About Jennifer Youngren
Welcome to Pumpkin House Nutrition. I am Jennifer Youngren, NDTR, a nutritionist devoted to helping others find balance and transformation through food. My approach weaves together evidence based science, practical wisdom, and the belief that true nourishment supports both the body and the soul.
I hold two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Human Nutrition and the other in Dietetics, an Associate in Applied Science in Dietetic Technology from Suffolk County Community College, and a two year Certification in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management. Currently, I am pursuing my Master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics through Arkansas State University to expand my expertise and refine my approach to integrative and clinical nutrition. These experiences have shaped my holistic perspective, allowing me to blend the science of food with the art of living well.
My professional work includes supporting adolescents and adults in Mather Hospital’s Partial Hospitalization Eating Disorder Program and assisting veterans with individualized meal planning at the Northport VA Medical Center. Beyond the clinical setting, I volunteer with food share programs, address food insecurity, and advocate for underserved communities. These experiences remind me that food is more than sustenance. It is connection, resilience, and empowerment.
My journey has also been influenced by my years as a caregiver, which taught me compassion, adaptability, and the importance of meeting people where they are. Those lessons guide my work in nutrition counseling, where every plan is personalized and rooted in respect for the individual. With a foundation in dietetics, human nutrition, and culinary arts, I integrate research with real world understanding to create meaningful, sustainable change.
At Pumpkin House Nutrition, I embrace the idea that every journey is unique. Like the ingredients in a well crafted recipe, every detail matters. I stay rooted in peer reviewed research while remaining open to evolving discoveries, ensuring the guidance I provide continues to grow and adapt.
As a mother of three, I understand the complexity of balancing health, family, and individual goals. My children remind me daily to stay curious, creative, and grounded in the joy of discovery and growth.
Pumpkin House Nutrition is more than a practice; it is a space where nourishment, balance, and healing come together. Whether you are rebuilding your relationship with food, addressing long standing challenges, or rediscovering the beauty of everyday meals, we will craft a path as unique as you.
Nutrition is the study of life itself, the movement of energy through every cell, and the way nutrients act as messengers that shape thought, emotion, and vitality. When you understand this deeper story, food becomes an ally. My work combines clinical experience with evidence based research to reveal how food truly supports the body. I teach people to view nutrition as the foundation of health, much like the framework behind a home. Once you see what exists within the walls, you begin to understand how everything connects. You recognize the flow of systems, the exchanges of energy, and the design that allows the body to function with precision and grace.
Food becomes more than a meal. It becomes information, repair, and communication. Magnesium carries calm through the nervous system. Hydration becomes electrical, energizing every cellular reaction. Proteins form the structure that strengthens and restores. Each nutrient plays a part in the blueprint that sustains both physical and emotional health.
My philosophy is built on curiosity and respect for the body’s natural intelligence. I guide people to form a healthy relationship with food through awareness and understanding. When you see how your biology works, nourishment becomes an act of self trust and clarity.
Science and compassion can work together to change the way we live and eat. Knowledge becomes healing when it reconnects people with their own wisdom. Pumpkin House Nutrition exists to honor that truth and to help every person uncover the brilliance that has always lived within them.