We had the good fortune of connecting with Peyton Millard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Peyton, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I created Peachy Plate Nutrition for a specific purpose: to properly educate individuals about nutrition and to improve the health and lives of those that I work with. Nutrition has become a very confusing topic for many because there are numerous individuals, including other health professionals, who are attempting to educate the public about nutrition without any proper education or training on the topic.

When I was younger, I remember being super interested in nutrition, but I didn’t know where to get my information from. I did what everyone else does, I typed my nutrition questions right into Google. Easy peasy! However, all I found was pages and pages of conflicting information. I didn’t know what was right and what was wrong, so I typically just chose the information that resonated with me most (basically, I just went along with the answer that I wanted to hear). Was the information evidenced-based? I have absolutely no idea – I didn’t check the credentials of the individual sharing the information, I didn’t know how to read research and I just wanted a quick answer.

Most of us can hardly remember the basic information we were taught in grade school about nutrition, so how can we be expected to know how to properly nourish our bodies? And if we aren’t expected to know how to nourish our bodies, how are we supposed to know where to go to get factual information? It’s extremely frustrating and is one of the main drivers behind wanting to start my own nutrition business.

Being a Registered Dietitian puts me in a unique role where I am able to provide evidence-based nutrition counseling that is personalized for each of my clients. It’s exciting for me to get to simplify nutrition and know that what I am recommending is backed by science. In addition to my one-on-one services, I love to share free nutrition education and nutrient-dense recipes on my Instagram account @PeachyPlateNutrition, which has been a great way to increase access to reliable nutrition information. Ultimately, I want to be the resource that I needed when I was younger.

What should our readers know about your business?
Peachy Plate Nutrition has truly become a passion project for me. I find so much joy in being able to meet with clients and pinpoint ways to help them reach their nutrition and health goals. I’ve also had the privilege of presenting to different groups including high school athletes, half marathon training groups, surgery center staff members and more.

Earning the title of “registered dietitian” had been a dream of mine for so long and it’s truly a privilege to hold the title as the path to becoming a registered dietitian is rigorous. The dietetic internship program, which provides 1200+ hours of supervised practice, is a pre-requisite for being eligible to sit for the certified national board exam for dietitians. The entrance rate into dietetic internship programs is around 60% – so it’s reasonably competitive. Luckily, after I completed my Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in nutrition and dietetics, I was matched to a program which I completed alongside my Master of Science (M.S.) degree where I specialized in community nutrition and health promotion. After I completed my internship program, I was finally eligible to sit for the exam – and I passed! Now, to keep my title, I am required to complete numerous hours of continuing education to stay current on the research. All of that to say, it has truly been a journey to get to where I am today!

After passing my RD exam, I hit the ground running to launch Peachy Plate Nutrition. Starting your own business is no easy task – I found that out really quick! Being able to lean on others for guidance has helped me grow my business into what it is today. I have big plans for Peachy Plate Nutrition and hope to continue creating impactful experiences for my clients.

Ultimately, what I want people to know is that it’s okay to ask for help/support. I have had to do it multiple times in my life and it’s only helped me excel and accomplish my goals. So, if you are someone who is stuck in a rut as a result of diet cycling or are someone just looking for guidance to live a healthier and more fulfilling life, please reach out! I’d love to support you in your journey and help you determine what YOU need to reach your goals.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love this question! If I had a friend come to Lincoln, NE, I would definitely take them to a few of my favorite local spots. To start their first night in town, I would take them to one of my favorite speakeasies: Kate Martin – their Gabrielle Union cocktail is to die for.

The next morning, I would bring them to the Haymarket Farmer’s Market where I would 100% have them try the honey wheat sourdough bread from Le Quartier Bakery (the best!!), grab some coffee from The Mill and get allll the veggies from local farmers. Then, I would bring them to the Wax Buffalo Candle Lab and top the day off with a trip to Goldenrod Pastries.

The weekend wouldn’t stop there though. Because I’m a foodie at heart, I would HAVE to take them to some of the best local restaurants in town, such as: JTK, Pita & Naan, The Copper Kettle and more!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There were SO many people who helped me get to where I am now, but someone who played an especially large role in my journey to becoming an RD is fellow registered dietitian and entrepreneur, Amber Pankonin. When I entered college, I had no idea what a registered dietitian was. I loved nutrition and chose nutrition science as my major while on the pre-dental track. It wasn’t until I took my first college nutrition class, which was taught by Amber, that I found out there were actual professionals in the nutrition field. I quickly changed career paths and seeked out guidance from Amber on what I needed to do during undergrad to be accepted into a dietetic internship/graduate program.

Amber actually ended up being one of my preceptors during my Dietetic Internship at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and answered my never-ending questions about how to launch my private practice. I will always remember the impact she had on my journey to becoming a registered dietitian and I continue to look up to her as a role model, friend and colleague in the profession.

Website: https://peachyplatenutrition.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peachyplatenutrition/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peyton-millard-ms-rd-lmnt-29993317a?trk=people-guest_people_search-card

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/peachyplatenutrition/

Image Credits
Katie Trout Photography

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