Hey there! My name is Brandy Costa and I am a dietetic intern for Sodexo at the Allentown, Pennsylvania campus. I am currently in my advanced clinical rotation at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest. In addition to completing my advanced clinical rotation, I have been simultaneously completing some community hours through various community events. Recently, I had the opportunity to work with Olivia Fieo (pictured on the right), the retail dietitian for the Shoprite in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. We had the opportunity to set up a table at the Bethlehem Township Community Center for their annual “Winter Dash.” This is a one mile walk/run intended to bring family and friends together to promote health and physical activity during the winter months. After the race, participants made their way inside the community center to warm up and check out all the vendors that had come to be a part of this event.
Our table included a quick and easy post-workout snack for the participants to sample, protein-packed yogurt parfaits for the hungry runners. The bottom layer consisted of crushed chocolate or peanut butter Power Crunch bars which was followed by a layer of plain Greek yogurt, a dollop of Polaner’s raspberry jelly, and topped off with a sprinkle of chia seeds. While people came by our table, we informed them of the ingredients and nutritional benefits of this delicious snack. Everyone seemed to enjoy the samples; some even came back for seconds. We also provided free blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, which I performed myself with the guidance of the Shoprite pharmacist who also attended the event.
I loved interacting with the members of my community and teaching them about health and wellness. It was an eye-opening experience to watch friends and family cheer each other on and take an active role in their health and well-being. I witnessed parents acting as excellent role models for their children and I observed children taking an interest in nutrition and physical activity. Overall, it was a very rewarding event to be a part of and I learned how to make some tasty yogurt parfaits in the process!
Our table included a quick and easy post-workout snack for the participants to sample, protein-packed yogurt parfaits for the hungry runners. The bottom layer consisted of crushed chocolate or peanut butter Power Crunch bars which was followed by a layer of plain Greek yogurt, a dollop of Polaner’s raspberry jelly, and topped off with a sprinkle of chia seeds. While people came by our table, we informed them of the ingredients and nutritional benefits of this delicious snack. Everyone seemed to enjoy the samples; some even came back for seconds. We also provided free blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, which I performed myself with the guidance of the Shoprite pharmacist who also attended the event.
I loved interacting with the members of my community and teaching them about health and wellness. It was an eye-opening experience to watch friends and family cheer each other on and take an active role in their health and well-being. I witnessed parents acting as excellent role models for their children and I observed children taking an interest in nutrition and physical activity. Overall, it was a very rewarding event to be a part of and I learned how to make some tasty yogurt parfaits in the process!
