By Kim Williams

Fast casual chains are taking part in a new dietitian-hiring trend intended to address the national menu labeling law, the rising consumer demand for healthful menu options and the obesity epidemic.

Red Brick Pizza, Noodles and Company, Freshii and Tropical Smoothie Café are just a few of the chains that are collaborating with registered dietitians (RDs) for menu development, food research and nutrition information for customers.

"People want to know, now more than ever, what they are eating. Hiring a dietitian is going to help fast casuals communicate their story to the consumer," said Kate Geagan, RD, author of "Go Green Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low-Carbon Footprint Diet" and nutrition contributor for Pregnancy magazine.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), released Monday, states that more than a third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese.

Paperless Hiring for the Restaurant Industry is Here!
With GoHire, you can find and bring on great, new talent faster, easier and for substantially less cost. You can also complete and house all new-hire forms online, and even update existing employee forms to ensure compliance. Request a Demonstration!

"Obesity is the backbone of the whole thing," said Suzy Badaracco, RD, chef, toxicologist and founder and president of Culinary Tides. "It's leading the push to have dietitians on staff. How consumers are interacting with menu labels and food research is being shoved into the public eye."

The guidelines focus on controlling calorie intake and reducing salt, sugar and solid fat consumption, while increasing whole grains, seafood and fruits and vegetables.

"I think it's been an untapped opportunity," Badaracco said. "McDonald's and Wendy's have had dietitians onboard for quite some time. However, I think fast casuals are better positioned for marketing dietitians because of its more healthful position. I think this is the newest Pandora's Box. Once you open it, you can't shut it. It's going to get to a point where you almost won't be able to open a fast casual without a dietitian on staff. It will become a part of the formula."

According to the National Restaurant Association's "What's Hot" survey of more than 1,500 chefs, nutrition and health, children's nutrition, half and smaller portions, fresh produce, gluten-free options and a back-to-basics approach are in the top 20 trends for 2011.

"The public is becoming increasingly health and diet-conscious and wants information from a reliable, credible source. There is a lot of confusing information out there. RDs are the recognized experts in the area of food and nutrition," said Darcie Ellyne, RD, culinary nutrition consultant and founder of Restaurant Dietitian.

Ellyne provides nutrition consulting and menu-labeling services to Tropical Smoothie Café and Red Brick Pizza. Red Brick Pizza recently announced a gluten-free offering for wheat-sensitive diners.

"Fast casuals are now providing gluten-free items and identifying specific food allergens so customers who can't tolerate gluten, or specific allergens, have peace of mind," she said. "I predict that the trend of hiring RDs, along with the marketing of healthier foods, will inspire the customer base to be more health conscious and socially conscious, ultimately resulting in a healthier population."

With the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 2010 DGA, new federal guidelines proposing healthier school lunches and Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign, the national spotlight is on nutrition.

"I know budgets are everything, and an RD consultant can come in and zero in on what the restaurant wants to tackle and keep it abreast of what's happening in the nutrition world, like with the recent release of the USDA dietary guidelines. Tapping into the power of RDs is an affordable and cost effective way to add to your brand," Geagan said.

She hopes bringing fast casuals and nutrition together will make healthy eating seem more fun. "I think dietitians are now being seen as allies," she said. "We can help change the perception that healthy eating means not eating food that tastes good."

Overall, Badaracco sees a bright future for fast casuals and RDs, especially if they can become part of a brand's identity.

"What if dietitians became the next rock star chefs? Why not put the dietitians on the commercials? They have the training and the expertise. It would do a lot to gain the consumers' trust, and fast casuals are the only segment best aligned to showcase dietitians right now."