You could check BYTINGIN newsletter, which provides an annual directory of food service and nutritional analysis software. They are putting up a website, but it is still under construction. You can e-mail the BYTINGIN editor Sue Grossbauer.
The government has a database of food and nutrition software that was maintained by the National Agriculture Library. The NAL used to have a printed directory of nutrition software and demo copies of each software at their library in Washington. The NAL has discontinued this as of last year, but your library may have an old copy.
There are monthly software reviews by John Orta in the back of Journal Of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. He is at California State University – Los Angeles.
I designed features for 6 nutritional analysis software programs so I am not exactly unbiased. I have been working in technology for 20+ years. I prefer complete nutrition analysis, weight loss, exercise and cookbook software. The qualities that I like in nutritional analysis software are ease of use (don’t have to read the manual), large database with few or no missing nutrient values covering at least 30 nutrients, Windows platform, graph / print capabilities, able to add foods to the database, costing of meals / recipes, recipe scaling (increase or decrease number of servings), BMR / activity calorie calculations, inexpensive (<$100) and good technical support.
Good luck with your assignment and career in dietetics. I graduated with a BA from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley and a Masters from North Dakota State University at Fargo. By the way, I have never taken a course in computers and can do anything with computers except program! Take computer classes and become a techie RD.
