Nutrition Classes
Did you know?... Your dietitians offer many nutrition classes designed to help you achieve your health goals via virtual appointment. Virtual appointments make VA health care more convenient for you and other Veterans and caregivers. Virtual appointments enable you to quickly and easily meet with your VA care team through secure and private videoconferencing sessions. You can attend nutrition classes in a virtual medical room using the camera on your phone, computer, or tablet. There are NO Co-Pays for virtual appointments.
Class Details:
- All classes are instructed by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
- Unless otherwise stated all classes are
- Virtual offered via VVC, accessible with phone, computer or tablet
- Self-referral, no consult is required
- Require registration for scheduled appointment
Class Cost:
There are NO Co-Pays for virtual appointments.
Registration:
You can self-refer to these classes, but an appointment is required. To register:
- Contact Nutrition Scheduling at 503-273-5112 .
OR Contact your provider or care team and ask them to enter a consult to schedule into a group.
Healthy Teaching Kitchen (HTK)
Making healthy food choices is the #1 thing you can do for your health. Learning how to cook can be one step towards getting healthier foods on your plate, 95% of HTK participants report learning new recipes that will help them on their journey to healthy living. In the Healthy Teaching Classes a dietitian will provide live, virtual or in-person, cooking classes for individuals who wish to increase their nutrition knowledge, cooking skills, and build confidence in cooking at home.
Who can attend?
- Classes are open to VA-enrolled Veterans and one support person per class.
Is there a cost?
- If you have a co-pay for VA visits, this may apply to HTK cooking classes.
Healthy Teaching Kitchen Basics Classes
Virtual Demonstration Classes: A 90-minute class offered once every month via VA Video Connect (VVC).
- 1st Tuesday each month at 1:00 p.m.
In-Person Demonstration Classes: A 90-minute, 6-week class series offered multiple times throughout the year at Portland VA.
- Tuesdays (6 consecutive weeks)
- 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Next series beginning on January 13, 2026!
In-Person Hands-on Classes: A 90-minute class offered one time each month from January to December at Portland VA.
Look out for more details to come!
Healthy Teaching Kitchen Seasonal Classes
Cooking from the Garden:
A 90-minute, 4-week biweekly class series, offered in June-July.
2026 Class Series begins in June. Look out for more details to come!
Healthy for the Holidays:
A 90-minute, 4 week, biweekly class series offered in November-December.
2026 Class Series begins in November. Look out for more details to come!
Diabetes Prevention Class
This class reviews how nutrition impacts diabetes risk and provides education on healthy lifestyle such as healthy eating, maintaining a healthy weight, and increasing physical activity.
When: 2nd Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Diabetes Basics Nutrition Classes
This class reviews how nutrition impacts diabetes and provides foundational strategies for improving diet to manage blood sugar.
When: 4th Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Heart-Healthy Classes
This class focuses on the basics of heart-healthy eating to improve cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
When: 2nd Monday at 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Exploring Plant-Based Eating Class
This class provides education on a plant-based eating pattern including the benefits, key nutrients, and foods recommended with tips and actionable steps to get started.
When: 4th Monday at 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Nutrition and Chronic Pain
This class provides nutrition education for those interested in improving their diet to reduce inflammation while learning more about healthy dietary and lifestyle habits.
When: 2nd Monday at 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Nutrition Made Easy (4-Class Series)
Each week during this 4 week series this class will cover nutrition information and lifestyle skills for improving your health such as nutrition basics, meal planning, grocery shopping and meal prepping.
When: Monday at 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
*New series begins beginning of each month on Mondays (4 consecutive weeks)*
Mediterranean Diet Class
This class provides information about the Mediterranean-Style eating pattern including types of foods included, benefits of this pattern such as supporting brain and heart health, plus meal planning tips and strategies for incorporating into your daily life.
When: 2nd Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Intuitive Eating Classes
Intuitive Eating is a non-diet approach to health with a focus on improving your relationship to food and body by giving yourself permission to eat in harmony with your mind/body & food, letting your internal hunger and fullness cues guide you, eating due to physical, rather than emotional, cues and being able to select foods that feel good and energize your body. Intuitive Eating is offered as a one-time introduction class followed by a 12-week group series. Enroll in the Introduction to Intuitive Eating class to learn if intuitive eating is the right fit for you.
Introduction to Intuitive Eating
When: 3rd Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Intuitive Eating Program (12 Week Series)
When: Thursday at 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.