Articles

The skill set required to be effective as a retail dietitian varies significantly from traditional roles within the profession.  If you’re the hiring manager, you want to ensure you’re asking questions that address the breadth of skills needed in the role.  If you’re being interviewed, you want to be well prepared to address your expertise and experience in areas that align with the retail RD role.

Consumers are often confused and skeptical about the way many foods are grown. Retail dietitians, however, can communicate confidence in the food supply by partnering with farmers to translate food production stories and help consumers understand the journey from farm to supermarket. 

We’ve all seen the shopper who is hoping a quick glance at the meat counter will be the inspiration they need for a healthy, tasty meal idea for their family.  In those moments, retail dietitians can play an important role in helping shoppers select the quality, nutritious food – especially meat – that they’re wanting.

Culinary experiences, including cooking classes, in-store meal prep, and engagement of RTH/RTE departments, are becoming a more central part of the retail dietitian role.  Consumers continue to need assistance with getting balanced meals on the table and incorporating nutritious foods, like StarKist tuna products, into these meals. 

Are you competitive by nature?  Then RDBA has the perfect opportunities for you.  Currently there are a variety of contests open to RDBA members who are retail dietitians.

As times change, so do the requirements for nutrition facts panels, ingredient statements, and nutrition claims. During this session we’ll play an interactive game which will address the latest details on new FDA recommendations and requirements, along with the specific implications for nutrition communications and marketing in supermarket retail.

Produce is a key basket builder for supermarkets. As the Food Marketing Institute’s Power of Produce 2017 reports, when a shopper has produce in the basket, the result is an average ring that’s 44% higher. In our second article looking at this report, we’ll review the additional top five findings and discuss how retail dietitians can use the information to assist their retailer with driving sales and traffic in this profit leading department.

As a retail dietitian, you focus a lot of time and attention on developing nutrition and wellness programs for your customers and community members, but what if I told you there is a large (and captive!) audience that you may be overlooking?

Estimates suggest 75% of people don't believe advertisements, yet more than 90% believe recommendations from friends. In fact, people are four times more likely to make a specific purchase when recommended by a friend. These statistics make word of mouth marketing campaigns essential for retail dietitians looking to increase use and purchase of their programs and services.

National Burger Month (May) is just around the corner! It’s the start of cookout season and a great time to show your customers how to hack the classic hamburger for a burger that is not only more nutritious, but also more delicious and sustainable.