Where to Find The Best Online Nutritionists
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Nutrition can be confusing. We're rarely taught much actual useful info about it. We're bombarded with marketing for restrictive diets/fasts. We are navigating a world where eating disorders are prevalent, and over 10% of households do not have consistent access to food. Many people struggle with chronic illnesses and food sensitivities that make food choices more complicated. Therefore, it might make sense to get help from a professional who has the training to provide nutrition education.
Fortunately, there are professionals trained in helping people manage their nutrition, including many online nutritionists and dietitians who work primarily via telehealth platforms. We have gathered the best online nutritionists in order to help you maintain a healthy diet, regardless of your needs.
While some of these platforms serve solely to help users with their food choices, others are part of all-inclusive medical plans which also provide clients with a primary care doctor. Regardless, all of the winning practices work only with trustworthy and qualified providers.
Best Online Nutritionists of 2022
Best Overall: Anderson's Nutrition
Best for Athletes: Forge Fitness
Best for Complex Medical Needs: Dietitians on Demand
Best for Families: Lemond Nutrition
Best for Improving your Relationship with Food: Tepper Nutrition
Best All-in-One Healthcare Plan: Crossover Health
Best for Diabetes Management: OnPoint Nutrition
Best Pre/Postpartum: Amwell
Best Budget: HealthTap
Best for Eating Disorder Recovery: Sesame
Best Overall: Anderson's Nutrition
Key Specs
Where Available: All States
Pricing: $75 - $150 per session
Accepts Insurance?: Y
Platforms: iOS, Android, web
Why We Chose It
Anderson's Nutrition provides clients with not only a wide range of services to meet individual health needs, but also different levels of customized care, such as meal planning and a 12-week wellness course.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Multiple levels of care available
Easy to find an RD who specializes in your needs
Offers services in English and Spanish
Owned and operated by RDNs
Cons
Only female dietitians available
Some dietitians unavailable on the weekends
Difficult to connect with other medical services
Anderson's Nutrition is a one-stop shop for nutrition counseling. Founded in 2006 by a group of RDs, Anderson's goes beyond offering clients the typical one-on-one nutrition counseling.
Clients can receive grocery store tours where their dietitian shows them how to shop for their weekly food needs. For those looking for a less intensive program, they also offer meal plans provided through their partnership with the EatLove app that only require a single one-on-one conversation. After the consultation, your RD sends you a diet prescription through the app. The app then allows you to interchange the prescribed meals with others with similar nutritional content. If you simply want to kickstart a healthy diet, their 12-week wellness plan is ideal. The program teaches the Mediterranean diet's principals via weekly emails that provide one piece of advice per week based on their book 12 Fixes to Healthy. Anderson's Nutrition also stands out from other programs by offering an eating disorder support group as well as several nutrition education classes ranging from a class on intuitive eating to how to make exercise more enjoyable.
Their RDs also specialize in a variety of conditions and issues from cancer to eating disorder recovery to chronic kidney disease. It is easy to find an RD that specializes in your particular concern, since detailed profiles are available on their website. Furthermore, they are one of the few companies that offer some of their services in Spanish as well as English.
Like many virtual online nutritionist services, Anderson's Nutrition accepts health insurance. Even with insurance, they have a nuanced payment plan. While their 12-week fix costs $50, individual appointments are sold in bundles. ($350 for three. $550 for five. $625 for seven.) Additionally, you only get access to an RD on Demand and a grocery store tour via the bigger packages.
Anderson's Nutrition's main downside, however, is that unlike other companies there isn't a built-in way to connect them with another provider, such as an eating disorder therapist. If you only have availability on the weekends to meet with a dietitian, this could pose another problem because not all of their dietitians have weekend availability.
Considering that they offer a free 15-minute consultation, there's no reason to not give them a chance. Anderson's Nutrition provides the breadth and depth of services to address nearly every nutritional concern.
Best for Athletes: Forge Fitness
Key Specs
Where Available: All 50 U.S. states and 60 other countries
Pricing: $125 - $225 Per Month
Accepts Insurance?: N
Platforms: iOS, Android, desktop
Why We Chose It
Forge Fitness is one of the few fitness focused nutrition services that allows users to work with an RD rather than someone solely trained in sports medicine.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Workouts and diets are individualized
App tracks personal stats
Unlimited messaging with a certified fitness coach
Cons
Focus on body composition
No insurance coverage available
Only one RD on staff
Forge Fitness specializes in helping clients become their most athletic selves. Their internationally available service centers around personalized fitness training. However, they are one of the few fitness platforms to also connect customers with an RD who creates a specialized meal plan to fit their needs so that they avoid any unsustainable fad diets. Furthermore, the website avoids posting before/after photos of their clients because they believe that clients shouldn't compare their bodies to others'. Research supports this practice. A 2021 study indicated that people who were prompted to compare their bodies to others, especially to those of the people they follow on social media, showed increased body dissatisfaction.
