and while not a clinical eating disorder it was my life and personality for a long time. There were a couple of concerned people in the sea of people congratulating me on my weight loss. I convinced myself that what I was doing was healthy up until I had a seizure and woke up in hospital.

On the right you see a picture of me from last year, prior to falling pregnant with my second child. Now I am in a place where I don’t place moral value on the number on the scale, I’m heavier but happier (and healthier!). I suppose the purpose of this was to show that I really do understand when my clients are struggling with their body image and finding it hard to accept themselves at their natural weight.

Once I finish my eating disorder certification and commence clinical supervision in this area I will be better able to help others overcome their disordered eating, mindful of the way their neurodivergence influences it (without needing to have a seizure or other medical event first!).

09/10/2025

Low spoon dinner prep 🥄🥄

I’m 2.5 weeks postpartum and so easy dinners are a must! I live in a country town without any takeaway food options so we have been using a lot of supermarket products that cut down on prep time. For example pre-marinated or pre-cooked meats, jar pasta sauces, frozen vegetables etc. there are plenty more options but some I don’t use due to sensory sensitivities and taste preferences in our household.

Pictured is the prep required for mango chicken with coconut rice. Pre-marinated chicken chucked into the oven, rice with coconut cream and water in the rice cooker (plus some chicken powder for msg 🤭) and frozen broccoli sprayed with oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper also chucked into the oven! Takes around 1 hr total cook time but time spent actively cooking/prepping is only 5 minutes.

26/09/2025

It’s a girl! Baby Evie was kind enough to wait until I got all of my work done and arrived right on schedule 🥰

29/08/2025

💚START OF PARENTAL LEAVE 💚

Not quite the last day I was expecting! Hope everyone is staying safe out there and I’ll see you next year 🥰

I will be checking emails and messages intermittently during this time, so you can reach out if you have non urgent questions.

27/07/2025

I know a few of you have been struggling with disordered eating and eating disorders. A free online clinic has just launched ❤️

The InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders eClinic has just launched, Australia’s first free, national, evidence-based digital clinic for eating disorders, and it’s available 24/7, free of charge, and to anyone in Australia aged over 16 years. 🦋

The eClinic has been co-designed with clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience, and provides valuable support and resources for people struggling with eating, body image, or exercise concerns, as well as carers. 💙

The resources include free, self-paced digital therapies, such as self-guided cognitive behavioural therapy, and a dedicated Healthcare Professional Hub where your progress will be supported and monitored. 🖥️

Resources like the InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders eClinic play an important role in education, prevention, and improving treatment outcomes and support. Access the eClinic here: https://eclinic.insideoutinstitute.org.au

22/07/2025

Food from our house recently. I’ve been using a lot of “hidden veggie” recipes lately, we are okay at eating vegetables at our house but this helps getting a little more in. Blended veggies found in our pesto, Japanese curry sauce and enchilada sauce!

08/07/2025

10 food exposure ideas for the winter school holidays 🥶🧑‍🍳

1. Imaginative play like going to cafe, going food shopping, tea party etc with toy (or real) food with dolls/soft toys/dinosaurs.

2. Prep freezeable lunchbox snacks (muffins, sausage rolls, mini pizzas) for next term together.

3. Meal prep lunches for mum/dad (less pressure because they don’t have to eat it).

4. Go to a food related outing such as a farmers market or chocolate factory.

5. Go to a buffet style food place like sushi train, hot pot, all you can eat restaurant or frozen yoghurt shop.

6. Cook food in or over the fire (damper, roasted potatoes, s’mores, sausages on a stick).

7. Watch some food themed shows or movies (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Daniel Tiger s1 ep16, Ratatouille).

8. Get them involved in preparing breakfast, lunch or dinner.

9. Themed dinners (different country themes, eat with anything but a utensil theme, colour theme, Christmas in July etc).

10. Plant some veggies (broad beans, beetroot, broccoli, kale, parsley, peas, potatoes, spinach and tomato can be planted in July) or pick any fruit/veggies ripe from your garden.

Have some more ideas? Let me know in the comments ☺️

01/07/2025

Fee changes from 1st July 2025:

In accordance with the new NDIS price guide, hourly rates for dietetic services and travel have reduced.

The NDIS code of conduct states that NDIS participants should not be charged a higher rate than the general population and so I have increased my private fees to match. I also aspire to further develop my business once I return from parental leave with the goal to eventually hire a permanent room and an admin person which will require additional funds.

I have reintroduced a concession/student discount of 15% to keep services accessible for those who are not covered under NDIS. If this is still unachievable within your budget check out the services page of my website for another option.

I have slightly modified my business model so that the same service is available regardless of funding source, this means that home visits are now available for private and Medicare clients (travel fees apply). I am mostly seeing the same kind of clients whether or not they have access to dietetic funding under NDIS so this made the most sense to me.

18/06/2025

Update: appointment reminders are now being sent out 48 hours before the time of your appointment to give you extra time to prepare.

03/06/2025

I’m having a baby, so what does that mean for you?

Existing clients:
We have likely already discussed, but for you I will be available via Telehealth at a reduced capacity after a 2-3 month recovery period. I will respond eventually to emails but no promises on time frame!

New/interested clients:
I have availability for new clients in July and August, depending on how much support you need it may be fine to have 1-2 appointments and then the occasional Telehealth appointment while I am on leave. For those wanting more intensive support such as regular 1:1 feeding therapy sessions it may be best to wait until I start up again around April next year.

I will put a wait list form on my website once online bookings have closed and will get to all the lovely new faces when I return to work.

This is just a plan at this stage as all babies are different and I can’t be 100% sure what the future holds.