For those looking to improve their diet and health in the new year, H-E-B offers the assistance of registered dietitians, who provide medical nutrition therapy through the business’ wellness and nutrition services program.

The program assists individuals of all ages with a wide range of dietary concerns, from picky eating to sports nutrition to family meal planning, Nutrition Strategy team member Mary Katharine Hutchinson said.

A list of H-E-B dietitians and their locations is included on the HEB Nutrition Services webpage. There are three Austin locations for nutrition services at South Congress, Hancock Center and Georgetown, H-E-B public affairs officer Heidi Anderson said in an email.

Most major insurance plans are accepted but Medicaid is not, Nutrition Strategy team member JoAnn Breaux said.

To gain insight on how this program works and how dietitians may help prospective patients, Community Impact spoke with Breaux and Hutchinson.

What does H-E-B’s Nutrition Services program provide?

Breaux: One of the coordinated care services that we provide is nutrition services with a registered dietitian. Currently, we provide Medical Nutrition Therapy, or MNT for short, which is a dietitian working with a patient one-on-one, for as many visits as are necessary [for] their specific health goals and needs.

Is this program offered at all locations or just a select few?

Breaux: We have dietitians in specific locations but our services can be reached across Texas because we also do virtual consultations. As far as cost goes, we do have cash pay options and insurance options, so hopefully there is something that our customers can find works for them.

How can interested readers get started on their nutrition journey with H-E-B?

Breaux: The best way we could get folks to schedule with a dietitian or to leverage our services would be sending them through our online scheduling or through our online platform. There is a contact number that they could reach out to there that would be the best way to navigate how to find out more about what they're needing.

What would their first appointment look like?

Breaux: It will be about 45 minutes or so, and it’s a lot of questions, just the dietitian getting to know the patient, the way you would expect at a primary care visit. Getting to know [the patient’s] specific needs—what kind of lifestyle they're looking for, what their current troubles and goals are.

Do you have any general nutrition advice to share with individuals looking to improve their diet?

Hutchinson: It sounds so rudimentary but just getting more fiber in [your diet]. We know something like 90% of the population is under-consuming fiber so adding maybe a fruit to their breakfast or trying to fill half of their plate at one meal with a non-starchy vegetable. ... Another one is protein. If they're not typically getting at least 10 grams of protein at breakfast, let's try and get started adding a protein source at breakfast.

What does H-E-B hope to achieve through this program, and how might you expand in the future?

Breaux: Our goal is always to try to reach as many Texans as possible. We just opened up a big clinic in the Gulf Coast region, in Corpus Christi, in December. We’re planning to expand over the next two years, just to reach more communities across Texas. ... In the meantime, for those hard to reach communities, we do offer those virtual services.