Because they don't treat any medical conditions, they don't accept insurance. Depending on the plan, customers meet with their fitness trainer for a live video call between one to four times a month to discuss the training plan users access through Forge Fitness' app. The cheapest plan costs $125 per month whereas the most expensive is $225. More importantly, coaches will alter a client's meal plan based on biofeedback data—such as heart rate changes during exercise measured by a fitness tracker—from the app and will consult the RD if they believe a more specialized diet plan is required. Clients can also purchase meal plans directly from the RD if that is their main focus.
Forge Fitness certainly isn't for those with complex medical conditions or with challenging relationships with food because of its emphasis on controlling the percentage of macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) in your diet and its clear aim to help you achieve a lower body fat percentage. However, athletes looking to enhance their performance will benefit from Forge Fitness' holistic perspective.
Best for Complex Medical Needs: Dietitians on Demand
Key Specs
Where Available: 42 states
Pricing: Varies by state
Accepts Insurance?: Y
Platforms: iOS, Android, web
Why We Chose It
Dietitians on Demand provides patients with RDs who specialize in navigating complicated medical needs such as those who need feeding tubes.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Range of packages available
Straightforward scheduling
Plans include unlimited messaging with your dietitian
Cons
Not available in all 50 states
Not in-network with any insurance
Only four dietitians to choose from
Dietitians on Demand began as a business to business company that connected medical clinics with dietitians for hire. Although that remains their primary business model, they began offering virtual nutrition counseling services to the general public a few months ago. This distinguishes them from many of the virtual nutrition counseling companies because they have dietitians who have worked not only with those with more common chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, but also those with more complex needs, including those who rely on feeding tubes.
Currently, Dietitians on Demand is available in 42 states through 16 providers.
The cost varies by state and depends on which package you purchase. For example, if you live in New York, a single one hour consultation costs $149, and if you pair that with a follow-up session, the total would be $225.
They can offer HIPAA-compliant telehealth services via Healthie, an app that also allows users to message their dietitian and send them information via fitness trackers. Their dietitians are also available outside of typical business hours and on weekends. This means that Dietitians on Demand provides all of the services of a general virtual nationist company while also being equipped to navigate more specialized needs.
Best for Families: Lemond Nutrition
Key Specs
Where Available: 21 different statues
Pricing: Not publicly available
Accepts Insurance?: Y
Platforms: Web only
Why We Chose It
Lemond Nutrition helps families make informed and balanced choices around food through their pediatric counseling that can address concerns ranging from eating disorders to complex medical conditions.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Serves children through adults
Knowledgeable about child development
Weight-inclusive approach
Nutrition genetic testing available
Cons
Not available in all states
No sports nutrition available
Pricing unclear
Lemond Nutrition guides individuals and families through the process of reclaiming a healthy relationship with food regardless of whether they're living with an eating disorder, managing a medical condition or need to find more balance in their diet.
Nutrition stands out from other services due to their robust pediatric program which includes counseling for kids fighting a chronic or severe illness as well as eating disorder recovery programs. Because they specialize in pediatrics, parents can be assured that their child's plan will meet the needs of their developing body.
However, their exceptional pediatric care doesn't come at the cost of a robust adult plan. Not only do they offer all their pediatric services to adults.
Their services are available in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Lemond Nutrition offers weight-inclusive treatment for people of all ages and medical needs and is a great first choice for families in need of dietary care.
Best for Improving Your Relationship with Food: Tepper Nutrition
Key Specs
Where Available: 13 states
Pricing: Not publically available
Accepts Insurance?: N
Platforms: Browser
Why We Chose It
Tepper Nutrition focuses explicitly on intuitive eating with the goal of helping all of their clients, even those not navigating eating disorders, build a better relationship with food.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Offer a sliding scale fee
Work within a Health At Every Size framework
Treats other medical concerns as well
Cons
Not in network with any insurance
No app available
Pricing not transparent
Tepper Nutrition believes that weight is not a measure of health and therefore that body acceptance is critical to a holistic approach to nutrition. All of their RDs approach their work from a weight-incluse perspective, meaning weight loss is never the goal. This approach can help clients steer away from diet culture, recover from eating disorders and enjoy food even if they have dietary restrictions.
