Eat, Read, Learn | June 2024

NS Dietitians: Check out the DNNS Facebook page for more new foods, thought-provoking reads, and continuing education opportunities – and please share your own contributions as well!

If you have comments or suggestions, you can reach Meredith at meredith.lapp@gmail.com

EAT

Strawberries! (And come pick some with us as well!)

This Saturday, June 22, the DNNS is hosting strawberry picking at Indian Garden Farms in Bridgewater. Of course, you can give them a rinse and gobble them up as-is – but check out these other fun strawberry recipes for ideas on what to do with your strawberry haul – from strawberry soup to strawberry chicken, to classic strawberry squares, cakes, and smoothies, there are a ton of fun ideas here!

Strawberries are an excellent source of fibre, potassium, and Vitamin C. They are also rich in the phytochemicals anthocyanin and quercetin, which are associated with reduced CVD risk and general anti-inflammatory benefits.

READ

The crucial role of well-informed RDs in pediatric food allergy prevention

For dietitians who work with parents of infants/young children, questions and concerns about allergen introduction are extremely common – and extremely important, especially as the prevalence of food allergy has increased by 300% since 2004, meaning a child in allergy-related crisis presents at the ER every 3 minutes in the US. Recommendations from North American pediatric associations have changed in the past 5 years to favour early and consistent exposure to common allergens, but this messaging is inconsistently delivered to new parents. A new (March 2024) narrative review in Nutrients posits that Registered Dietitians are uniquely placed in the healthcare system to champion identification, management, and risk reduction of food allergy.

LEARN

Shared mealtimes – an often-overlooked cornerstone of the Mediterranean eating pattern

Summertime can feel like an especially easy time to coach clients on incorporating Mediterranean eating pattern staples – fresh fruits are plentiful, grilled fish and vegetables drizzled in olive oil are an easy weekend dinner, and nuts/seeds are great no-fridge snacks for hiking and outdoor pursuits. But often, we overlook that the WAY clients eat is just as important as WHAT they are eating, and consistent family mealtimes can go by the wayside as family schedules shift away from school-time routine and towards day camps, cottaging, and other spontaneous summer fun. This free webinar conducted by two American RDNs aims to highlight ways RDs can incorporate messaging on the Mediterranean eating pattern beyond the plate – “infusing joy, conviviality, and connection” into family mealtimes and into active, healthy households.

Follow the DNNS Facebook group for more new foods, thought-provoking reads, and continuing education opportunities – and please share your own contributions as well!

Curated by Meredith Lapp, RD

If you have a blog, book, or online course that you would like to share with your fellow network members, please forward information to Meredith at meredith.lapp@gmail.com