I'm Ray Besselston, and you're listening to the Plan Strong podcast.

Today's episode is all about how food systems can change when you have the right people at the helm.

Today I'm joined by Rachel Atchison. She is founder of Food Policy Pathways and is a true leader in food policy who is helping bring plant-based meals into schools, hospitals, and government programs serving millions and millions of people.

From launching Meatless Monday in New York City schools to reshaping hospital menus and lifestyle medicine clinics.

Rachel shares what it really takes to create change that reduces both chronic disease and uses taxpayer dollars wisely.

If you're curious about how positive change can happen on a large scale, then you'll

really appreciate this conversation with Rachel. We'll get right into it, right after this message

from Plant Strong. Most of us don't make our hardest food decisions when we're inspired. We make them when we're tired.

Late afternoons, busy evenings, weeks when everything feels full, and that is when defaults matter.

If your pantry is stocked with real, whole plant foods that you trust, you don't have to rely on willpower.

You don't have to debate with yourself. You just make the next simple choice.

And this is why I created the Plant Strong Food Line. It's oil-free, whole food, nutrient-dense

staples that pair with the produce aisle and make healthy eating the

easy option. It's not heroic. It's not complicated, just slow and steady. You can save 10%

on your first order with the code podcast. Visit plantstrong.com to explore our full lineup.

There is something powerful that happens when you step out of your routine and into a

room full of people who are asking the same questions that you are. What if I took my health

seriously? What if food could actually move the needle with my health? What if

I didn't have to do this alone? This April, we are gathering in Black Mountain, North Carolina

for six days of connection, play, learning, and deep personal clarity. It's not a lecture series. It's not a boot camp. It's a

medically supported immersion into what's possible when you fuel your body with whole plant foods

and surround yourself with community that lifts you up. We hike, we cook, we laugh, we learn, and people leave differently

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