In addition to their nutritional counseling, the founder, Allison Tepper, is a certified Yoga Instructor who offers classes both in person and virtually. A quick glance at their dietitians' profiles shows that the yoga classes are indicative of their aims. All of their dietitians have experience working with those with eating disorders, including those who have worked in inpatient settings.
Tepper Nutrition's virtual services are available in Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, California, Colorado, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina, West Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Washington DC.
If you find yourself struggling with negative body image or if eating has become stressful, Tepper Nutrition may be your path towards enjoying food again.
Best All-in-One Healthcare Plan: Crossover Health
Key Specs
Where Available: All 50 states
Pricing: $125 - $200 per month
Accepts Insurance?: N
Platforms: web, Android, and iOS
Why We Chose It
Crossover Health members have access to a full team to empower them to take charge of their healthcare.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Connects your nutrition directly with your primary care
Provides on-demand healthcare
Holistic chronic disease management
Cons
Do not accept health insurance
No coaching-only option
Expensive
While other companies in this review focus nearly exclusively on nutrition, Crossover Health is a part of the emerging telehealth revolution—and nutrition is only one part of their service. Those who join Crossover are provided with an entire medical team, including a primary care provider (PCP), a mental health counselor, a physical therapist, a healthcare system navigator and a health coach. If a member contacts their PCP with a concern, the PCP can connect them to another team member for assistance.
The health coaches provide most of Crossover's nutritional care. Their role is to help members establish habits like exercising more frequently or quitting smoking. While all are board certified in health and wellness coaching, others are also RDs. Crossover Health aims to match patients with a coach who matches their needs. Furthermore, Crossover Health's app allows members to track progress in terms of both weight and lab results.
With these benefits comes a hefty price tag. Paying monthly will cost you $200 a month, a quarterly plan costs $500 per quarter, and the annual plan is $1500.
At Crossover Health, nutrition is viewed as just one part of a complete healthcare system. This means if a member is diagnosed with celiac disease, for example, they will have immediate access to someone to help them learn to avoid gluten as well as a doctor to explain the diagnosis.
If you're looking for an all-in-one healthcare plan to meet your nutritional needs, Crossover is the best choice.
Best for Diabetes Management: OnPoint Nutrition
Key Specs
Where Available: All 50
Pricing: About $40 per appointment
Accepts Insurance?: Y
Platforms: iOS and web
Why We Chose It
OnPoint Nutrition is a goal-oriented service with features ranging from a recipe database to weekly educational lessons.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Helps manage other conditions
Meal tracking app available
Online community available
Cons
Not weight-neutral
No treatments for kids or teens
Dietitians only respond to messages during work hours
OnPoint Nutrition successfully walks the line between offering goal-oriented care and not falling into diet culture. This enables OnPoint to assist those who need better control of their food intake in order to manage conditions—especially diabetes, which several of their dietitians are specifically trained in. While OnPoint's mission is to empower clients to meet their fitness goals, many of their dietitians have experience in intuitive eating and have worked with patients with eating disorders.
OnPoint Nutrition also has a technological advantage over many other services. Their platform provides users with a community to connect with, a food tracking system and a way to message their dietitian. Furthermore, their services are covered by insurance (depending on your location) and are HIPAA compliant. Users can choose between three plans which vary in the number of follow-up sessions, and the most expensive of which includes three "home reset" sessions. These sessions involve cleaning out the client's pantry and teaching them how to go grocery shopping in a manner that aligns with their goals.
OnPoint Nutrition offers three programs at three different price points if you are uninsured.
The Essentials ($535) includes:
one intake appointment
nine weekly appointments
three long-term follow-up appointments
The Academy ($735) includes
one intake appointment
19 biweekly appointments
three long term follow up appointments
The Concierge ($1110) includes
one intake appointment
19 biweekly appointments
three long term follow up appointments
three "home reset" appointments which include a pantry clean out and a grocery shopping tour
If you are facing a diagnosis such as diabetes and need a more goal-oriented approach to food, but want to avoid developing a problematic relationship with it, OnPoint Nutrition is worth checking out.
