So you’ve read my Grocery Guides post and when your at Hy-vee, Dillons, Sprouts, Whole Foods or Save-A-Lot you’re getting into your rhythm and really working on creating vegetable centered meals. However, you’re a young professional/grad student/cooking for a family or just sick of spending a ridiculous amount of money on groceries, plus Aldi is the closest store to you, BUT the vegetables are in the far back corner and you have to walk through all the snacks to get there.

For all the reasons listed above, outside of cooking for a family, I do most of my shopping at Aldi. When you first enter Aldi, you have to walk though the chips, crackers, cookies, cereal, and granola bars before you get to anything else. The first thing we need to do, which we should do  regardless of the store you shop at, is really think about why walking through this area first stresses you out, then work towards addressing these feelings in small steps.

If your are trying to stick to a strict grocery budget, despite it being something that is not a strength of mine, go ahead and skip that section and come back later. I know that can be a challenge if your store is super busy, so if you don’t think that’s an option then pick up what you think you’ll need and feel free to drop it off later in the store after you’ve gotten the essentials. If Aldi etiquette is something you’re very attached to, you’ll have to ask yourself what’s more important; being judge in Aldi or your budget? Overtime, you’ll know exactly what you can get for your budget, and you’ll be back to being a respectable shopper.​

Maybe you just don’t know what you’re going to need until you figure out what other foods you want to bring home, if only we had infinite pantry space. My advice is to stop over thinking. Pay attention to how often you normally eat snack foods and how many times you’re wishing you had more or had to back to the store. I almost always buy crackers, the Triscuit style are my favorite, but because they don’t go bad, I would air on the over stocked side, and who really cares if you have to leave a couple of boxes out on the counter until the space opens up? If you’re having a party, you can always stash them in a closet for the night. This goes for cereal and granola bars as well. Again, it’s a process and it takes time.

A lot of people may feel out of control at the store because they don’t want to by foods they see as unhealthy. Start by asking yourself what is causing the stress and anxiety at the store, then work towards addressing these feelings in small steps. Like, if you’re worried about buying “junk” food when it’s not on your list, put it on the list! If you plan to buy it, you set yourself up for success rather than failure. Small wins like this will create larger victories and you can then work towards a place where Oreo’s may not be on the list, but they sound delicious, so you can buy them, eat them, and move on with your life, because you won’t be compelled by foods you have labeled as forbidden. If we can let go of this notion that we may be out of control with these foods, and instead focus on showing ourselves grace when we do buy them by allowing ourselves to enjoy without guilt, then you take away the power of the forbidden food.
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Regardless of if you’re budgeting, worried about a lack of pantry space, or concerned about the type of food you’re bringing home. I want you to feel comfortable around food in any setting. Grocery shopping can be a situation where you may feel like you don’t have the control of the price or confidence to bring home the foods you want to enjoy and nourish your body with. The process takes time and starts with grace. Just relax, no one is grading you on your ability to grocery shop except maybe yourself! If you throw out all you’re preconceptions on how you shop and the kinds of foods you “should” eat, over time you’ll be confident and efficient in any grocery store. 

It’s been a long week. Preparing to start your dietetic internship (DI) means hours on hours of orientations. However, we did get a break for community service. At the University of Kansas Medical Center they have a Community Service Day during orientation every year. So I spent my Thursday morning pulling weeds and hoeing rows in an urban garden in a Kansas City suburb.
           
This garden addresses a serious problem that can be found in both rural and urban communities across the United States, the Food Desert. Food Deserts are areas where access to food of any kind, especially produce, is severely limited. In some foods deserts, access to a grocery store may not be the issue, but many times it is impossible to by fresh food because the produce is either spoiled or not in stock as was often the case in the rural community I was living in Western Kansas. In Kansas City, I have a problem that I have never encountered before; needing to drive at least 20 minutes to a supermarket that carries a variety of food for a reasonable price. Don’t get me wrong, downtown Kansas City does have a few options, however, one of the markets which is mainly produce closes at 4:30 pm, and the other is too expensive to regularly shop at without blowing my entire food budget out of the water. Despite the inconvenient distances for me, I also have to think about those who do not have a vehicle to travel in, or the means to pay for both gas and groceries.
 
After living in D.C. over the summer, where most people walk or use public transport to get around because it’s impossible to find parking, my eyes were opened a little wider to this issue. I lucked out because I lived caddy corner to a supermarket that was fairly well stocked but you could only buy what you could carry home. This was fine for me, because I was living on my own, but I can’t imagine how this would work if I were shopping for an entire family.
 
