Jo-Anne M. Rizzotto, M.Ed, R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E.
Jo-Anne Rizzotto, MEd, RDN, LDN, CDCES, is Director of Educational Services at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. She is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator with over 25 years of clinical, research, management and industry experience and is a key member of the clinic leadership team. Jo-Anne is co-chair and an active member of the National Certification Board of Diabetes Educators Exam Board. Jo-Anne has a proven track record of managing many facets of quality assurance and improvement with documented outcomes including advancing the use of technologies in the clinic for the management of diabetes. Jo-Anne establishes, directs and manages all aspects of diabetes education programs including overall direction, content, design, delivery, budgeting and staff management. She ensures all programs and staff delivering education meet the highest quality standards and do so with the highest level of efficiency and effectiveness. Jo-Anne participates in and has been the co-principle investigator in numerous clinical research studies. Jo-Anne chairs and participates in a variety of high level selection committees, clinical guideline committees, publication review committees and academic promotion committees. She also chairs the quality committee with the General Counsel at the Joslin in addition to the Clinic policy and procedure committee.
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Q:
I have two sons (ages 6 and 10) whose diets sorely lack in fruits and vegetables. I try to show a good example by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, but the best results from my boys are a rarely eaten apple or nibbling at mashed potatoes or a few ears of corn. What can I do?
A:
Don't give up just yet! Studies show that if children have repeated opportunities to sample new foods then some of them will be accepted. Try offering small amounts at a time. Without a doubt getting children to eat more fruits and vegetables may take some creativity. Look for recipes for your children's favorite food items that allow you to add fruits and vegetables to them. Take the opportunity to add fruits and vegetables in foods your children like to eat, such as cereals, smoothies, muffins, pancakes and yogurt. Top ice cream or frozen yogurt with some berries. Start the day with 4-6 ounces of 100 percent fruit juice. Fresh fruit is best, but a small amount of fruit juice can be okay. You can try hiding vegetables in other foods: chop, dice and mix vegetables into casseroles, spaghetti sauces, soups, meatballs, cookies and pizza toppings, for example. Offer cut-up, raw vegetables with salsa or a lowfat dip as a tasty snack. And take your children grocery shopping and have them pick out a type of fruit or vegetable that they would like to try. Over time it just may become habit forming!
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