A Day in the Life of a Dietitian with Allyson West
Harvest Table Dietitians are on the ground, working closely with students, partners, and chefs to make an impact on the everyday lives of the students they serve. We asked Allyson West a few questions on her day-to-day work as a Harvest Table Registered Dietitian.
What is the health and wellness program at Harvest Table?
One of the Harvest Table differentiators is believing health and wellness is universal, and our Dietitians live by that. We’re constantly asking ourselves if we can do more in terms of healthiness, personalization and education.
What is your main focus?
The dietitians have two main focuses. First, we’re trying to make health & wellness easy. We’re involved in the recipe-making process and we keep our nutritional information completely transparent. Second, we bring health and wellness ideas to life on and off campus to educate and excite our students.
Do you help create menus?
We’re in the menu creating process from the beginning. As we’re building it out, we’ll let chefs know if they need to change or reduce something or if the menu overall needs more variety.
Do you know the students?
I think the students really enjoy having a point person. If they need more gluten-free options, we’ll get the word out. If they’re an athlete and need nutritional guidance, we’re there with answers.
How do you get them on board?
We do at least one big health and wellness event a month. And that’s where we really get to be creative and connect with students face-to-face. We’ll take a theme like whole grains and create an entire event to teach them the importance of health and wellness—it’s a way to influence them for the rest of their lives.
Does eating healthier really help them?
Of course! I always tell my students not to skip breakfast because if you’re fueling yourself at the beginning of the day then your performance in your first set of classes