Rich or poor food deserts effect a large number of people and community gardens are a great way to help a variety of people. Not only do they ease the burden of inconvenience but they can help reduce the cost to the consumer. Imagine cooking dinner and realizing that the produce you thought you had is now spoiled, or you weren’t thinking about picking up fruit or vegetables at the store and are just now realizing your mistake, you could just stroll down the street and grab a few zucchini’s or tomatoes from the community garden instead of forgoing the produce all together. Additionally, you could take one or two items at a time and come back as often as you need to prevent food from spoiling in your fridge.
 
I will say that increasing access to produce alone may not have a large impact on the community as a whole, but if it will make the difference in the lives of a few that’s another drop in the bucket to influencing the many. The main point is that it’s preposterous to think that people can take control of health by improving their diet when the underlying issues is that they don’t have access to food in the first place. Moreover, community gardens aren’t the end all be all to eradicating food deserts, but until we have larger players in place, like this proposed legislation by Virginia Senator Mark Warner, creating these gardens across our country, and raising awareness on what they offer is a small step that we can put in place today.

W H A T  I S  A N  R DN ?
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A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is a nutrition expert who has studied nutrition extensively and is up-to-date on nutrition trends and research, allowing them to provide you with evidenced-based nutrition knowledge.  Not only do they learn about nutrition but how people from all walks of life can live a healthy lifestyle. In doing so, they are trained to understand how food affects the body, and how to help you overcome any barriers that might be keeping you from living the healthy life you want. RD's want to work with you to find the solutions you have been looking for to stay healthy whether you are on a budget, have a busy schedule, or simply don't know where to start. An RD helps you address these barriers and any others you may be facing that keep you from living a healthy life.

W H E R E  D O  R DN ’ S  W O R K ?

RD’s can be found in a variety of different settings that fall under three categories: clinical, management, and community. RDN’s in clinical settings work  predominately with inpatients and outpatients with medical issues that require special diets. However, clinical RDN’s also see people looking to lose weight or looking for guidance on a healthier lifestyle. Management RDN’s can usually be found in foodservice settings, making sure the people that they serve are receiving the food they need with the highest quality possible. RDN’s in management are not limited solely to foodservice, but they can also be found running hospital departments and several other food-related organizations. In a community setting, you can find RDN’s working with a variety of different people promoting healthy lifestyles, providing nutrition education to at-risk populations as well as anyone else who would like nutrition information. Community RDN’s may also be found putting together weight-loss programs and working one-on-one with clients to meet their nutrition needs. An RDN could work in one or all of these settings at any time.

W H A T ’ S  T H E  D I F F E R E N C E  B E T W E E N  A N  R D  A N D  A  N U T R I T I O N I S T ?

The difference between an RDN and a nutritionist is knowing what you are getting. With an RDN you know you are getting an educated professional who has taken board exams and answers to a credentialing agency whose goal is to protect the public. You can be assured that you are working with someone who will do research on different dietary approaches and will create a nutrition plan based on your wants and needs. Additionally, if you have a medical condition, you know you will get the appropriate care from someone who understands that nutrition can be life threatening in these situations. None of this can be guaranteed with a nutritionist. Furthermore, all RD’s are nutritionist but not all nutritionists are RDN’s. The Registered Dietitian (RD) credential is equivalent to the RDN credential; additionally, many RDN’s go by the title nutritionist because it is a familiar term to most people. Even if they go by nutritionist, all dietitians will list their credentials as either RDN or RD.

Now that you know a little more about RDN's, I hope you will be inclined to seek their guidance for your nutrition needs. This way you won't have to spend hours online trying to work your way through the dietary fads wondering what will work. You'll have an expert at your fingertips with your best interests in mind.

With the national acceptance rate to dietetic internships at fifty percent it can be daunting trying to figure out what will set you apart from the dozens of others applying. As we go through programs people always ask what they need to do to secure an internship and there is no right answer, but this post covers many things I did and other things I find important. If you use my suggestions talk to a mentor to be sure it matches up with your goals. My approach looks at opening yourself to several different aspects of dietetics to show a well rounded experience that highlights your specific passions. Remember, we are all stretched for time, many of us must work, and we are all held to a high academic standard so when building your resume take advantage of all possible opportunities but keep in mind the idea of quality over quantity. 

