The challenges are real, but they're also manageable, says Christen Cupples Cooper, an assistant professor and founding director of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program at Pace University in Pleasantville, New York. "Just because candy canes, chocolates, cookies and holiday fare line almost every aisle of every store, doesn’t mean you need to buy and consume these products," Cooper says. "Keep the holidays framed in your mind as a celebration and regard food as one element, but not the centerpiece of the entire holiday season."

Christen Cooper
Program Founding Director
Biography
Personal Quote
Eat greens and live green. Care for your body and the planet.
Faculty Bio
Dr. Cooper received her M.S. and Ed.D in Nutrition Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) credentialed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She earned her B.A. in History and in Political Science at Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA.
She is founding chair and assistant professor of Pace's Coordinated Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics Program, which combines classroom and supervised practice experiences to prepare students to become RDNs. The program offers two concentrations: food policy/food justice and culinary nutrition.
Dr. Cooper has also served as a management consultant in Latin America and has worked for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Licensures and Certificates
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Research and Creative Works
Research Interest
Sugar-sweetened beverage intake in young children
Adults' influences on children's food choices and eating behaviors
Parent feeding styles
The future of food
Courses Taught
Past Courses
ND 540: Nutrition Across the Lifespan
NUR 395: Independent Study in Nursing
Professional Contributions and Service
Professional Memberships
- Super Kids Nutrition [Advisory Board]
Related News and Stories
“The emphasis was on ‘fast’ rather than ‘food,’ with restaurants advertising quick food and attractive prices and profits being driven by cheap ingredients and labor,” explains Christen Cupples Cooper, Ed.D., R.D.N., assistant professor and founding director of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program at the College of Health Professions at Pace University.
In an interview with MDLinx, Christen Cooper, EdN, RDN, Coordinator MS, Founding Director in Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Professions, Pace University, Pleasantville, New York, said, “Many herbs show promise for preventing and fighting diseases. This is why registered dietitians encourage people to replace excessive sugar and salt with fresh herbs when trying to boost the flavor in dishes.”