Dunedin is where most of New Zealand’s dietitians train, so the best nutritionists in Dunedin tend to be well credentialed, but they specialise in quite different things. Gut health, food allergy, children’s feeding, sports performance and women’s health are each covered by a different practice here. A dietitian Dunedin wide holds a title protected under law and must be registered with the Dietitians Board; nutritionist is not protected, so ask which organisation someone belongs to.
1Diet Consulting
Diet Consulting is a multi-practitioner dietetics practice with four dietitians plus an administrator, working from serviced rooms on George Street and a second clinic in Oamaru. It is worth knowing before you get in touch that their contact page asks for a text rather than a phone call.
Services
- Nutrition assessments
- Nutrition education
- Nutrition counselling
- Dietetic services for residential care facilities
- Supervision for dietitians, registered nutritionists and other health professionals
Highlights
- All practitioners listed as New Zealand Registered Dietitians, with a link to the Dietitians Board public register
- Helen Gibbs was elected to the Dietitians New Zealand Council in 2022
- Helen Gibbs holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics and an honours degree in food science
- Alice Nettleton holds a Master of Dietetics from the University of Otago and states eight years of practice in New Zealand and the United Kingdom
- Accepts GP and health professional referrals through ERMS
Location & Contact
Name: Diet Consulting
Address: 218 George Street, Dunedin 9016
Phone: 021 241 1881 (text only, per their site)
Website: dietconsulting.nz
2Jumpstart Nutrition
Jumpstart Nutrition works from Musselburgh and is built around children and family nutrition, covering starting solids, fussy eating, allergies and tube feeding. Director Jenny Douglas has published in the field, including a chapter in a clinical paediatric dietetics textbook.
Services
- Private dietitian consultations
- ACC dietitian services as a registered ACC vendor
- Workshops
- Online resources, recipes and an ingredient shop
Highlights
- Jenny Douglas is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian and states twenty years of practice
- Co-author of the YUM Cookbook with Nadia Lim, Annabel Inglis and Lisa Daniels
- Wrote the Feeding Children with Neurodisabilities chapter in Clinical Paediatric Dietetics
- Member of the Dietitians New Zealand Paediatric Society Allergy Special Interest Group
- Member of the National Clinical Network for Tube Fed Children in New Zealand
Location & Contact
Name: Jumpstart Nutrition
Address: 69 Musselburgh Rise, Musselburgh, Dunedin 9013
Phone: 022 350 5490
Website: jumpstartnutrition.co.nz
3Stepwise Nutrition
Stepwise Nutrition is Kim Te’s practice, consulting from the Marinoto Clinic at Mercy Hospital in Maori Hill. Appointments are available face to face in Dunedin or virtually anywhere in New Zealand, and GPs can refer through the ERMS allied health pathway.
Services
- Initial dietetic consultations
- Follow-up dietetic consultations
- Virtual consultations throughout New Zealand
- Referrals accepted from health professionals via ERMS
Highlights
- New Zealand Registered Dietitian and a dietitian prescriber
- BSc in Human Nutrition and Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics, University of Otago
- Has completed the Monash University low FODMAP course for IBS
- Member of Dietitians New Zealand
- Also works part time for Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Southern
Location & Contact
Name: Stepwise Nutrition
Address: Suite 7, Marinoto Clinic, Mercy Hospital, 72 Newington Avenue, Maori Hill, Dunedin 9010
Phone: 022 026 5800
Website: stepwisenutrition.co.nz
4Tessa Scott Holistic Nutrition and Wellness
Tessa Scott’s practice covers fertility, pregnancy and early childhood feeding, and she is qualified as both a nutritionist and a medical herbalist. Her services page states she is currently seeing clients online by Zoom rather than in person, so check the format before you book.
