Working with a dietitian used to be a luxury, with high costs and limited availability. But now, virtual nutrition care is more accessible than ever, and many online platforms accept health insurance to help you get most or all of the cost of care covered.
This change means you have more choice than ever before in where to get your online nutrition care. So, how do you know what online nutrition platform is best for you?
First and foremost, you want to be sure you’re working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD or RDN) or Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS). These are protected titles, meaning only those who have completed the qualifications can use them (whereas nearly anyone can call themselves a nutritionist without any specifications). RDs and CNSes are qualified to offer medical nutrition therapy and have the most expertise in the nutrition field.
Beyond that, the right platform will depend on your individual needs: your specific insurance plan, your nutrition goals or health concerns, and other personal preferences. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular online nutrition platforms to help you find the right one.
Fay
Fay offers personalized nutrition counseling through a nationwide network of board-certified registered dietitians. Fay focuses on pairing clients with a dietitian who specializes in their area of concern and accepts their insurance to pay as little as $0 per session.
Fay users can go through a quick questionnaire to get matched with a dietitian, or easily filter by a variety of factors, like availability, language, modality, or diet, ensuring a completely individual approach for optimal outcomes. Explore dietitians with Fay.
Nourish
Nourish offers telehealth nutrition counseling by pairing users with a registered dietitian and using health insurance to cover the services. Nourish focuses on app use between sessions to stay engaged and focus on outcomes.
Learn more in our Fay vs. Nourish comparison.
Berry Street
Berry Street is a virtual nutrition counseling service that pairs users with a dietitian to meet their health goals and improve their quality of life. It emphasizes empowering independent RDs to build strong in-network practices by providing the administrative support they need to do so.
Learn more in our Fay vs. Berry Street comparison.
Culina Health
Culina Health is a small group of registered dietitians that works with patients online primarily through referring physicians. The platform’s proprietary care method, the Culina Health Method™, is developed from research, best practices, and practical experience. The method focuses on accessibility and inclusivity
Learn more in our Fay vs. Culina Health comparison.
Foodsmart
Foodsmart is a foodcare platform focused on affordable and accessible nutrition services through medical nutrition therapy and food budgeting. It offers programs that center around specific goals, including weight management, family health, and its Wallet Wellness Nutrition program. Foodsmart also partners with Instacart for grocery orders.
Learn more in our Fay vs. Foodsmart comparison.
Dietitian Live
Dietitian Live is a nutrition service platform that focuses on belief-driven nutrition healing. Using its Quantum Mind Architecture Method, Dietitian Live uses nutrition and linguistic neuroplasty to transform clients’ beliefs about themselves and food.
Learn more in our Fay vs. Dietitian Live comparison.
Nutrisense
Nutrisense offers 24/7 glucose data monitoring and expert coaching for health goals. The platform has monthly programs for continuous glucose monitoring and stress management. It also offers dietitian coaching for weight loss, gut health, women’s health, and chronic disease prevention.
Learn more in our Fay vs. Nutrisense comparison.
Season Health
Season Health matches users with a registered dietitian and gets their care covered by health insurance. Users meet with their RDs virtually, receive custom meal plans, and have access to Season’s online food marketplace, where recipes and prepared meals are available for ordering.
Learn more in our Fay vs. Season Health comparison.
How to choose the right online dietitian platform
When comparing online nutrition platforms, it can help to focus on three key factors: insurance coverage, scope of care, and ongoing support.
Insurance coverage
While many online nutrition platforms help get your care covered by health insurance, not all platforms accept the same insurance plans. Even if a platform works with major providers, your specific plan may not be covered. Be sure to use the platform’s insurance verification to check your coverage and get a cost estimate.
Scope of care
To get the most out of your nutrition care, you want to find an expert dietitian who will create a plan tailored to your needs and goals. Habit building and lasting change often takes more than one-size-fits-all meal plans. While many online nutrition services offer custom care, not all of them cover a wide range of specialties. Check if the platform offers the kind of care you’re looking for to achieve your health goals.
| Offers custom care for a broad range of health interests | Limited scope of care |
| • Fay • Nourish • Berry Street • Season Health | • Culina Health (focuses on physician referrals) • Dietitian Live (focuses on neuroplasticity) • Nutrisense (glucose management) • Foodsmart (food budgeting) |
Ongoing support
Working with a dietitian is much more than just a meal plan and regular meetings. Creating new habits, navigating setbacks, and getting in tune with your body can be hard work. You want to be confident you’ll have support every step of the way.
The best online nutrition platforms have easy-to-use apps, robust resources, and an open line to your RD. The app should have plenty of nutritional functionality, like meal logging, and enable easy communication with your dietitian, so you can ask questions between appointments. It should be easy to find resources relevant to your health interests, like how to navigate changing GLP-1 doses or meal ideas for certain food restrictions or diets.
How to choose the right online nutrition platform
With these factors in mind, you can start to narrow down your options. As you consider which online nutrition platform is right for you, ask yourself:
- Does this platform accept my health insurance, and is my cost estimate in my budget?
- Does this platform offer extensive filtering options to find the right provider for my needs, including language, identity, dietary or religious restrictions, and desired modality?
- Are dietitians available when I want to meet?
- Am I able to explore all my provider options before booking, or do I have to follow a matching service that only shows one provider at a time?
- Does this platform offer a robust mobile app and ongoing support between sessions?
Ultimately, the right nutrition platform is one that accepts your insurance, specializes in your area of need, and suits your personal preferences.
What’s most important is you connect with a registered dietitian you trust who offers the support and encouragement you need to build healthier habits and create lasting change to become your healthiest self.
Ready to get started? Take Fay’s quiz to find your dietitian now.
Not quite ready to meet with an RD? You can read our in-depth individual platform comparison or scroll through our blog.
