A Day in the Life of a Dietitian: What Does Meaningful Work Look Like?

Dr Roberta Mendes is a CORU-registered dietitian, private practitioner, and Programme Development Lead for the MSc Dietetics (Pre-registration) at Portobello Institute.

Here, she takes us through a typical working day and shares what it really means to make a difference through dietetic practice.

A Little About My Work as a Dietitian

When people hear that I am a dietitian, they sometimes imagine that my working day is spent telling people what they should and should not eat. In reality, food is only one part of the picture.

To provide nutritional advice that is realistic, personalised, and appropriate, I need to understand each patient’s health, routine, lifestyle, eating habits, and personal circumstances. Every patient is different. There is rarely a one-size-fits-all approach.

My clinical work focuses particularly on fertility, pregnancy, infant feeding, and feeding difficulties. No two days are exactly the same, but this is what a typical clinic day might look like for me.

Starting My Day With Patient Check-ins

My day usually starts with checking my WhatsApp messages. Patients often send me questions or photographs of their meals to review. I may also hear from a family about how their baby is responding to new foods or from someone who needs clarification about their plan.

Keeping in contact between consultations is important. Patients need to trust their dietitian, while any information I provide must be accurate and within the boundaries of my role. I also run a free WhatsApp group where mothers beginning weaning with their babies can ask questions.

Before a Consultation: Understanding the Patient

When someone contacts me for an appointment, I send them a questionnaire to complete in advance. Before we meet, I review the information they have provided and try to learn as much as possible about their clinical history and how I may be able to help.

The questionnaire asks about medical conditions, medications, supplements, and usual food consumption. I also need to understand who buys and prepares the food, whether the patient has a routine, and which foods they would find particularly difficult to avoid.

A 24-hour food recall gives me an idea of their current diet. I may also review blood test results, body weight, and other relevant measurements. I check that the appropriate consent forms and contracts have been signed and organise my documentation in line with CORU requirements.

During a Consultation: Looking Beyond What Someone Eats

Talking to people is one of the most important parts of my day. During a consultation, I need to listen carefully and develop a genuine connection with the person or family. Recommendations are only useful if the patient feels able to follow them, so trust matters.

Sometimes, patients reveal an issue that has not been identified previously, such as an undiagnosed eating disorder, feeding difficulty, or medical condition affecting their nutritional needs. I must recognise when further assessment is required while understanding the boundaries of my role.

Cost can also affect whether a plan is achievable, so recommendations must reflect the person’s routine, budget, and circumstances.

Fertility care requires a particularly individualised approach. Someone preparing for IVF, for example, may already be taking several supplements. I need to understand whether they need them and whether different supplements could interact. As fertility is sensitive, I have to be very careful about the advice I give.

Do Consultations Take Place in Person or Online?

Most of my consultations take place online. Online dietetic practice developed significantly during COVID, and many dietitians now work online. I prefer working online because it is easier and more efficient, without the need to travel or prepare a consultation room.

However, some work still needs to happen face to face. In-person consultations allow dietitians to carry out physical and anthropometric assessments and can sometimes help create a stronger connection when working on behavioural change.

My feeding therapy sessions with toddlers and children, for example, take place face to face because we use toys, food, and play-based approaches.

As a Brazilian dietitian working in Ireland, I work with patients from both the Brazilian and Irish communities, as well as people from other countries. I conduct consultations in Portuguese or English, depending on each patient’s needs.

What Skills Does a Dietitian Use Every Day?

Dietitians draw on much more than nutritional knowledge. Clinical reasoning, communication, listening, and problem-solving are all part of everyday practice.

You need to interpret evidence and health information, but also understand the person in front of you and communicate recommendations in a way that feels realistic and achievable for them.

After a Consultation: Creating a Practical Plan

After a consultation, I write up my notes and prepare or update the patient’s meal plan using Nutrium, a specialist software platform.

The plan needs to meet the patient’s nutritional requirements, but it must also work in their daily life. I consider their food preferences, budget, family routine, supermarket options, and any medical requirements. The plan needs to be flexible, adaptable, and realistic for the patient to follow.

For families beginning complementary feeding, I prepare a weekly menu for the baby based on the mother’s update from the previous week. I check which allergenic foods the baby has already tried and which still need to be introduced.

The Work That Happens Between Appointments

Patients value having practical resources after a consultation. My fertility patients receive a personalised meal plan, recipe eBook, and information on food equivalents and suitable supermarket products.