Best Pre/Postpartum: Amwell
Key Specs
Where Available: All 50
Pricing: $70 per visit without insurance
Accepts Insurance?: Y
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web
Why We Chose It
Because Amwell provides access to a wide range of medical professionals, it enables patients to choose a dietitian who specializes in pre/postpartum care without having to read through dietitian profiles.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Affordable
Dietitians available outside of work hours
Simple signup
Cons
Small number of dietitians to choose from
No tracking app available
Everything is done visit by visit
Amwell may be a barebones service when it comes to nutrition, but it streamlines the process of searching for an RD, especially if you need one who specializes in pre/postpartum care. You simply click on "pregnancy and postpartum nutrition" from their list of specialties and then choose the provider you want. These providers not only help future parents choose foods that are safe for the baby, but they can also help people navigate other medical conditions that may interfere with pregnancy, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and gestational diabetes.
The reason for the simplicity is that Amwell isn't primarily a nutrition company. It mostly serves to connect patients with other telehealth providers, including primary care doctors, therapists, and other medical specialists. Therefore, it doesn't have many of the features that other nutrition companies offer, but it can connect you with a provider incredibly efficiently. Plus, even if you don't have insurance, each visit only costs $70.
One other downside of Amwell is that its provider bios are short—a few paragraphs at most—whereas other platforms provide in-depth bios as well as outline their dietitians' philosophies. Luckily, it's also very easy to switch providers, so even if you and the nutritionist aren't a good fit, a new one is a few clicks away. Amwell is the best option for finding a pre/postpartum nutritionist because they make the process both easy and affordable.
Best Budget: HealthTap
Key Specs
Where Available: All 50 states
Pricing: $15 subscription a month gets you $39-$59 copay per visit; $99 copay per urgent care visit without a subscription
Accepts Insurance?: Y
Platforms: Web
Why We Chose It
HealthTap offers reliable care and a wide array of board-certified MDs to choose from, with upfront pricing and an affordable membership to make the process of finding a dietitian as seamless as possible.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Very affordable with subscription
Available in all 50 states
Features a free library with physician-answered questions
Accepts a huge variety of insurance carriers
Cons
Most appointments are urgent care visits
No smartphone app available
HealthTap is a national telehealth company that specializes in a huge variety of care, from nutritional advice to urgent care. With an affordable monthly subscription that offers many discounts and perks, it's great for those without insurance. It also accepts tons of insurance carriers, as well as HSA and FSA funds. Launched in 2010, the company was one of the first to offer counseling and doctor's appointments virtually, and appointments can be made quickly and simply on the company website. It's fairly easy to get an appointment, and they can be made 24/7. However, the specific availability of the service provider of your choice can vary.
Pricing is upfront before you make an appointment, and HealthTap offers a good selection of board-certified physicians and dieticians to choose from. It even features a free library of questions from other patients and answers from its community of doctors, so you can learn more about specific topics outside of your appointments.
The app, while not available on a smartphone, is accessible through the web, and allows you to easily change appointments, contact your doctor between sessions, and even order medication refills if needed. In terms of nutrition specialties covered, you can expect members of your care team to help you with a whole host of issues, such as nutrition advice, vitamins and supplements, health and wellness screenings, weight counseling and fitness guidance.
Best for Eating Disorder Recovery: Sesame
Key Specs
Where Available: Texas, California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina
Pricing: $39 minimum for a single appointment without a membership; $99 per year membership
Accepts Insurance?: N
Platforms: Android, iOS, web
Why We Chose It
Sesame allows you to easily view all MDs and RNs on staff when booking your appointment, along with pricing, specialties and wait times. The app guarantees easy appointment scheduling and canceling. You can book with more than one practitioner at a time.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Optional cost-saving monthly membership available
Easily view available physicians, wait times, and costs
Many same-day appointments available
Huge variety of MDs and RNs on staff
App easily allows you to reschedule appointments and view physician bios
Cons
No insurance accepted
Not available in all states
Must pay for the appointment at the time of booking
With Sesame, you can work with both a mental health professional and a registered dietician in order to create a custom plan to help treat a variety of eating disorders, including binge eating, anorexia, and more. Its app allows you to easily view available appointments, as well as wait times and costs. Since there are many MDs and RNs on staff, there are usually plenty of same-day appointments available. It's important to note, however, that some eating disorders may require hospitalization if they are too severe, so it's best to first check with your physician before starting a plan with Sesame.
