Healthy and Delicious Can Coexist: Meet Andrea Kirkland, the Dietician Behind Healthrageous’s Made Easy Meals

Healthrageous is celebrating our new Made Easy Meals menu for chronically ill Medicare plan members. Meet our in house registered dietitian, Andrea Kirkland, the mastermind behind the meals Healthrageous offers.

Southern Roots and Culinary Training

Born and raised in the south, Andrea was interested in cooking from an early age. While she was an athlete, she still struggled with her weight. “I was never a good dieter because I loved food,” she shared. Over time, her focus became centered around eating healthily rather than dieting. “Healthy and delicious – they can absolutely coexist…Not only can they, but they should and they do.” Andrea’s mission is to prove this by introducing skeptics to meals that are both nourishing and taste good.

Andrea completed her master’s degree in food science. She spent over 20 years working as a cookbook editor and recipe developer where she worked with chefs and test kitchen professionals. Andrea is also a culinary instructor in Birmingham, Alabama, for The Wellness Kitchen, a program based on meal preparation for chronic conditions and overall wellness. This past fall she joined our team at Healthrageous to help serve the needs of chronically ill seniors.

Meals That Spark Joy

Andrea ensures that the meals are tasty, include unique flavors and ingredients, and support a diversified menu. Most importantly, she confirms that each meal meets the nutritional needs of Healthrageous’s consumers, ensuring each meets guidelines appropriate for cardiometabolic food plans that address both cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

She also strives to make Healthrageous's meals culturally inclusive by catering to people with different backgrounds. The latest lineup is a melting pot of various cuisines: Italian, Asian, Spanish, French, African and Middle Eastern. “Anybody who is transitioning to a new way of eating will have much more success with foods that resonate with them, things they would make in their own home,” she explained.

Andrea hopes Healthrageous meals will give seniors hope that their new eating patterns can bring them joy, help them feel satisfied, and bring them optimal health. She noted, “If we can do that through great food, educational information and encouragement, that’s the ultimate goal… There’s a turning of the tide, and Healthrageous is serving this need.”

Click HERE to activate your chronically ill Medicare seniors and keep them healthy with the convenience of nutritious, diabetic and cardiac-friendly meals.