Dietetic Career Spotlight Interview: “Nutrition Info, Aisle Six” NutritionJobs Interviews Three More Grocery Store Dietitians

We had the pleasure of interviewing three more power-players in the supermarket arena. All three are dietitians who enjoy getting their health message out to the masses and helping consumers choose healthy options from the start – in their grocery cart!

Leah McGrath, RD, LDN, Corporate Dietitian, Ingles Markets, Inc.

NutritionJobs: Tell us how you got your job.
Leah McGrath: I found the job advertised online. I sent in a resume, did a phone interview and then came to Asheville and was interviewed by all of the VP’s of our company at one time. At that time there were very few RD’s working for supermarkets. Ingles Markets, Inc., liked the fact that my background included writing, public speaking, marketing and being a dietitian in the military. So I got the job!

What is your role at Ingles Markets and what does a typical day look like?
I am the Corporate Dietitian and am also responsible for all the Social Media. There are no “typical” days! My days include Live TV interviews, recording my radio program or in-store radio spots, writing articles or blogs or posting to Facebook or Twitter, doing presentations, and conducting store tours. Occasionally, I with talk with our buyers about consumer trends and feedback as to what customers want to see and also about the new products that are coming to market. I have strong relationships with the gluten free community and a number of gluten free support groups.

What skills have you learned to help you succeed in this job? 
Time management, social media, public speaking, media training, and writing. There seems to be different opportunities every year. I enjoy what I am doing and the company is very supportive. Ingles Markets has 202 stores in 6 states.

Shari Steinbach, MS, RD, Healthy Living Manager, Marketing, Meijer

NutritionJobs: Tell us how you got your job. 
Shari Steinbach: Having been in supermarket industry for over 20 years, I was one of the first in this arena when only a handful of us were out there. It started when I was working in a hospital and created a wellness position in a hospital that I realized I was interested in keeping people well. With this position I had community outreach to supermarkets including starting a shelf tag program. I found that the supermarket was a great place to reach people and it was an opportunity for them to make healthy choices. Eventually the hospital downsized the Wellness program and I knew I didn’t want to go back to just a clinical role. As luck would have it there was a local store, Barton’s, looking for an RD for consumer affairs. I then stayed for 13 years at Barton’s. I joined Meijer 7.5 years ago. I love my job! If I could write the perfect job description for me it would be my job. Meijer has 5 regional RD’s, with 197 stores in 5 states.

What is your role at the store and what does a typical day look like? 
Each quarter the 5 of us RD’s do 90 community events and at least 15 media spots. We reach literally millions of people. All of us have regular TV spots, such as, $10 Tuesdays on Fox channel or cooking/nutrition spots on local TV stations. We aim to link food and health and teach consumers how to put together easy, affordable healthy recipes for their family. I like to say, “We are sellers of solutions”, and give solutions that help them eat healthy in easier ways. Depending on the day, I will give a talk at a women’s Expo or at a local business. We use the NuVal nutrition scoring at our stores [NuVal.com] and we also educate the community and other health professional on the NuVal system.

What skills have you learned to help you succeed in this job? 
Marketing skills and communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential. We write for the grocery flier but also have a monthly booklet (70,000 copies) and write for the website. I have learned when writing for the consumer, to not be overly scientific, rather to keep it concise and understandable. Again, something that provides a solution, not just telling them to eat healthy but showing them how to do that. I also make all food work and promote best choices rather than restriction. I wouldn’t keep my job if I told people to avoid all food in Aisle Three! Knowing technology is a great skill, such as Facebook and Twitter. Lastly, being able to collaborate effectively. We partner with our pharmacists for disease management issues (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.) to show them how to assist in managing diseases that are affected by food choices.

Alicia M. Brown, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, Health and Wellness Marketing Manager Market Street / United Supermarkets, L.L.C.

NutritionJobs: Tell us how you got your job.

Alicia M. Brown: I became the dietitian for Market Street through the power of networking. It is important to get to know, and stay acquainted with, dietitians across the country, as you never know who can get you your next dream job.

What is your role at the store and what does a typical day look like? 
I spend most of my time providing information to the masses. With 50 stores and only 2 dietitians, we work hard to provide information that will be applicable to as many store guests as we can. This includes monthly nutrition articles, management of the NuVal nutrition scoring system, and analysis of food service recipes. And when there is time, we love to give store tours, especially to the kids.

What skills have you learned to help you succeed in this job? 
One of the greatest skills I’ve learned is how to collaborate and find ways to help both team members and store guests have a win-win situation. Not everyone has an interest or positive impression of nutrition. It’s been my pleasure to find ways to make nutrition profitable for all parties involved.