Pregnant patients receive food-safety guidance, while families beginning complementary feeding can access information on solid foods, allergies, intolerances, and recipes.

Preparing these materials requires me to remain up to date with scientific literature, Irish food-safety guidance, and relevant policies. I estimate that around four to six hours of my week can be spent on work behind the scenes.

Running my own private practice also involves forms, contracts, and marketing. I keep my Instagram profile drbeta_dietitian up to date, sharing parts of my daily routine and information that may be useful to my patients.

A day without appointments is not necessarily a quiet day, as there are always different areas of the practice that need my attention.

Collaborating with Other Healthcare Professionals

Dietitians do not work in isolation. Depending on the patient, I may communicate with GPs, speech and language therapists (SLTs), psychologists, maternal-health physiotherapists, lactation consultants, doulas, personal trainers, and other dietitians.

Dietitians cannot request blood tests directly in Ireland, so I may contact a patient’s GP, explain why I believe a test is clinically important and provide supporting evidence.

Feeding therapy is a good example of collaboration. I work face to face with children who have feeding difficulties, using play-based approaches to improve their relationship with food. If I identify concerns about oral-motor skills or swallowing, an SLT may need to assess them.

Through a fertility dietitians’ group in Ireland, I can also discuss difficult cases anonymously and seek colleagues’ professional opinions.

What Is the Difference Between a Nutritionist and a CORU-Registered Dietitian in Ireland?

The key difference is professional regulation. In Ireland, dietitian is a regulated profession and a legally protected title, meaning only professionals registered with CORU can call themselves dietitians. Nutritionist is not currently a CORU-regulated professional title.

For more information, read our article on becoming a registered dietitian through an MSc Dietetics (Pre-registration), including how the programme prepares you for professional registration, its HCPC approval status, and the process of applying to CORU in Ireland.

For me, becoming CORU registered gave me greater professional recognition and made communication with GPs and other healthcare professionals smoother and easier.

Previously, when I was a nutritionist, I often needed to explain my qualifications, experience, and the evidence behind a request in detail. Now, I can outline the patient’s situation, explain what I am requesting, and provide the relevant clinical evidence.

Registration can also affect whether patients are able to seek reimbursement for consultations through their health insurance.

However, that recognition brings greater responsibility. I need to be very careful about the advice I provide, work within my professional boundaries, and keep my knowledge current through continuing professional development.

Making Time for Research and Professional Development

The guidance I provide must reflect current evidence. I regularly review scientific literature, Irish food-safety guidance, and professional policies, and translate that information into clear and practical advice for patients.

As regulated healthcare professionals, dietitians must undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to maintain the knowledge and professional standards required in practice.

Membership of the Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute (INDI) provides access to professional groups, training, events, and resources. I am currently volunteering as a reviewer for a book the organisation is publishing.

Ending the Day With a Sense of Purpose

At the end of a working day, I feel that it has been worthwhile when I know that my consultation has made a positive difference to my patients’ lives or to the lives of their families.

It is very rewarding to see babies eating better, blood results improving, and to know that the support and resources I provide are helping my patients feel more confident and informed.

In 2025, I saw a couple who were trying to conceive, and I prepared personalised meal and supplementation plans for both. More recently, they came back for their first pregnancy consultation. It was lovely to see them again and to know that they are now living the dream they had been working towards.

It is moments like this that make my work so rewarding. Being able to support patients through such an important stage of their lives, from preparing for conception to pregnancy, is incredibly meaningful.

What I Would Tell Someone Considering Dietetics

For anyone considering the MSc Dietetics (Pre-registration), I would say that you are preparing for a career where you can combine science with human connection.

Dietetics is much more than simply giving people advice about what to eat. It requires scientific knowledge, clinical reasoning, empathy, communication skills, and the ability to see the patient as a whole person.

Sometimes, our role is also to identify concerns that may not have been recognised before and work alongside other healthcare professionals to ensure that the patient receives the right care.

What makes the profession particularly rewarding is the opportunity to make a meaningful difference at different stages of people’s lives.

This could mean supporting someone to manage a medical condition, helping a child develop a healthy relationship with food, guiding a family through weaning, helping someone prepare for pregnancy, or simply making healthy eating more achievable in everyday life.

Inspired by Roberta’s Working Day? Explore Dietetics

Portobello Institute’s MSc Dietetics (Pre-registration) develops the theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and professional experience needed as you work towards becoming a practising dietitian.

Apply online or book a call with a Career Pathway Consultant for individual guidance on your application and whether the master’s is right for you.