Do you eat pizza? What do you feed your kids for lunch? Is coffee really good (or bad) for you? How much water do I really need to drink? These are some of the questions that I am asked regularly by friends, family and even total strangers. Why? I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). RDNs are uniquely trained and positioned to provide science-based food and nutrition services that promote well-being. When someone asks these questions, we don’t answer based on rumors or anecdotes from social media. We answer based on education and continual training in the ways that food influences our health and our lives. At Compass Group, I am lucky to be surrounded by RDNs who are not only answering these questions but are working every day to promote the health of our guests and associates in all stages and situations of life.
We are there when babies are born to support parents in getting them off to a strong start. We are there when children start daycare and school to ensure that they are learning how food fuels their growing bodies. We are there to support the transition to college as students become independent in their food choices. We are a part of the team that provides food at work to ensure that it meets the needs of a varied and dynamic workforce. We are there for the transition to senior living to make sure that food continues to be a nourishing and supportive part of the lives of an aging population. We are there when you are in the hospital to position food and nutrition as part of the healing process.
Today, we celebrate and appreciate the contributions of RDNs everywhere.
“Happy National Nutrition Month and Happy RDN Day! I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each of the 2200 plus Registered Dietitian Nutritionists making a difference every day for patients, students, employees and residents in our client locations. Compass Group RDNs are representative of the diversity and opportunity in our profession as a whole. We volunteer and take on professional leadership positions; we are award winners and community food equity and access advocates. Beyond the more typical clinical and health/ wellness promotion roles, we also work in operations, procurement, sustainability, strategic projects, education, marketing and in senior leadership roles, collectively making significant contributions to the success of Compass Group.” – Deanne Brandstetter, MBA, RDN, CDN, FAND, VP, Nutrition & Wellness
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