About the author

Jessica McAnelly

Healthy habits, told as a story.

As a dedicated Food Safety Professional, Registered Dietitian and Registered Sanitarian, Jessica brings a unique blend of clinical nutrition expertise and environmental health knowledge to ensure public safety and promote wellness across communities.

With over 20 years of experience, she has worked across healthcare, regulatory and food service sectors to develop, implement and manage programmes that uphold the highest standards in food safety, sanitation and nutrition.

Registered Dietitian Registered Sanitarian 20+ years Three picture books
Jessica McAnelly Eat well, stay safe ♥

What Jessica does

two audiences, one subject

Keeps food safe

Programmes that uphold the highest standards in food safety, sanitation and nutrition — across healthcare, regulatory and food service settings.

Writes for small readers

Engaging rhymes and lovable characters that teach children how to stay safe while enjoying their favourite foods.

Starts habits early

Her stories inspire healthy habits in a playful, memorable way — making wellness simple and joyful for parents, teachers and young readers alike.

Birdie’s books

three stories, one small blue bird
Birdie’s Picnic Party book cover

Birdie’s Picnic Party

A Tasty Take on Food Safety · ages 4–8

A picnic in the sunshine, a basket to pack and friends to share it with — and, in rhyme, the quiet rules that keep food safe.

Birdie’s Cooking Class book cover

Birdie’s Cooking Class

A Tasty Take on Eating Healthy · ages 4–8

One busy little kitchen, where eating well turns out to be something you do with your hands — chopping, stirring, tasting.

Birdie’s Fitness Fun book cover

Birdie’s Fitness Fun

A Playful Path on Staying Active · ages 4–8

The kind of exercise that never feels like exercise — a ball, a racket, a patch of grass, and a bird who would rather move than sit still.

And a free TadaKit to go with them

My Colorful MyPlate Adventure — a colouring worksheet, food picture cards, a healthy habits checklist and a guide for families and for teachers. Free to print.

Open the TadaKit
Her day job

Clinical nutrition, meet environmental health

Two fields that rarely sit at the same table — which is exactly why her books can be playful about food and precise about safety at the same time.

Food safety

Developing, implementing and managing programmes that uphold the highest standards in food safety and sanitation.

Clinical nutrition

Registered Dietitian expertise, applied to what children and families actually put on the plate.

Public wellness

Work across healthcare, regulatory and food service sectors to ensure public safety and promote wellness across communities.

With Tadatoon

From the story to the plate

Birdie’s picnic is the starting point for the My Colorful MyPlate Adventure TadaKit — a colouring worksheet, food picture cards, a healthy habits checklist and a guide for families and for teachers. Free to print.

Open the TadaKit
For schools, libraries & organisations

Bring Jessica to your room

A reading and a healthy-eating session for young readers — or, for professional audiences, a session on food safety, sanitation and nutrition programmes. Tell us a little about your group and we’ll come back with options.

  • School or library reading
  • Online read-aloud
  • Food safety & nutrition training

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