A day in the life of a registered dietitian nutritionist
Ashley Abell is a program specialist and registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) for Community Health and Outreach at Main Line Health. She completed her education at West Chester University and has been an RDN since 2016.
"I’ve been with Main Line Health King of Prussia's Teaching Kitchen since December 2019 and absolutely love teaching the community about nutrition and wellness," she says.
If you've ever wondered what an average day for an RDN looks like, Ashley walks us through a typical day for her.
Mornings with Ashley
5:30 a.m.: My husband and I wake up and take care of our fur babies: Winnie, our energetic Australia shepherd puppy, and our two cats, Meatloaf and Jacks.
6 a.m.: Once they're taken care of and my husband heads off to work, I make myself some breakfast. This breakfast included a slice of sausage veggie breakfast quiche, raspberries and coffee. When I make this recipe, I opt for skim milk instead of half & half and add extra veggies!
At the Teaching Kitchen, we offer a number of webinars and in-person cooking demonstrations on a variety of nutrition topics throughout each month, all at no cost to the community.
10 a.m.: Time for a morning snack! I love Breakstone’s Cottage Doubles Cottage Cheese and Fruit cups. They're loaded with protein and keep me going through my busy morning.
11:30 a.m.: Now it’s time to test out a new recipe in our Teaching Kitchen before sharing it with our participants. Recently in the Kitchen, we focused on the DASH Diet, an eating pattern specially designed to help manage blood pressure.
Busy afternoons
1 p.m.: All that cooking made me hungry! An easy lunch for me is chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat bread. On the side, I'll have bell pepper slices and low-fat dip, some wheat thins and a banana. This meal has plenty of protein and healthy carbs to keep me satisfied until dinner.
2 p.m.: Time for a virtual one-on-one meeting with a participant of our Prevent T2 Diabetes Prevention Program. This is a year-long diabetes prevention program at, again, no cost to its participants. As part of a PreventT2 group, you'll work with a trained lifestyle coach and other participants to learn the skills you need to make lasting changes. You'll learn to eat healthily, add physical activity to your life, manage stress, stay motivated and solve problems that can get in the way of healthy changes.
4:30 p.m.: I finish up my day at the office and head home to take Miss Winnie for a long walk.
Unwinding in the evenings
6 p.m.: For dinner, my husband and I prepared maple soy glazed salmon in the air fryer, sautéed shredded Brussel sprouts and a blend of whole grains. This is one of our favorite dinners, and it helps us reach our goal of consuming fish and seafood at least two times per week!
For dessert (yes, dietitians eat dessert too!), we enjoy some mini ice cream bars. It’s all about portion sizes when it comes to treating yourself.
7:30 p.m.: Next, we wind down for the night by relaxing with our pets and watching an episode of whatever show we are currently in the middle of.
8:30 p.m.: We finish the day by unplugging from our electronic devices, getting ready for bed and setting ourselves up for success the next day.
Next steps:
Register for an upcoming nutrition and healthy eating webinar or cooking class at the King of Prussia Teaching Kitchen
Nutrition information, recipes and food safety tips are provided in collaboration with Main Line Health King of Prussia's Teaching Kitchen.
Interested in preventing Type 2 diabetes? For more information about our Diabetes Prevention Program and upcoming groups, fill out this interest form.
Learn more about Main Line Health's nutrition counseling and weight management services
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