Episode 55 Luba Plotkin - Tasty & Healthy Diet for Pediatric Crohn’s Disease

In this episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, co-hosts Jen Smith and Nikki Misner speak with Luba Plotkin on Tasty&Healthy, a whole foods diet for Crohn’s Disease. Luba Plotkin is the project manager for Tasty&Healthy. She is a Research Dietitian at the Juliet Keidan Institute of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. Luba is a Ph.D. Candidate in Nutritional Science and Biochemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Vice President of the Israeli Dietetic Association.

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Resources:

Aharoni-Frutkoff Y, Plotkin L, Pollak D, et al. Whole Food Diet Induces Remission in Children and Young Adults With Mild to Moderate Crohn's Disease and Is More Tolerable Than Exclusive Enteral Nutrition: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Gastroenterology. 2025;169(7):1462-1474.e2. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2025.06.011

Plotkin L, Aharoni-Frutkoff Y, Pollak D, et al. Tasty&Healthy Exclusive Whole-Food Diet in Asymptomatic Children and Young Adults With Biologically Active Crohn's Disease: The TASTI-E Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. Published online June 17, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2026.05.029

https://tasty-healthy.com

Tasty and Healthy: Eating Well with Lactose Intolerance, Coeliac Disease, Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

cpnp@naspghan.org

Episode 54 - Megan Van Hoorn - Bonus Episode Pediatric Enteral Nutrition Q&A: Special Populations

In this bonus episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, Jen Smith and guest host Lisa Cooley continue the questions from the CPNP community with dietitian Megan Van Hoorn MS, RD, CSP, CD. Megan answers CPNP questions on special populations and pediatric enteral nutrition. As a reminder, Megan is a Senior Clinical Dietitian at Children’s Wisconsin and is a Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition through the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. She has 15 years of experience working in outpatient pediatric GI. She has cared for patients requiring enteral nutrition for many conditions, including tube dependence, pediatric feeding disorder, pediatric malnutrition, intestinal failure, and inflammatory bowel disease. Along with her colleagues, she helped publish “The registered dietitian nutritionist’s guide to homemade tube feeding” and has also helped develop the Enteral Nutrition training module at her institution.

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Resources:

ASPEN Enteral Nutrition Resources: https://nutritioncare.org/clinical-resources/enteral-nutrition/

Oley Foundation: https://oley.org/

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

cpnp@naspghan.org

In this episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, co-hosts Bailey Koch and Lisa Cooley speak with Kelsey Herwick, MS, RD, CNSC, LD to discuss enteral nutrition supplies. This episode was inspired by questions asked by CPNP members. Kelsey serves as an embedded dietitian liaison with Indiana University Health Home Care, focusing primarily on patients at Riley Hospital for Children and the IU Health Home Care Enteral Department. In this role, she helps patients transition safely and successfully from inpatient to outpatient care by coordinating discharge planning, navigating insurance coverage, collaborating on feeding regimens, and partnering with case management teams to support families at home.

Previously, Kelsey worked with the Pediatric GI and Liver/Intestine Transplant teams at Riley Hospital for Children, providing care across inpatient services and outpatient clinics for patients managing biliary atresia and organ transplants. She was honored as the Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year by the Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has completed her term as District President for the Central Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her wealth of knowledge and background provide great insight that we hope our listeners enjoy.

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Resources:

Kangaroo™ Connect Enteral Feeding Pump Operator Manual

Kangaroo OMNI™ Setup & Troubleshooting Guide - Cardinal Health

Kangaroo OMNI™ Feeding Sets | Cardinal Health

Infinity-Manual.pdf

FreeArm

Flying Squirrel™ Feeding Pump Holder

Easier Tube Feeding for home tube feeders

ESPEN practical guideline: Home enteral nutrition

Tube Feeding Tips: Solutions for a Clogged Tube - Oley Foundation

Enteral Nutrition – What to Expect & Support | IU Health

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

cpnp@naspghan.org

Episode 52 - Megan Van Hoorn - Pediatric Enteral Nutrition Q&A: Community Questions, Clinician Answers

