Online Courses For Adults
There has been a growing trend among dietitians incorporating online courses into their business models, which has offered benefits to both the public and dietitians alike.
If you’d like to read more about the benefits of offering online courses and whether offering an online course is worth it for you and your business, check out Creating and Selling An Online Course: Are Online Courses Worth It?.
In this article we’re going to cover 5 online course ideas for dietitians focusing on online courses for adults.
Online Course Ideas
Foundational Course: Nutrition Basics
You know your audience best, but often times it's best to start with the basics. Consider creating a free or low-cost course covering foundational nutrition topics.
A nutrition foundations course could serve as a great lead magnet and grow your know-like-and-trust factor with potential clients. They can get a feel for your vibe and walk away with something valuable.
Disease Spotlight: Signs and Symptoms
Consider creating an online course covering a range of topics within your primary area of practice.
What conditions do you primarily work with? Are there specific nutrition recommendations you cover often with patients that you can compile into a course?
I'd argue that many people diagnosed with an illness, assuming no one in their family or close friend group has had the same diagnosis, don't know much about. Sometimes patients don't know much about a disease until it's staring them in the face and they're forced to know about it.
A new diagnosis can be overwhelming but having the option to follow a course from the comfort of their own home can make managing new lifestyle changes much easier.
Cooking for a Specific Condition or Illness: Recipes and Skills
From my experience, clients are always looking for ideas and many are very keen to learn new cooking skills.
Consider creating an online course or module on recipe ideas and cooking skills. If you haven't already, ask your audience about their level of cooking skills. You may need to start with the basics like measuring, knife skills, or what seasonings they could try.
You may find that depending on your audience, they want to know more about the science of nutrition and how it impacts their illness. Being able to take the science of their condition and apply their skills to cook healthful meals is what it's all about.
"Add more potassium" or "reduce your sodium" are vague instructions even if you offer a list of which foods to eat more of and which to steer clear of.
Consider a course that demonstrates HOW they can apply recommendations like this in whole meals, complete days of meals/snacks, and atypical days when patients are away from home and needing to make healthful decisions on the fly.
Habit Builder: SMART Goals and Sustainable Change
Most everyone, no matter where they are in life, can benefit from learning habit-building skills. Whether a client is adjusting to a new diagnosis or they desire a healthier lifestyle, change is not easy.
One cannot simple leave old habits behind and start new ones with the flick of a switch (*insert Boromir meme*).
Consider creating a course that covers practical, step-by-step tips to implement sustainable changes and set realistic goals. This is another incredibly practical course idea your clients will appreciate from you.
Mental Health
A great topic to cover in an online course is mental health. We know the mind and body are not two separate things, but two very intermingled components.
Consider talking about the importance of taking time for mental health and what you've learned from past clients or personal experiences in relation diet and lifestyle.
Covering mental health topics can be validating for clients so they know their feelings are normal and are not something to be ashamed of.
Summary
From nutrition basics to the complexities of medical nutrition therapy, there is a plethora of topics you could cover in an online course.
Before you let any doubts about whether it’s worth it for you to create an online course because “other people already have”, remember people come to you because they like your vibe, they like the way you speak, they like the way you care, and they like YOU. If your business is funneling these people to you it’s because they want to learn from you, not Sally B from Kansas (no offense to any Sally B’s from Kansas).
Creating and integrating any of these courses into your marketing and sales structure will help offer value and promote health for years to come. By creating these unique learning opportunities you have the potential to increase client engagement, satisfaction, improve health outcomes, and support your overall business growth.
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About the Author
Sara is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, artist, writer, and video editor. She holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Nutrition from Oregon State University. In 2021 she founded The Kerrminator LLC, which specializes in creative services including video editing, graphic design, and content creation.