Services
- Initial and follow-up nutrition consultations
- Coaching calls for infant, toddler and preschool feeding
- Small group nutrition sessions
- Corporate workshops, seminars and one-to-one consultations
Highlights
- Registered Nutritionist with the Nutrition Society of New Zealand
- Registered Medical Herbalist through the New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists
- Degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Otago
- Advanced Diploma in Naturopathy
Location & Contact
Name: Tessa Scott Holistic Nutrition and Wellness
Address: Dunedin (no street address published)
Website: tessascott.co.nz
5The Sports Nutritionist
The Sports Nutritionist works from King Edward Street in South Dunedin and is aimed squarely at athletic performance, combining nutrition consultations with body composition scanning and structured programmes. It also runs a community project supplying support to local Dunedin and Southland teams.
Services
- Full body analysis appointments
- Clinical scan and performance consultations
- Performance nutrition consultations
- Six-week, twelve-week and six-month nutrition programmes
- A twelve-week strength and mobility programme
Highlights
- Founder Amber Hookway lists a Master of Health Sciences and a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science
- Describes herself on the site as an accredited performance nutritionist and accredited health coach, though no accrediting body is named
- Runs The Community Performance Project for local sports teams
- Combines nutrition consultations with body composition scanning in the same practice
Location & Contact
Name: The Sports Nutritionist
Address: 160A King Edward Street, South Dunedin
Phone: 027 253 4949
Website: thesportsnutritionist.net
Nutritionists in Dunedin at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Consulting | Dunedin | All practitioners listed as New Zealand Registered Dietitians |
| Jumpstart Nutrition | Musselburgh | Jenny Douglas is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian and states twenty... |
| Stepwise Nutrition | Marinoto Clinic | New Zealand Registered Dietitian and a dietitian prescriber |
| Tessa Scott Holistic Nutrition and Wellness | Dunedin (no street address published) | Registered Nutritionist with the Nutrition Society of New Zealand |
| The Sports Nutritionist | South Dunedin | Founder Amber Hookway lists a Master of Health Sciences and a Bachelo... |
How to Choose the Right Nutritionist in Dunedin
- Decide whether you need a registered dietitian or a nutritionist, since the two register through different bodies and insurers do not always treat them the same
- Match the practice to your reason for going, because children’s feeding, gut health, fertility and sports performance are handled by different practitioners here
- Check how each practice prefers to be contacted, as at least one asks for a text rather than a call and another lists no phone number at all
- Ask whether appointments are in person or online, since some are currently running by video only
- If a credential says registered, ask which organisation holds that register and look it up
Frequently Asked Questions About Dunedin Nutritionists
What is the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian?
Dietitian is a protected title in New Zealand, regulated under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, and practitioners must be registered with the Dietitians Board and hold a current annual practising certificate. Nutritionist is not protected, so the title alone tells you less about the training behind it. Ask what someone studied and which organisation they belong to.
How do I check a practitioner is registered?
The Dietitians Board keeps a public register of dietitians. For nutritionists, the Nutrition Society of New Zealand runs a separate registration scheme with its own requirements, and some practitioners belong to other associations instead. Ask which register applies and look it up rather than assuming they are equivalent.
Can a Dunedin GP refer me to a dietitian?
Yes. Diet Consulting, Jumpstart Nutrition and Stepwise Nutrition all state they accept referrals from GPs and other health professionals, and two of them name the ERMS pathway specifically. You can also book privately with any of them without a referral.
Are there dietitians in Dunedin who work with children?
Jumpstart Nutrition is built around paediatric and family nutrition, covering starting solids, fussy eating, allergies and tube feeding, and its director has published in that field. Tessa Scott also offers coaching calls for infant, toddler and preschool feeding. Ask about the age group you need before booking.
How do I get a nutrition appointment in Dunedin if I live out of town?
Most of these practices offer video consultations covering the wider Otago region and beyond, and Diet Consulting also runs a clinic in Oamaru. If you are in Balclutha, Mosgiel or Central Otago, ask about telehealth rather than assuming you need to drive in.
What does a first nutrition appointment usually involve?
Typically a longer initial session covering your health history, current eating, any medications or supplements and what you want to change, followed by a written plan and shorter follow-ups. Length and format vary between practices, so ask what is included and what it costs before you book.
How We Chose the Best Nutritionists in Dunedin
Every business in this guide was found by searching for nutritionists in Dunedin, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Dunedin, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.