In this episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, Jen Smith and guest host Lisa Cooley speak with dietitian Megan Van Hoorn MS, RD, CSP, CD, answering CPNP questions on pediatric enteral nutrition. Megan is a Senior Clinical Dietitian at Children’s Wisconsin and is a Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition through the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. She has 15 years of experience working in outpatient pediatric GI. She has cared for patients requiring enteral nutrition for many conditions, including tube dependence, pediatric feeding disorder, pediatric malnutrition, intestinal failure, and inflammatory bowel disease. Along with her colleagues, she helped publish “The registered dietitian nutritionist’s guide to homemade tube feeding” and has also helped develop the Enteral Nutrition training module at her institution.

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Resources:

Escuro AA, Hummell AC. The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist's Guide to Homemade Tube Feeding. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017;117(1):11-16. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.02.007

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

cpnp@naspghan.org

Episode 51 - Bonus Episode - Inspiring the future of Pediatric Dietitians through CPNP’s Teaching and Tomorrow Program

In this episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, our CPNP media chair Lisa Cooley speaks with our CPNP President Elect -Brock Williams and last year’s participant Emma Placke about their experience with last year’s program.

The Teaching and Tomorrow Dietetics Program aims to inspire the next generation of pediatric GI dietitians by providing up to 10 local dietetic interns/students with the opportunity to attend the NASPGHAN Annual Meeting. The scholarships provide support by covering the cost of all Teaching and Tomorrow program events, Annual Meeting program registration, ground transportation to/from the conference, 2 nights hotel, and meals for the duration of the conference. Dietetic Interns/students in good standing from throughout the San Diego* metropolitan area are eligible to apply. Scholarships will be awarded in Early August 2026.

*Air travel costs are not included in the support so you are welcome to apply outside of this area, but would be responsible for air transportation.

If you are interested or know someone who might be, please make sure to submit applications by July 31, 2026. Apply today at https://naspghan.secure-platform.com/a/page/apply/cpnpteachingandtomorrow2026

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

cpnp@naspghan.org

In this episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, hosts Jen Smith and Megan Murphy (the outgoing Clinical Practice Chair) speak with the rest of the outgoing Executive Committee members whose positions are up for election this fall: Venus Kalami (Secretary/Treasurer), Michelle Yavelow (Communications Chair), Brock Williams (President-Elect), & Lisa Cooley (Media Chair). Each guest reflects on their roles, shares highlights from their time on the Executive Committee, and offers advice for future leadership. Call for nominations will be coming soon so listen in, you may know just the right member to nominate based on what you hear during this episode.

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

cpnp@naspghan.org

Episode 48 - Nancy Matthiessen - Vegan, Vegetarian, and Plant-based diets in Pediatrics

In this episode of Nutrition Pearls: the Podcast, hosts Jen Smith and Megan Murphy speak with dietitian Nancy Matthiessen MAS, RD, CSP. Nancy is a Pediatric Dietitian at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland where she works in the gastroenterology clinic, cystic fibrosis clinic, and nutrition clinic. She has 13 years of experience in pediatric nutrition and is a Board-Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition. She has a special interest in plant-based diets. When she isn't working, she enjoys being outdoors running, hiking, gardening, or going on adventures with her husband and two kids.

Nutrition Pearls is supported by an educational grant from Mead Johnson Nutrition.

Resources:

Vegetarian nutrition practice group, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

AND Position paper on vegetarian and vegan diets. https://www.eatrightpro.org/news-center/research-briefs/new-position-paper-on-vegetarian-and-vegan-diets

https://veganhealth.org/ - Jack Norris

Great books for parents:

Nourish by Reshma Shah, MD and Brenda Davis, RD

The Plant Based Baby and Toddler, Whitney English, MS RDN, Alexandra Caspero, MA RDN. also plant based juniors website

Supplement guide: https://plantbasedjuniors.com/plant-based-juniors-supplement-guide/

Produced by: Corey Irwin

NASPGHAN - Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals

cpnp@naspghan.org