Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD
Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD
The Lively Table
Geoffrey Somera, my dietetic intern with the Nutrition Ink Dietetic Internship was fortunate to spend some time with one of the biggest media influencers and journalists today, Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD. Read on to learn more about her career path.
Geoffrey Somera: Of all the job opportunities for Registered Dietitians these days, what was your pathway that led you to becoming a social media influencer?
Kaleigh McMordie: Throughout my schooling and internship, I always knew I didn’t want to work a clinical job. I had the ultimate goal of working for myself from the beginning. In my internship, I thought I wanted to be in sports, but realized it probably wasn’t going to be the right fit with my personal life. I started a blog as an assignment in one of my undergrad classes and really enjoyed sharing my recipes as a way to weave nutrition information into useful everyday application, so I decided to turn that into my career. I still feel strange when people call me an influencer because I don’t see myself that way. As a blogger, social media is just a piece of the puzzle for getting your message out, but my real passions are cooking and photographing food!
GS: Your food philosophy is “Eat what makes you feel good.” Can you tell me more about how that phrase came to be in a world of trendy diets, “eat this”, don’t eat that” and dietary recommendations that emphasize avoidance of certain foods?
KM: In school, we’re often taught to look strictly at the evidence. But something I’ve learned as I continue to grow as a dietitian is that nutrition, just like many things, is rarely black and white. Research studies fail to account for experiences of each individual. So while we may look at the data and think that someone doesn’t have celiac disease, so that person should be able to eat gluten just fine, their body may be telling them otherwise. Nutrition really is so personal and there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. I really encourage people to take notice of how different foods make them feel and stick to what works for them, not what works for everyone else.
GS: I’ve tried some of your recipes before including tzatziki sauce and the skinny margarita. I loved them! What are the two most challenging obstacles when it comes to recipe development and content creation?
KM: Thank you, I love to hear that! There are many obstacles, but I think a couple that people may not realize are:
The time it takes to get a recipe absolutely perfect. There is a lot of testing that goes on behind the scenes. I’ve made some recipes dozens of times trying to make sure they are just right. It can be annoying for my family, too, if I’m on a deadline and they have to eat the same dinner 3 nights that week! Baking is especially challenging because one little tweak can drastically affect the outcome.
Creating content that is original. Very few recipes are original, you’ve got to find a way to make them your own. What makes your frittata recipe the one that people want to make? Standing out in a saturated area can be difficult at times.
GS: In addition your social media content, do you have any new ideas up your sleeve that you can share in the realm of dietetics, or future plans to expand your brand?
KM: I’ve just started teaching live virtual cooking classes, so I’m so excited about that! I also plan to host online workshops in the area of baby led weaning.
GS: What are three tips for a dietetic intern or early career dietitian who wants to get into the social media space in a more professional manner?
KM: Here you go:
Define your audience. It’s important to know exactly who you’re creating content for. If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one.
Don’t compare your day one to somebody else’s day 100. Everyone has to start somewhere, and it’s rarely pretty. It can be easy to get stuck in the comparison trap and get discouraged, especially when you’re first starting out.
Be true to yourself. There are so many people out there on social media. If you try to do what everyone else is doing, it won’t seem authentic. Your followers are there for you, not anyone else, so own that!
GS: Please share seven items that are pantry staples.
KM: You will always find these in our kitchen:
Oats
Canned beans
Quinoa
Nut butter
Canned Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Good coarse sea salt