Jessica Talbot MPPD, RDN, LD
Provide us with a brief description of your job: I’m a Registered Dietitian at Coborn’s Inc, a grocery retailer based in Saint Cloud. I promote nutrition, health, and wellness to our guests through education, inspiration, and nutrition/wellness programs. To do this I create social media and marketing content, act as a spokesperson on TV and other media, develop recipes, maintain our Dietitian’s Choice shelf tag program, run our Kids Cook at Home program, and more.
What do you love about what you do? I love being able to bridge the gap between the guidance of a guest’s doctor or clinical dietitian and their ability to follow that guidance once they are in the grocery store. It can be overwhelming, whether you need to change eating behaviors due to a recent diagnosis or if you want to make a few small changes to your eating habits. Not only am I able to help with this in the aisle, but also on social media by teaching how to prepare certain foods or by providing inspirational recipes that utilize nutrient dense foods.
What are the challenges? One challenge is considering how we can best guide our guests towards the better for you food options despite our inability to physically be in the aisle with them. However, that is where our shelf-tag program plays a role! Each food item with our Dietitian’s Choice shelf tag fits our team’s criteria for a “better for you” choice.
How has your MAND membership benefited you? MAND has provided quality educational opportunities. I also love the opportunity to network with dietitians working in other industries. It gets me thinking outside the box of my day-to-day!
What do you think is the future of nutrition and dietetics? I think that we will see dietitians playing an increasingly larger role in sustainable food systems. Sustainability is a hot topic with today’s consumer and impacts food choices. Dietitians have the unique skills and knowledge that make them valuable in conversations about sustainable food systems in every industry.
What are your favorite activities/hobbies? I love to cook, especially creating my own recipes to make use of my freezer full of wild game! I also enjoy fishing, hiking, traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with my husband and two dogs.
What is your favorite restaurant in Minnesota? Main Street Farmer in Saint Michael is my go-to!
Please share your Instagram handle (and any other social media handles that you would like us to share):
@cobornsgrocery
About MAND
Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND) is an affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. We are the largest professional organization of nutrition health professionals in Minnesota, dedicated to optimizing Minnesotans' health through food and nutrition.