February 26, 2025 | By Emilie Jacques
Copper Shores Community Health Foundation is excited to host Ask a Dietitian, on Wednesday, March 12, National Dietitian Day, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Portage Lake District Library Community Room. Ask a Dietitian is an informal Q&A session that’s free to attend and open for community members to ask local dietitians about all things nutrition in a low-pressure environment.
Community members are invited to stop by the Portage Lake District Library any time during Ask a Dietitian and stay for as little or as long as they like. Attendees will have the opportunity to chat with a panel of registered dietitians including Copper Shores Community Health Educator Meghan Jaszczak, RD, Beth Cook, RD, from Aspirus Health, and Taylor Paul, RDN, and Arianna Francois, DTR, from UP Health System - Portage. The panel will have nutrient-dense snacks, free for folks to try, as well as several resources like recipes and handouts available for attendees to take home.
“This event was initially sparked from the Community Nutrition Education Needs survey we put out in 2023,” said Jaszczak. “In particular, cost and time were two major challenges people shared when it came to eating healthfully, in addition to challenges maintaining motivation and limited experience cooking and eating healthy food.”
Though the panel cannot provide individual medical advice, they can provide broader recommendations for folks to consider. People can ask about time or money-saving recipes, seasonal vegetables, tips for incorporating specific ingredients into meals and more.
“We are hoping that this event can be a stepping stone for community members who are looking to make healthful eating changes, but may feel overwhelmed about where to start or how to balance information,” said Jaszczak.
Keep up with Copper Shores Food Initiative and learn more about food access and education opportunities by signing up for the free quarterly Food Initiative email newsletter at coppershores.org/food.
