- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
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Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 60 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees nutrition services, staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and providing expert answers to nutrition questions.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She's active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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May 29, 2010
Farmers market: A healthy way to buy local
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Spring has sprung and it awakens the desire to shed the sweaters and coats — and maybe a few extra pounds too! What better way to do it than with a visit to your local farmers market.
When you buy into the "buy local" movement, you're supporting farmers in your community and your local economy. It's also an opportunity to go green and refresh your healthy eating habits. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Find what's local. It's as easy as typing "farmers market" into a search engine. You'll find markets plus nearby farmers who sell their products, locations where you can pick your own and information on CSAs. What's a CSA? It stands for community supported agriculture, and it's an arrangement with local farmers for weekly deliveries of produce. Want an even easier first step? Next time you hit the grocery store ask if they feature local produce.
- Pay a visit. Get up and go — to the farm, the farmers market or even a roadside produce stand. You'll find fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, poultry, meat, cheeses, eggs, syrups, honey, and even flowers, soaps and crafts. You don't have to buy — but I bet you will.
- Make a plan. I scope out the products and then plan my meals. Just this past weekend at our farmers market, I found salad greens (leaf lettuce, spinach, romaine), spring onions, herbs and tomatoes. I also picked up a free-range chicken, some eggs and goat cheese. We have a local baker too — so I got some great whole-grain bread. With these items, my meals this week will include:
- Spring leaf-lettuce salad topped with sautéed spring onions, grape tomatoes and goat cheese
- Grilled chicken with fresh tarragon on wilted spinach
- Stuffed tomatoes, leftover chicken and whole-grain toast
Using local foods inspires me to prepare healthy, plant-based meals that are low in calories and high in nutrients. I also feel good about supporting people in our community who make their living on the land. It's a win-win. We eat healthier — and help our local farmers, economy and environment.
Do you frequent a farmers market? What are other ways you buy local? Does it help you eat healthier? Happy spring!
- Jennifer
4 comments posted
July 31, 2010 8:51 a.m.
it was wonderful. I would pick up a surprise box of produce every week, and cook with whatever was in it. When you have fresh and local, you can cook simply to show off the quality of the food. Nothing compares to it. Healthy Living
- daizy
June 2, 2010 5:30 p.m.
I started my own CSA last summer with my local farmenr, and it was wonderful. I would pick up a surprise box of produce every week, and cook with whatever was in it. When you have fresh and local, you can cook simply to show off the quality of the food. Nothing compares to it. Check out my blog about it and pick up some recipe ideas: http://accidental-locavore.blogspot.com/
- Anne
June 2, 2010 8:20 a.m.
how can people NOT frequent farmers markets? all one has to do is taste any fresh veggie or fruit and realize there is a world of difference between "fresh" and "store-bought cardboard"! especially when a person is able to select items that are in season and local. yes, those items are typically a tad more expensive, but well worth every penny! and don't stop with just farmers markets --- be sure to check out other local businesses too --- like orchards, farms and even natural food stores. There are many treasures well worth the hunt!
- Zorro
May 30, 2010 8:41 a.m.
According to Steven Hopp, co-author of "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" and a professor of environmental studies, the benefit is FAR more than local: "If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week composed of entirely locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week." Barrels! Not gallons. I like what he says next, too: "Small changes in buying habits can make big differences."
- Lisa
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