Oldways to Hold 2nd Annual Supermarket Dietitian Symposium

Oldways will hold its second annual Supermarket Dietitian Symposium Wednesday, Feb. 29 through Friday, March 2 in Savannah, Ga. The event will offer sessions and interactive forums with 70 of the nation’s top supermarket dietitians, food experts and industry leaders. Attendees will take on the challenges of how to help consumers recognize, buy and eat healthy foods, and how to create promotions of such items to spur healthy retail sales.

Boston-based Oldways, a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization know for developing various healthy-eating pyramids and the Whole Grain Stamp, developed the symposium in collaboration with Barbara Ruhs, corporate dietitian at Chandler, Ariz.-based Bashas',  to support the work of supermarket dietitians, enabling them to meet, network and brainstorm ways to address thorny health issues.

“Supermarket dietitians are the newest breed of influencers when it comes to educating consumers about healthy and affordable foods,” said Oldways President Sara Baer-Sinnott. “To make a significant difference, it is critical that all parties -- health professionals, retailers, food suppliers and academia -- come to the table to share knowledge and create practical solutions and tools to help consumers change their diets and lifestyles for the better.”

Scheduled symposium highlights include speed networking, to encourage event hosts and sponsors to mix and mingle; a discussion on how on the benefits of traditional and plant-based diets and how to interest consumers in them; learning how to implement successful campaigns and to use technology to promote better health; a look at bolstering the food-pharmacy connection and solidifying community relations to build retailer visibility and better customer engagement; and a culinary demonstration led by a special guest, chef and author Hugh Acheson, who will share some tricks of the trade for better in-store food demos.

Sponsors of the upcoming symposium are U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, Frito-Lay, Barilla, the California Avocado Commission, Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese, Del Monte, Garden Lites, MilkPEP, Norwegian Seafood, Vestcom, Vita Coco, Bard Valley Natural Delights Dates, Cabot Cheese, Kellogg, The Peanut Institute and Welch’s.