- 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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Jan. 17, 2012
Restaurant trends — What's on the menu for 2012?
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
The restaurant industry captures 49 percent of Americans' food dollar, according to the National Restaurant Association. So these entrepreneurs have a big influence on what you and I eat.
Each year the restaurant association conducts an annual survey of professional chefs to identify upcoming trends. Here are some of the restaurant trends predicted for 2012. I've grouped similar ones together and added my take on them.
- Locally sourced meats and seafood
- Locally grown produce
- Hyper-local sourcing (e.g., restaurant gardens)
- Locally produced wine and beer
I can't argue with going local. It's good for the ranch, farm and fisheries — and for the carbon footprint. The taste of freshness can't be beat. A point to ponder — are food safety precautions throughout these smaller food chains in place? Are they needed?
- Healthful kids meals
- Children's nutrition as a culinary theme
- Whole grain items in kids' meals
More than one-third of children and adolescents in the U.S. are classified as either overweight or obese. Given that Americans eat so many meals out, it's great that restaurants will try to stop "adult-sizing" portions and that professional chefs will try to figure out a more tasty way to get kids to eat veggies and whole grains. Adults may benefit too.
- Sustainability
- Sustainable seafood
In broadest terms, a sustainable food system addresses the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It's how we organize and take care of our resources, including natural fuel, land, lakes and seas, plants, animals and fish, and people too. Sustainability is becoming mainstream. This will be big if restaurants truly buy into this trend.
Those are my thoughts on the 2012 trends to watch. What's your take on these trends?
- Jennifer
9 comments posted
- 2011 Restaurant industry pocket factbook. National Restaurant Association. http://www.restaurant.org/pdfs/research/2011forecast_pfb.pdf. Accessed Jan. 11, 2012.
- What's hot in 2012: Chef survey shows local sourcing, kids' nutrition as top menu trends. National Restaurant Association. http://www.restaurant.org/nra_news_blog/2011/12/whats-hot-in-2012-chef-survey-shows-local-sourcing-kids-nutrition-as-top-menu-trends.cfm. Accessed Jan. 11, 2012.
- Childhood obesity facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm. Accessed Jan. 11, 2012.
- What is sustainable agriculture? University of California Davis. http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept.htm. Accessed Jan. 11, 2012.
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