Rooted & Restless with Marianne Smith Edge

In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with registered dietitian and cookbook author RosanneRust about simple, practical ways to make the food you buy last longer and get more value from every grocery trip. From storing fresh produce properly to giving overripe fruits and vegetables a second life, Rosanne shares realistic tips that anyone can use.

Rosanne also explains how growing up in an Italian f...

What does sustainability actually look like on a dairy farm? In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with Wisconsin dairy farmer Andrea Brossard about what sustainability looks like on a modern dairy farm. Andrea shares how her 500-cow operation balances caring for cows, protecting natural resources, and embracing innovation while producing nutritious dairy foods for consumers.

What We Cover

• Why cow...

Did you know that one out of every three bites of food we eat depends on pollinators? In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with Tamara Horn Potter, PhD, beekeeper extension specialist at Kentucky State University, about the often-forgotten connection between bees, pollinators, and the food on our plates.

What We Cover:

 The challenges facing today's beekeepers, from transporting hives ac...

In this episode of Rooted and Restless, Marianne Smith Edge sits down with Kentucky farmer and entrepreneur Jim Gilles to discuss the realities of modern farming, direct-to-consumer food sales, and the growing demand for local and regional food systems.

Jim shares how his family's century-long Angus cattle operation evolved from a traditional seedstock business into a thriving direct-to-consumer enterprise, Hillview Meats. We a...

In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with Lauren Twigge, RDN and a dairy farmer dairy daughter about all things dairy -from the growing interest in raw milk, the science behind pasteurization, and the evolving landscape of dairy products.

Together, they explore common misconceptions about milk safety, discuss the role of whole milk in healthy diets, and the resurgence of cottage cheese popularity. ...

In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with Dr. S. Liza Lockwood, an emergency medicine physician, medical toxicologist, and medical affairs lead with Bayer U.S. Crop Science. She joins Marianne to talk about food safety, pesticides, natural toxins, and how scientists evaluate risk. Together, they explore why public concerns about chemicals in food often differ from actual scientific risk.

What We C...

What if fruits and vegetables could taste better, last longer, and be easier to grow all while reducing food waste?

Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RDN sits down with Anabel Rivas, M.S., Director of Crop Technical Development at Pairwise, to explore how gene-editing technology is transforming the future of fresh produce.

Anabel shares how Pairwise is developing innovations like seedless blackberries and pitless cherries and why these types ...

In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with Mary Lee Chin, MS, RDN and owner, Nutrition Edge Communications about glutamate (MSG). Together, they explore how one ingredient became the center of food fears, cultural misconceptions, and decades of misinformation.

Mary Lee shares the origins of MSG and how the term “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” emerged from a racially charged narrative in the la...

In this episode of Rooted and Restless, Marianne Smith Edge sits down with Dr. Heather Norman-Bergdolf, assistant extension nutrition professor at the University of Kentucky, to unpack the growing reality of alpha-gal syndrome—a food allergy linked to Lone Star tick bites.

As cases rise across Kentucky and much of the Midwest and Eastern U.S., they unpack the science behind this unusual condition, why symptoms can appear ...

Animal protein is at the center of today’s biggest food conversations—but how much of the public narrative tells the full story?

In this episode of Rooted and Restless, Marianne Smith Edge sits down with Eric Mittenthal, Chief Strategy Officer at the Meat Institute and President of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, to explore sustainability, animal welfare, meat prices, nutrition, and the...

With protein dominating headlines, where does soy fit—and why is there still so much confusion around its quality and health benefits?

In this episode of Rooted and Restless, Marianne Smith Edge sits down with soy nutrition expert Michelle Braun, PhD, to explore the journey from farm to table and unpack the truth about soy protein. From the fields of the Midwest to the foods on our plates, they break down how soy is grown...

In this episode, Marianne sits down with registered dietitian and award-winning nutrition communicator Kathleen Zelman to simplify grocery shopping with your family’s health in mind. From confusing labels to processed foods, Kathleen shares practical strategies to help you shop with confidence, without overthinking every choice.

They break down the 80/20 approach to eating, prioritizing whole, minimally processed foods while l...

In this episode of Rooted and Restless, Marianne Smith Edge sits down with international economist Dr. Robert Thompson to unpack what’s truly driving risk in our food system—from trade policy and farm economics to food prices and consumer fears.

The conversation also tackles one of the most misunderstood topics when it comes to food fears: the difference between hazard and risk. From pesticide concerns to annual &ld...

In this powerful episode, Marianne Smith Edge sits down with Kentucky farmer and ag economist Jesse Horn to uncover the realities behind today’s food system—from rising grocery prices to the hidden financial pressures facing American farmers.

What We Cover:

• Farming today is a high-risk, high-cost business.

• Why switching to fruits and vegetables isn’t as simple as it sounds

• What “regenerative agriculture&rd...

Milk might seem simple — but the story spans across the globe. In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne sits down with Tom Suber to explore how milk travels from local farms to global markets. From cheese and milk powder to whey protein, today’s dairy industry is shaped as much by international demand as it is by what we consume at home.

Beyond economics, the cultural side of milk — from cow’s ...

What does it really mean to eat well in today’s world of evolving science, new medications, and endless nutrition advice? Marianne sits down with Sally Squires, a Washington, DC based health and nutrition writer, former Washington Post health writer and founder of the Lean Plate Club to explore how nutrition guidance has changed over the past 25 years—and what still matters most.

From science-based advice you can trust t...

In this Rooted & Restless episode, Marianne sits down with registered dietitian Dr. Keith Ayoob, Associate Clinical Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NYC to unpack one of the most popular—and most confusing—terms in today’s nutrition conversation. From dietary guidelines to social media influencers, the phrase real food is everywhere, yet rarely explained with sci...

In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne sits down with Clancy Harrison, RDN, TEDx speaker, and founder of the Food Dignity© Movement to explore food insecurity through a lens few experience firsthand.

What began as volunteer service became a transformative “aha” moment that reshaped Clancy’s understanding of hunger, dignity, and the deeper structural flaws within our food system.

What We Cover:

• Why food ...

How do farm roots, culinary training, and nutrition science come together to shape healthier, and more flavorful, eating habits? In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with registered dietitian and culinary expert Amy Myrdal Miller about her journey from a North Dakota farm to professional kitchens and nutrition leadership and how flavor is the bridge to healthier eating.

What We Cover

• How farm l...