About Me

Kia ora,

I’m Jade Winter, a NZ Registered Nutritionist located in Hokitika on the spectacular West Coast. I am a mother to two beautiful children, Olivia and Jack, and wife to Brendon. I absolutely love the natural landscape of the West Coast, and very much enjoy getting out walking with the stroller. All of my close friends and family will know that I can’t say no to cheese, or chocolate!

“I am all about taking the science and combining it with your lifestyle, concerns and goals to craft a treatment plan that is based on YOU as an individual. Realistic, evidence based support for you - the expert of your own body.” 

— Jade

I absolutely love all areas of nutrition, and am absolutely passionate about looking for opportunities to support your body with food, rather than banning or restricting.

I specialise in sports nutrition (endurance sport, hypothalamic amenorrhea, RED-S/LEA), coeliac disease, IBS, pregnancy and early life and people wanting to ditch diets forever and find their groove.

Whether you are aiming to boost your energy levels, prevent and treat nutritional deficiencies, optimize sport performance, manage coeliac disease or suspected IBS, nourish yourself prior to or during pregnancy or restore your menstrual cycle, I offer gentle evidence-based guidance to support you to make bite-sized changes at your pace- nutrition that nurtures the body and mind! I am also available to provide support to workplaces, playgroups and sports teams. I LOVE presenting and sharing my knowledge to support others in their ventures.

I have a Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies and Master of Health Science (Human Nutrition). The research component of my Masters was investigating the knowledge of bone health, menstrual cycles and nutrition amongst female athletes and active women. I began my nutrition career working in Public Health for five years, and throughout this time completed my postgraduate study.

Whilst on maternity leave with my first child, I worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Otago, helping to conduct a study called He Kai Kei Aku Ringaringa - Food Security on the West Coast. I have been privileged to work with Poutini Waiora to implement one of the recommendations - setting up a Food Rescue organisaiton on the West Coast. Te Tai Poutini Kai Puku was born in 2022 and is now rescuing and redistributing 1ooo’s of kilograms of perfectly edible food every month. I am passionate about everybody having equitable access to food in a mana enhancing way and hope to continue supporting this kaupapa.

I first became interested in nutrition when I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease.

My interest grew when I started noticing changes in my sports performance when I ate various foods. I became fascinated, but at the tender age of 16, hated science. Luckily, I fell in love with it a few years later! I experienced first-hand the effects of low energy availability, and loss of menstruation without a clinical eating disorder which fuelled my desire to contribute to the research in this area. I am really passionate about supporting clients to develop a healthy relationship with food and create lifelong habits which will nurture their mind, body and soul.

I look forward to supporting you on your journey.

I love food - growing, preparing, preserving, cooking, eating and sharing with my family and friends.

It all brings joy to me. Prior to expanding our family, I used to fondly spend hours pottering in the kitchen- with two young children this has changed and I now am a master meal planner, quick thinker of emergency snacks and instant nourishing meals and mastermind of creating meals suitable for babies right through to hungry active adults!

We live on a small lifestyle block in Hokitika and proudly call the West Coast our home. We are obsessed with mountain views, easy access to the outdoors, zero traffic lights and love nothing more than a hot brew. When I am not working, I am hanging out with my young family, reading, exercising, gardening or cooking. I am passionate about wasting as little as possible and teaching my children how to enjoy food in every season.

Qualifications

I am a Registered Nutritionist with the Nutrition Society of NZ which means I have met their minimum requirements that all registered nutritionists hold a Bachelor’s degree at least, engage in regular clinical supervision and further education requirements, and uphold their strict code of ethics.

I have a Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies from Waikato University and more recently, a Master in Health Science majoring in Human Nutrition (with distinction).

I am always furthering my study and have allocated time regularly for continued education.

The term “nutritionist” is not protected in NZ so anyone with a diploma or even an online course can call themselves a nutritionist, a nutrition coach, or a registered clinical nutritionist. None of those terms come with a guarantee of safe, evidence based practice.

“Our teenager most of his life hadn't had a great relationship with food through the fear of trying new things. When we noticed him becoming unwell we were desperate to seek answers.

Meeting and working with Jade over the past 12/18 months has seen his nutritional requirements improve. Being an active sportsperson, it was vital to get this right due to his busy training schedules. By doing this, it has now given him the energy he lacked and needed which has meant he gained some national podiums in his chosen sport.

We are very grateful to Jade and her ongoing support. She speaks to our teenager at his level and everything discussed is done at his own pace.

I have no hesitation in recommending Jade and we look forward to continuing our journey with her.” 

— Individual client