Beef Checkoff Delivers Dynamic Culinary Demo for Connecticut RDs

The Beef Checkoff brought beef’s nutritional benefits and versatility to the forefront through an engaging, beef cook-along for Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Interns and members of the Connecticut Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. Close to 30 academy members gathered for an interactive webinar on Thursday, October 29, in lieu of their canceled spring meeting.

Attendees had the unique opportunity to hear from Liz Weiss, MS, RDN of Liz’s Healthy Table,  through her session titled, “How To Deliver Dynamic Cooking Demonstrations On Zoom And Other Virtual Platforms.” Culinary demonstrations enable dietitians and foodservice professionals to communicate nutrition information to consumers, entertain their audiences, teach basic or advanced cooking skills, and showcase healthy recipes that are affordable, easy to prepare at home, and flavorful. Gaining the confidence to cook in front of a captive audience, in this ever-changing virtual world, is a critical skill set for dietitians and other health professionals working in clinical, community and private practice settings.

During this session, attendees learned how to organize and implement a dynamic cooking demonstration; assess audience, equipment and recipe selection; and adapt their normal in-person demos to accommodate new platforms such as Zoom, Facebook and Instagram. Liz worked closely with staff to select the versatile Beef Confetti Taco Salad recipe that includes a variety of nutrients and can be adapted as an easy family meal or quick lunch idea for those students and parents working remotely.

Prior to the session, Liz helped create and distribute a recipe handout, cook-along instructions, and demo worksheets to assist viewers in developing future culinary demos of their own. Following the session, Checkoff staff sent all engaged participants a package of beef swag complete with a beef-branded apron, oven mitt, steak knife, cutting board and recipes, to keep beef top of mind when hosting their own culinary demonstrations.

Attendees seemed to thoroughly appreciate Liz’s session with all noting responding she was knowledgeable about the topic, the session was clear and to the point, and the subject matter was presented effectively.  Of those surveyed, 83% have a positive opinion of beef following the session, with the remaining 17% notating a neutral opinion. No negative opinions of beef were observed. 

This webinar was made possible by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Nutrition Seminar Program and the checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI) through funding from the Colorado Beef Council. For more information on the checkoff’s involvement, visit the NEBPI website or contact Jennifer Orr [email protected].

Internal links within this document are funded and maintained by the Beef Checkoff. All other outgoing links are to websites maintained by third parties.     

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 The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.