Meet Jacalyn Dryland,RD!

“I could talk for hours about food! I could go on forever! “Jacalyn passionately exclaims. As a registered dietitian, food is a part of her daily life, both at work and at home.

Although Jacalyn Dryland, RD, has always loved food, she equally loves science. This is why she decided not to be a chef, but rather to work in nutrition, a field that combined her two passions. After completing her BA in Food and Nutrition, at Ryerson, she went on to do a Masters in Nutrition Communications.

“To be a registered dietitian you don’t have to love food, you can just work in the hospital, but I chose the route that allowed me to talk to people about food, dealing one on one with clients, particularly low income clients, so having knowledge about low budget eating is essential” Jacalyn explains.

Growing up on a farm, Jacalyn’s family owned chickens, made preservatives and had a vegetable garden- only eating out for a special treat. Knowing how to make home made food was particularly helpful this past summer, when she decided to see how cheap she could eat while still making yummy meals, in order to better understand her clients. After eating for around $60 for the week, buying meat exclusively from Dave the Butcher in Orangeville, she has a few tips to share.

First of all, don't use a recipe! This came as a bit of a shock to me because I always seem to rely on recipes when I’m in the kitchen. She rationalizes “If you follow a recipe you feel like you have to have all the ingredients, but if you keep your meals simple and use fresh herbs that can make a meal stand out with flavour, you can keep the cost down.” She suggests using a recipe once and then modifying where you think you can. “Most recipes overdo it on meat, cut it in half, add more vegetables, its healthier, it’ll keep you fuller and it’s less expensive. And it’ll give you confidence to cook” she exclaims.

Use fresh herbs! She can't seem to stress this enough while we chat. Although the initial cost of an herb garden may seem like a lot, you end up saving money over time and the meals you eat will taste a lot better.

While her favourite cuisine is Italian, followed closely by Greek and Indian, it really depends on the season. Either way, it’s safe to say Jacalyn loves international cuisine. She also recommends Mexican food as an inexpensive option: guacamole, beans and fajitas make flavourful meals that can last for a few dinners. Another tip is to use all the parts of the meat. Jacalyn suggest you pick up a whole chicken and use it for different meals. Make chicken the first day and then make broth. Use ½ the broth to make squash soup and the other ½ with noodles in an Asian dish.

Jacalyn wants people to learn how to cook again. She has set out with the Dufferin Area Family Health Team to make videos to educate people on the basics of cooking. This initiative benefits her patients as well as anybody looking to find a little confidence in the kitchen.

To learn more about Jacalyn Dryland, RD and to watch some of her cooking videos from the Dufferin Area Family Health team visit the DAFHT website here.

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