Melissa Halas, MA, RDN, CDE
If you know Melissa Halas, you know how enthusiastic and helpful she is to all. My intern, Suman Dangi was interested in learning more about how to set up a thriving private practice and did a wonderful job finding out how Melissa became so successful in so many different areas of dietetics.
SD: You have quite an extensive portfolio of clients and expertise from counseling clients, writing books, speaking engagements, and even recipe development. With such extensive and diverse experience in dietetics, what is currently your favorite area and why?
MH: Just like a true parent, I can't choose favorites! Since I have been in the nutrition field for close to 25 years, it's impossible to narrow down a favorite practice area. And that's one of the reasons I love what I do! Each day brings some diversity in projects and challenges me in unique ways. But there is significant overlap and similar themes.
For example, for 18 years, I taught functional nutrition. The phytonutrient benefits taught in the course can be applied in a sponsored nutrition presentation on plant-based eating, in a 1:1 counseling session, or when writing on sports nutrition.
I also taught sports nutrition, pediatric nutrition, public nutrition (vitamins, minerals, types of diets) and environmental nutrition (plant-based + sustainable), which furthered my base nutrition knowledge. That being said, I enjoy nutrition counseling and working hands-on with clients to help transform their health through positive nutrition behaviors, ultimately allowing them to reach their best health potential. I adore my pediatric clients, which is around half of my practice. Navigating mealtime dilemmas or finding food replacements for kids with conditions like FPIES (Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome) while meeting their vitamin and mineral needs for optimal growth is rewarding. It's also fun to help families overcome eating barriers and foster a positive relationship with food.
When it comes to adults, I mostly see gastrointestinal health, sports nutrition, plant-based eating (due to a health concern, i.e., high cholesterol, cognition, meeting key nutrients). But even with my pediatric practice, I typically meet with parents for the first 1-2 sessions before working with their child. So, I lean on my adult knowledge to help them make family-focused changes or address their underlying relationship with food that impacts their kids. There is a lot of cross-over when counseling. For example, many athletes have gastrointestinal concerns or a colitis client may also have high cholesterol. My clients appreciate when I can replace their medication with a lifestyle approach (diet, exercise, supplements) or prevent adding a new drug. Developing recipes monthly for other companies keeps me up-to-date on food trends for my clients. I love testing out new favorite recipes for other sites in addition to my own. That’s what led me to write The Plant-Based Boost Cookbook, 100+ Recipes for Athletes and Exercise Enthusiasts the companion to the book The Plant-Based Boost, Nutrition Solutions for Athletes and Exercise Enthusiasts. My goal is to make mealtime fun, healthy, and positive for people. Personally, I have been primarily plant-based as a pesco-vegetarian for over 30 years. It's something I'm very passionate about!
SD: What were the challenges you faced from a business perspective when you set up SuperKid's Nutrition? How did you overcome any obstacles?
MH: I became interested in nutrition early in life due to my own food allergies and decided to start SuperKids Nutrition in 2006. After working in neonatal and pediatrics in the hospital and nutrition counseling with kids, I was surprised I couldn't find evidence-based nutrition content online for new moms like myself! Back then, building a website was not common in our field, and there weren't pediatric nutrition sites — this posed its own benefits and challenges. Technology and dietetics rarely intermingled. Since social media wasn't what it is today, creating the initial brand awareness was very different. SuperKids Nutrition content and the Super Crew ultimately gained their popularity by partnering with various organizations. Today, we are listed on thousands of government non-profit and for-profit websites as a credible source of nutrition.
Overall, evolving Superkids Nutrition took a lot of trial and error, sweat and late nights, especially with developing an app, printing my first books and manufacturing overseas. That being said, with each new skill, you develop a new level of insight and expertise. I start and end my day with prayers and gratitude — which helps keep me centered. Being patient and surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people in our awesome profession helps too!
SD: How did you come up with the 8 characters in the Super Crew? Who is your favorite character, and why?
