This collection was curated by an ASCCC OERI discipline lead. The curated list provided here is intended to facilitate faculty selection of an OER text in lieu of a commercial text. If you are aware of additional resources that should be included, please contact us via our general OER e-mail. Resources with a C-ID designation are listed numerically by C-ID number and followed by a collection of OER by course title when there is no C-ID to reference.
Using an openly licensed resource that is missing from the list below? If so, please let us know.
OER by C-ID
Introduction to Nutrition Science (C-ID NUTR 110)
- Human Nutrition – 2020 Edition (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa) (CC BY-NC-SA)
This textbook serves as an introduction to nutrition for undergraduate students and is the OER textbook for the FSHN 185 The Science of Human Nutrition course at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. The book covers basic concepts in human nutrition, key information about essential nutrients, basic nutritional assessment, and nutrition across the lifespan.
- Nutrition: Science and Everyday Application v.2.0 (Powell et al., 2026) (CC BY-NC)
Provides a science based foundation in human nutrition, covering nutrient biochemistry, metabolism, and evidence-based health promotion across the lifespan
Pro: Current (updated 2026) with a focus on information literacy and weight-neutral health approaches - CCSF Nutrition Textbook: Introduction to Nutrition — Science and Everyday Application (Siekmann, 2025) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Comprehensive textbook featuring distinct units on pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
Notes/Gaps: This is a general book; instructors should clearly direct students to the Lifecycle units to avoid confusion with introductory material.
Principles of Foods with Lab (C-ID NUTR 120)
- NUTF 10: Food Science (Lord) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Covers the chemical and physical properties of food and how processing and storage affect food quality.
Strengths: Organized by food category (dairy, meat, grains), making it easy to use for weekly lectures. - Chemistry of Cooking (Rodriguez-Velazquez) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA)
Examines the molecular changes that occur during food preparation, including fermentation and emulsification.
Strengths: Excellent for explaining the “why” behind culinary techniques like the Maillard reaction. - FNDH 313: Science of Food (Kansas State University) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA)
- This course provides detailed information on foodborne pathogens, sanitation standards, and prevention strategies.
- Strengths: Very high technical detail on microbiology and bacterial growth curves.
- Culinary Medicine 2025e (Antonopoulos et al.) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Explores how cultural heritage and social determinants of health influence food choices and medical outcomes. This is a 2025 edition and is highly relevant to modern dietetics.
OER with no C-ID descriptor
- Principles of Nutritional Assessment 3e (Gibson, et al.) – LibreTexts (CC BY)
Summary: Detailed focus on the methods used to assess nutritional status, including biochemical markers and clinical signs. Strengths: Highly technical; essential for clinical practice in a hospital or outpatient setting. - Manchester Community College – Introduction to Nutrition (Manchester Community College) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Specifically addresses energy systems, fueling for performance, and the role of carbohydrates and fats in exercise.
Notes/Gaps: Focuses on general fitness; competitive athletes may need more depth on “nutrient timing”. - SCC: Nutri 300 (Sheldon) – LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA)
A full course textbook including specific units on late adulthood, sarcopenia, and geriatric health challenges. Strengths: Aging module (Unit 13).
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