W O R K  E X P E R I E N C E

​We all like getting paid, but we don’t always have the option to get paid for dietetic experiences. Not to mention a majority of dietetic internship applicants are seeking or have have the exact same experience as you. The key to setting yourself apart is how you utilize these experiences, both dietetic and other work experiences, to explore the field of dietetics. Here's an example from my life: I worked in an after school child care facility and at a teen center neither of which relate to dietetics. However, I believe that this is where I had my greatest dietetics experience. At both centers I was able to take charge of cooking club and incorporate nutrition into everyday activities. Additional, I oversaw snack everyday and got to talk to the kids about their opinions on food. I was also able to use some of my foodservice management knowledge and fill in for the cooks when needed and check orders in for the kitchens. 

Although this isn’t a personal example, let’s look at the position of a dietary aide. This position is widely suggested for dietetics students but to set yourself apart it’s more than just holding the job. Think about ways you can show your passion. Maybe that's incorporating a short education session for the patients or residents you work with, while overseen by the dietitian on staff. Or even decorating the cafeteria to show the menu in an interesting way or highlight specific nutrients and their benefits. Just find a way to give a little extra.

Despite the setting you’re working in, find a way to involve all three major areas of dietetics: management, clinical, and community. Management doesn’t always have to be getting the the kitchen, but it’s definitely an easy place to start. And community is as easy as finding a way to give general nutrition education with the oversight of a Registered Dietitian. Clinical can be tricky but if you are in a hospital or long-term care facility take advantage of having an RD nearby to get some shadowing in or even just asking questions. If you can’t get all of the experiences in one job it might be worth considering adding another to your plate. In my case I worked as a Certified Nurses Aide for my freshman and sophomore years, then I took on more community and management experience. So don’t feel like you need to do it all at once. 

V O L U N T E E R  E X P E R I E N C E

Work experience isn’t the only thing that looks good on a resume. Volunteer experience is an opportunity to get experience that you can’t find employment in and and is a great way to integrate new and different experiences into your repertoire. If you’re interested in working children volunteering is the way to go. There are several opportunities to provide nutrition education in schools and other organizations. If your school doesn’t send out opportunities, reach out to you professors or mentors for ideas, or you can always contact these organizations on your own. Just remember that it is important to have an RD approve the education you plan on giving. 

Job shadowing isn’t necessarily volunteer experience but it’s an pressure free way to get involved in the clinical side of dietetics. However, with HIPPA regulations it can sometimes be difficult to find places you are allowed to shadow at. To overcome this I would suggest looking at smaller community hospitals and clinics. Although they are still held to the same HIPPA regulations they will have less corporate hoops to jump through. Job shadowing is more of a benefit than just padding your resume. By seeking out these experiences you are discovering what you enjoy doing with dietetics. Not everyone is meant to be a clinical dietitian so don’t draw the line there. Look for dietitians in all aspects of dietetics and see what they do on a regular basis. 

L E A D E R S H I P  E X P E R I E N C E

Another suggestion I have is to get into involved in a leadership position. Believe it or not dietetics is all about leadership. People are looking for dietitians who will lead the profession as we seek increased billing opportunities and other ways to show our value to healthcare teams, community organizations, to society. Therefore, leadership positions should be highly coveted and increase your chances for internship selection.

R E S E A R C H  E X P E R I E N C E

My final suggestion is to get involved in research. Research is an asset to you as a dietitian because it will teach you about how research is conducted and how to better interpret research. Throughout your time as a dietitian you will need to be able to consult the research to learn about new methods to better sever your patients. Any type of research will work. I work in an entomology lab where the primary research preformed in on brown recluse spiders. 
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Marketing yourself for internships goes way beyond all the practical application we’ve talked about so far. It’s about showing your commitment to what dietetics looks like for you. Try a little bit of everything and stretch your boundaries. Some things that I’ve have really enjoyed that are outside of the typical scope of dietetics practice are attending public policy workshops and wasted food workshops. Attending events like FNCE or your state AND conference are perfect for getting your feet wet, so utilize these experiences and use them to find leaders in the area that you can connect with.

The bottom line is, use your extracurricular’s to continue to learn about yourself and dietetics. Use them to set yourself apart and show an authentic experience. As a dietitian you will have to do countless hours of continuous education so show future internships your commitment to learning and commitment to the profession.