MH: I created the Super Crew's characters from this little skit that I would do with my extended family. I would call my newborn daughter "Baby Abigail dietitian." Then pretend the nutrition advice given to my family on phytonutrients came from her. Shortly after, the persona evolved into creating Super Baby Abigail, which then inspired the remaining characters' concept—each designed from concepts in my functional nutrition courses. For instance, Andy, who gets his powers from orange foods, had the superpower to see around corners since he was fueled by beta carotene. Each of the eight characters represents a different color of plant-based food and its unique phytonutrient benefits. And yes, I'm completely biased; my favorite character will forever be Super Baby Abigail since it was created to represent my daughter. She gets all the superpowers from every color of food, rather than just one! I’m most excited that’ll the Super Crew will be entertaining kids and families with tasty recipes and fun activities as part of a new app with MyMenuUSA launching this spring!
SD: In your experience, what would be your most successful general tip you share with clients to motivate kids to make a positive change towards healthy eating?
MH: First thing's first. Before a person can make changes, they have to evaluate their current habits. Jot down the good, the bad, and the ugly. Then, chose habits that you want to change for the better. Evaluate why these particular habits happen and what steps can be taken to overcome them. To put it simply, a lot of healthy living is about planning. When it comes to childhood nutrition, parents are in the power position to control household food choices. Let healthy habits start in the home by addressing food-related issues that may be getting in the way of your child's growth and development. Don't hesitate to book an appointment with a dietitian—expert help makes all the difference in success. Feeding kids can be stressful, but it can also be a fun activity and source of bonding! Find ways to do this together. When it comes to making big differences, accumulating small changes can go a long way. For example, cooking one meal a week with the kids gets them more interested in healthy eating. That's why I wrote my Super Crew books, The Super Crew's Breakfast Cookbook for Kids, 50 Tasty Recipes + 100 Fun Nutrition Activities and Healthy Eating for Families, The Ultimate Nutrition Guide for Kids, Parents, and Educators to make good nutrition fun and show practical ways to take the struggle away from mealtime. Adults can make good step towards healthier habits, by evaluating their daily fiber intake. Then add in more plant-based foods when needed to meet the goal.
SD: What would be your advice to a new dietetic intern who is unsure about the area of dietetics they would like to work in?
MH: Volunteer with a dietetic practice group, local or state chapter! Give your internship your very best, and you might find a life-long mentor or your first job. Getting an extensive amount of experience is key to deciphering which area of dietetics is right for you. While it may be intimidating to dive headfirst into the unknown, the more effort you put in, the more you will get out of it. And, by getting hands-on experience, you may realize that you have possibly overlooked a career path that's of interest. Or you may conclude that your sought-out domain is not what it's cracked up to be. If you can figure out how to get health benefits, having a part-time job and a per diem can help you gain exposure to two separate focus areas more quickly. But the fun thing about our field is that you can always change your area of dietetics to suit your personal objectives. For instance, I was a clinical dietitian, nutrition manager, researcher, professor, author, health writer, recipe developer, and outpatient dietitian. All of the jobs have overlapping expertise and enhance my ability to connect with people. In other words, you get to make your own path. And you can choose as few or as many as you would like.
SD: What are "must haves" in your pantry?
MH: My pantry "must haves" revolve around versatility. I enjoy taking one ingredient and transforming it into a ton of different dishes to have throughout the week. Personally, I always keep oats, brown rice, quinoa, polenta, and every type of bean to serve as a blank canvas with veggies for meals. Then, I love to add a little pizazz to dishes with low-sodium salsa, tons of herbs and spices (for their phytonutrients) and taco shells for some crunch. When I am craving a sweet treat, I always keep a stash of 92% dark chocolate to eat in moderation. Talk about satisfying!
Learn more about Melissa:
Check out her new books for kids and adults:
https://www.superkidsnutrition.com/shop/
www.melissashealthyliving.com
Private Nutrition Counseling offered:
https://www.instagram.com/superkidsnutrition/ & https://www.instagram.com/melissashealthyliving/
JOIN SuperKids Nutrition Inc Facebook for everyday fun eating tips!
Follow me on Twitter:
@kidsnutrition
@fitnutrition
See all her books at SuperKidsNutrition/Shop
https://www.facebook.com/MelissasHealthyLiving
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mhalasliang
mhalasliang@gmail.com
Suman Danji is a dietetic intern at Cal State University of San Bernardino.