How an online dietitian appointment actually works, what you need, whether virtual care is effective, how privacy works, and who it suits. No form, no email required.
This is a free public resource about how virtual, or online, nutrition counselling actually works in Ontario. If you have never met with a dietitian by video and are not sure what to expect, or you are weighing online against in person, this walks through the practical side honestly. Nothing here is behind a form, and you do not have to give anyone your email to read it. It is general information, written so you can decide what kind of care fits your life, wherever you are in the province.
Virtual nutrition counselling means you meet with a Registered Dietitian by secure video instead of in a clinic. You book a time, you receive a private link, and at that time you talk, much as you would in person, from wherever you are comfortable. Because nutrition counselling is mostly conversation, it translates to video well, and it means you are not limited to dietitians in your own town, which matters a great deal outside the largest cities. It is not the right fit for every situation: some parts of eating disorder care, like medical monitoring, still need a doctor in person. A free introductory call is the easy way to find out whether virtual care suits you before you commit to anything.
It is simpler than people expect. You book a session, usually online, and you receive a private, secure video link. At the appointment time you click the link from a phone, tablet, or computer, and you and the dietitian talk. A first session is mostly getting to know your history, your relationship with food, and what you are hoping for, at a pace that feels manageable. Follow ups pick up from there. You do not need any special software beyond what runs the video call, and if the technology ever hiccups, that is normal and gets sorted out, often by simply switching to a phone call.
Not much. A device with a camera and microphone, a reasonably stable internet connection, and a private-enough spot where you can speak freely for the length of the session. That last part matters more than a perfect setup. A parked car, a closed bedroom, a quiet corner, all of these work. You do not need a fast computer, a professional camera, or any particular purchase. If a private space is genuinely hard to find, that is worth naming on the intro call, because it can usually be worked around.
For nutrition counselling, which is built on conversation, working relationship, and steady follow up, video is well suited, and a great deal of eating disorder and disordered eating care in Ontario is now delivered this way. What virtual care does not replace is medical oversight. Eating disorder recovery sometimes needs a physician to monitor things like weight, bloodwork, and vital signs, and if someone is medically unstable, in-person medical care comes first. A responsible virtual dietitian works alongside your family doctor and therapist rather than in place of them, and will say plainly when something belongs with the medical team. Framed that way, virtual and in-person care are not really competitors, they are parts of the same picture.
Sessions are held over secure video, not an ordinary social or messaging app, and what you talk about stays between you and the dietitian, the same as it would in a clinic room. One practical note that applies to any online care: ordinary email is not a secure place for detailed personal health information, so it is best not to send sensitive health details that way, and a good practice will tell you the right channel instead. If you are claiming through extended health benefits, you are given receipts you can submit yourself, so you stay in control of what your insurer sees. Whether OHIP or insurance covers a dietitian is covered in a separate plain guide on this site, what a dietitian costs in Ontario and what OHIP and insurance cover.
Anywhere in the province. Because the care is virtual, you are not limited to dietitians who happen to practise in your city, which opens up real options for people in smaller towns, rural areas, and the north, where an eating disorder dietitian may be hours away in person. It also makes care easier to keep up with around work, school, caregiving, and travel, since there is no commute attached to it. If you are still deciding who to work with, there is a separate guide to how to find and choose an eating disorder dietitian in Ontario, and a free guide to eating disorder support across Ontario that lists community groups and publicly funded programs.
Lauren Hofstee is a Registered Dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario, and her whole practice is virtual, by secure video, across Ontario. She works specifically in eating disorder recovery and disordered eating, from a non-diet, weight-inclusive place, alongside clients' therapists and physicians. Every new client starts with a free introductory call, which is the easiest way to see how virtual sessions feel and whether they fit your situation before anything is booked. If in-person or medical care is what you need first, she will say so.
You book a time and receive a private, secure video link. At the appointment you join from a phone, tablet, or computer and talk with the dietitian, much as you would in person. A first session is mostly history and getting to know what you are hoping for, and follow ups build from there. No special software is needed beyond what runs the video call.
For the counselling itself, which is conversation and steady follow up, video works well, and much eating disorder care in Ontario is delivered this way. What it does not replace is medical monitoring. If weight, bloodwork, or vital signs need watching, or someone is medically unstable, a physician in person comes first, and a good virtual dietitian works alongside that medical care rather than instead of it.
A device with a camera and microphone, a reasonably stable internet connection, and a private-enough space to speak freely. You do not need a fast computer or any particular app. If finding a private space is hard, that is worth mentioning on the intro call so it can be worked around.
Yes. Because the care is online, you are not limited to your own town, which matters especially in smaller communities and the north, where an eating disorder dietitian may be far away in person.
Yes. Sessions are held over secure video and stay between you and the dietitian. As with any online care, avoid sending detailed personal health information through ordinary email, and use the secure channel your dietitian points you to instead.
No. You can contact a Registered Dietitian in private practice directly. Some insurance plans ask for a physician's note before they reimburse, which is separate from needing a referral to book, so it is worth checking your own plan.
Reviewed 2026-07-23. This page is general information about how virtual nutrition counselling works in Ontario. It is not medical advice, and it does not replace care from your physician. If you are medically unwell, please start with your doctor or local emergency services.
If something here is out of date or unclear, please write to laurenhofstee.rd@gmail.com and it will be corrected. There is nothing to sign up for.
Lauren Hofstee is a Registered Dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario, offering virtual, non-diet nutrition counselling for eating disorder recovery across Ontario. The introductory call is free, and it is the easiest way to see how a virtual session feels and decide before you commit to anything.
Book a free intro callStill deciding who to work with? See how to find and choose an eating disorder dietitian in Ontario. Weighing the cost? See what a dietitian costs in Ontario, and OHIP and insurance.