- 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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Aug. 6, 2010
Grocery stores make shopping easier and healthier
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
My racing car grocery cart was packed with children and food — and yet everyone was happy. I can only take credit for the choice of store. The real credit goes to my local grocer. I frequent this store not only for the weekly sales and friendly hometown service, but also because of the perks that make shopping so much easier — such as a free piece of fruit for the kids and baggers who load your groceries into your car.
Grocery stores have realized that they can attract customers by offering more services. Hence the addition of banks, post offices, child care facilities and pharmacies. But the best grocery stores still focus on offering top quality foods — and helping consumers make healthy choices. To aid customers, some grocery stores display educational posters and have chefs highlight healthy cooking techniques. Others pull out all the stops and employ dietitians to provide nutrition advice.
Do your local grocery stores offer these services? Do the perks influence your buying habits? Are you making healthier choices? What other services would you like to see?
To your health,
Katherine
7 comments posted
April 2, 2013 3:45 a.m.
Going to put this airtcle to good use now.
- Micheal
July 8, 2011 3:03 p.m.
NuVal was recently added to my grocery system. The store had a table for weeks that explained the system & how it can help you shop. Obviously it prefers whole fruits & veggies, but has been really helpful in comparison shopping. NuVal is way faster than comparing nutrition facts!!
- Chrys
August 17, 2010 3:13 p.m.
Yea I agree, I notice that most people when grocery shopping will just go by a box having a logo on it saying that it is healthy for you. But just like I write on my blog eating healthy blog I always tell someone that you should do your research first on the health food you want to buy or talk to a nutritionalist and find out what foods are good for you... Thanks,
- christopher
August 17, 2010 10:44 a.m.
I would very much like to see more information posted. Especially for things like produce. Some fruits and vegetables I don't recognize, and I can't use them without clear identification and an idea of what to do with them. There's a wonderful display of greens at my store, with signs above lising prices. But which is which? I don't kow what _____ looks like! How should it be cleaned, served, stored? Is it especially good with ..... ? And where did it come from? Was it picked early and then spent lots of time in a truck or shipping container? And what is "in season"? (and do you mean in season here or in South America?) Will the price always be this high, or will it come down later on (when it is in season?)? I can't afford to experiment, we need to be able to eat everything I bring home!
- Susan
August 15, 2010 9:53 p.m.
I especially like stores that have butchers, bakers and even the produce folks offering recipes and cooking tips. Stores that have in-house chefs demonstrating easy-to-make dishes are especially helpful. It's nice to have someone to talk food and nutrition with, especially when you have questions. I try to help folks make sense of conflicting nutrition information with my blog, www.nutritionmythsexposed.com.
- Kate
August 11, 2010 10:44 p.m.
Katherine, I live in Rochester, MN. Which grocery store gives a free piece of fruit to kids?!
- Jennifer
August 11, 2010 6:49 a.m.
I realize hectic lifestyles benefit from having a store which offers many services. I also noticed that these stores are also the priciest. I still prefer the "one of" shops and actually was "waxing nostalgic" of this older way of shopping not too long ago. It is one of the reasons I would like to move back to the big city. I miss the green grocer; the butchers; the dry goods store; the bakery. Its also nice to walk into a store where you are known by name.
- Barbara
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