Articles

Eating habits across America continue to shift, with a recent Nielson survey showing that 39% of the population is actively trying to eat more plant-based foods. FoodNavigator-USA lists “plant-based innovation” as a top trend for 2018 (1). Food companies are responding with an increasing number of plant-based products taking up their fair share of the meat and dairy cases. 

The professional of dietetics is more than 90% female, skewing the culture in which many RDs historically work.  As you join the retail ranks, you’re quickly moved from a female-centric work environment to a male-dominated one.  To be successful in this culture, it’s essential to learn to navigate this environment.

Educational events centered around an entire food group allows you to drive traffic to different departments, promote the unique nutritional benefits of key foods, and highlight new items or private brand products. Such promotions also offer the opportunity to partner with key organizations who can support your efforts with content and resources. The Whole Grains Council (WGC) and Oldways, for example, has an entire program centered around whole grain sampling and many retailers are turning this day into a successful selling event.

The cool weather, colors, spices, seasonings, and abundance of harvest – Fall is a season both retailers and shoppers love!  Sign up today for our next Samplefest® which provides retail dietitians with consumer insights, product samples, resource materials and retail execution ideas that help shoppers take advantage of the flavors and nutrition of the Fall harvest.  To be sure you receive the Fall into Harvest Flavors Samplefest®, consider the following options:

Evolving how we eat and produce food to be more sustainable is critical to improving human health and the health of the planet.

Join Jessica Brady of Okanagan Specialty Fruits as she discusses how biotechnology has come to be acknowledged as an important plant breeding tool with positive impacts on farmers, consumers and the environment.

Fermented foods and probiotics are on fire!  As consumers learn more about the importance of gut health and the benefits of a healthy microbiome, fermented foods and beverages with probiotics are quickly moving from a niche category to becoming a mainstream staple.

I am the first retail dietitian at the ShopRite of Daleville. In this role, I answer customer questions regarding their nutritional needs, educate shoppers about reading labels and assist them in making healthy food choices.

When Heather Steele, RD, LD, Dietitian for Reasor’s Foods says she likes to dig into her work, she’s not kidding. One year ago, Heather started the Dig with a Dietitian program and has been getting her hands dirty ever since. The program provides free nutrition and gardening classes to local underserved communities and helps the retailer achieve its goals for community outreach and education.

By partnering with grocery managers, ShopRite’s Health and Wellness team, which includes over 100 in-store and corporate dietitians servicing over 140 ShopRite stores across the Northeast, has created a food-focused communication strategy called Well Everyday that inspires customers to eat well while helping them to think differently about wellness. Stephanie Perez, MPH, RD, Retail Dietitian Supervisor and Allison Ryder, Health & Wellness Project Manager for Wakefern Food Corporation, share information on how this program is meeting consumer needs and driving sales.