By: Krystal Register, MS, RDN, LDN, Vice President, Health & Well-being, FMI
Amidst a whirlwind of health-related topics and programs going on across the food industry, we took a moment to gather the FMI Health & Well-being Council in person to really explore the complicated landscape together. The top-notch nutrition and health experts and leaders who joined us spent a fantastic three days together engaging, learning, collaborating and discussing so many timely issues.
Day One: Afternoon in Washington
“Afternoon in Washington” was truly a day of learning about advocacy efforts and the power of collaboration between subject matter experts, lobbyists and policy makers. We discussed everything from the Farm Bill to the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act, emphasizing the importance of connecting science and credibility to achieve positive impact and desired outcomes. A highlight of the day was an insider tour of the Capitol Building, and an awesome reminder of the historic significance of what we can all accomplish together.
Day Two: Engaging on Key Topics
At the FMI office, we engaged on key nutrition and health topics with a focus on food as medicine initiatives and how to solidify the business case for health driven strategies in the retail setting. Actionable roundtable discussions provided key insights on challenges, opportunities and future direction for FMI executive leaders to bring health and well-being mission driven work to life for customers, employees and communities.
Family Meal
Part of the beauty of gathering in person, we took the time to share food and conversation as we enjoyed a family meal around the FMI table together to celebrate 10 years of National Family Meals Month!
Day Three: Building Trust
We rolled up our sleeves to workshop meaningful and actionable ways to communicate effectively and responsibly on intricate topics such as processed foods and food as medicine, with expert guidance from the Center for Food Integrity (CFI). Building trust with value-based messaging takes time and deliberation, so we practiced and learned from each other, and will continue to do so.
To learn more about the many topics and issues that the Health & Well-being Council continue to discuss and collaborate on, please visit our Health & Well-being page.