Even though the company offers users a cost-saving monthly membership, prices are equally affordable without (as low as $40). Sesame does not accept insurance, though. A drawback to Sesame is that you have to pay for your appointment in advance in order to book it, and it unfortunately is only available in Texas, California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia and North Carolina right now.
Final Verdict
Anderson's Nutrition is EatingWell's choice for best overall online nutrition counseling service because they address a wide variety of needs at different levels of care enabling you to choose the service that suits you the best. Furthermore, with innovative offerings such as meal planning, you can take the first step into nutrition counseling without even meeting with a dietitian.
If you specifically need to focus on rebuilding your relationship with food, Tepper Nutrition has the expertise and services to guide you on your journey. And if you're looking to enhance your athletic performance but don't want to fall into a fad diet, Forge Fitness's RD is knowledgeable and can motivate you.
Embarking on a dietary change can be intimidating, difficult, and confusing. Fortunately, there are many online nutritional coaching services available to help you meet your goals.
Compare the Best Online Nutritionists
Guide for Choosing the Best Online Nutritionist
How Can an Online Nutritionist Help?
Meeting with an online nutritionist can empower you to learn about nutrition and establish new habits. If you've recently been diagnosed with a food allergy or chronic illness, an online nutritionist can help you create a diet plan that supports your health. Aim to work with a registered dietitian (RD) who you know is qualified to address your varied needs. RDs complete an internship and receive a license to practice. In most states, they, unlike nutritionists, can treat medical conditions and create specific diet plans. RDs can also teach you skills, such as intuitive eating, to reduce potential stress around meal planning and food.
How to Choose an Online Nutritionist
When choosing an online nutritionist, it is vital to take into account several factors that your nutritionist can support you to the best of their ability:
Cost and Insurance: According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, health insurances vary in when they will cover nutritional coaching, and not all RDs accept insurance.
Specialty: There are additional certifications an RD can receive to become specialized in a certain area, such as in sports dietetics. Ask yourself what specialized knowledge your nutritionist might need to assist you.
Qualifications: We recommend that you see an RD because it guarantees that they've had the training required to safely advise you.
Treatment Approach: In our list, we chose to emphasize online nutrition programs that dismantle diet culture. If you have a history of disordered eating, you should seek an RD who supports the fact acceptance and Health at Every Size movements to support your recovery. Avoid those who advocate for cleanses or talk about toxins since our organs can filter out most toxins on their own. Regardless of your history with food, choose an RD that can help steer you away from dieting practices that could become disordered.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Do Online Nutritionists Cost?
The cost of online nutritionists varies wildly. While some are covered by insurance and will only require a copay, the companies we researched ranged from around $70 per session to $200 per session. However, the costs depended on everything from whether you bought a packaged deal to what state you lived in.
Can an Online Nutritionist Help Me Lose Weight?
Although some RDs do specialize in weight loss and/or bariatric surgery, many others advocate for a weight-neutral approach that emphasizes listening to your body to advise you safely rather than trying to control what you eat.
There is research suggesting that this is an effective approach. BMI is a notoriously bad measure of health. It doesn't accurately measure body fat percentage (which in and of itself isn't a consistent predictor of health outcomes). BMI is not only scientifically dubious, but it also has racist origins, and its founder's ideas went on to fuel the eugenics movements. Furthermore, swinging between high and low body weights—which often happens when people diet and then gain the weight back—has been associated with heart disease.
We advise you to be wary of weight-focused nutrition programs and always check in with a healthcare professional when embarking on a new nutrition program.
What Is Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive eating is the practice of not restricting what kinds of foods you eat, eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're full. It often involves teaching people how to listen to their hunger cues and think of food in a more neutral way.
Intuitive eating is associated with positive outcomes such as lower cholesterol and blood pressure and better psychological health.
What Is Weight Neutrality?
Weight neutrality is the practice of emphasizing self-care behaviors rather than focusing on weight loss when discussing dieting/exercise. This can prevent patients from giving up on changing their habits simply because they're not losing weight and has been shown to improve psychological outcomes. Further research indicates that it can also increase rates of exercise, decrease patients' waist-to-hip size ratio and decrease cholesterol.
Methodology
We evaluated 24 different online nutrition counseling programs based on their accessibility, specialty, and qualifications. We chose programs that hired Registered Dietitians (RDs) since these are the most qualified nutritional counseling experts. We prioritized programs that emphasized moving away from the diet culture mentality.
