Staff Spotlight: Megan Scutti

Q: Can you tell us a little about your role as Amherst’s nutritionist? What does a typical day look like for you?

A: As the campus dietitian [and] nutritionist, I work with the Amherst community to provide nutrition services and education in many different ways. Some examples include one-on-one nutrition counseling for students, helping campus members with allergies or special dietary needs navigate the dining hall, tabling at campus events, and presenting to sports and campus organizations on various health and wellness topics. In such a diverse role, my day-to-day changes depending, in part, on the time of the year. Most days, I am consistently working with the dining team on menu planning, evaluating and approving recipes and new items for nutritional accuracy, and flagging allergens in addition to meeting with students for nutrition consultations.

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in nutrition, and how did you end up at Amherst?

A: When I originally started looking at colleges, I thought I wanted to be a pastry chef, as I loved watching any dessert-related show on the Food Network. When touring a campus with that in mind, I saw a presentation on culinary nutrition and realized it combined three of my favorite things — food, science, and helping others! I went on to get my bachelor's from the University of New Haven and completed my dietetic clinical internship at Rutgers before passing my board exam to become a certified dietitian seven years ago.

As I mentioned, I have always been drawn to jobs where I can combine my love for food and helping others. The role at Amherst sparked my interest when I moved here four years ago as it allow[ed] me to help to create nutritionally-inclusive options in the dining hall while being able to work one-on-one with students to help them reach their health and wellness goals.

Q: How do you approach working with students, especially those who may be new to navigating their own nutrition and wellness?

A: Every student is a little different. In some sessions, we may chat about nutrition myths versus facts, review the weekly menu, or talk through how to improve body image through mindful eating. No matter the topic, I feel it is important to meet students where they are in their readiness to make changes. Some students may come to me eager and ready to dive in, while others may be hesitant. Either way, I am a huge advocate for starting with small, realistic changes that can make long-lasting impressions. I often spend our first session getting to know the student and discover[ing] their motivation for seeing me. From there, we work together to set goals that align with their needs but are realistic for a busy college student.

Q: What are some of the most common nutrition concerns or questions you get from students?

A: One of the most common questions I get from working with students is how to improve low energy. Food is our main long-lasting energy source, so when we eat below what our bodies need to function and then throw a busy schedule into the mix, our energy is sure to be low.

Q: Could you share some tips for students looking to maintain a healthy diet amidst a busy college schedule?

A: Plan ahead! As mentioned above, low energy is something that I frequently discuss with students. When we dive into what a typical day of food and nutrition looks like, I often find they are missing meals due to their hectic schedules. While acknowledging that it can be hard with classes and extracurriculars, I always encourage students to not go longer than four to five hours without a meal or snack to prevent our blood sugar from dropping too low and resulting in that fatigued feeling. I work with students to look through their schedule[s] and find where we can fit a snack or mini-meal. Some examples may be a piece of fruit, protein or granola bars, or snack options like … popcorn.

Q: Are there any misconceptions about nutrition that you wish more people were aware of?

A: There is no one “diet” that is going to fit everyone’s needs. I often see students come in with unrealistic expectations around nutrition and food that is not even enjoyable, but social media or fad diets may make it seem like that is the only way to eat. What may work for your friend or an influencer may not fit your lifestyle, preferences, or health needs, and that is okay! Nutrition is very individualized and the most important goal for me is to help someone find what foods make them feel their best physically and mentally.

Q: What are your favorite healthy, easy-to-make meals or snacks that you would recommend to students? Especially at Val.

A: I love to pair proteins or a fat with a carbohydrate to make sure my snacks keep me nice and full on my busy days! Some of my favorite easy go-tos that can be found in the dining hall include: apple or banana with peanut butter, carrot/celery sticks dipped into dressing, or Greek yogurt with granola. My team and I have created some resources for simple meal planning and meal ideas in the dining hall that we’d love to share! Here is the link.

Q: Finally, what do you hope to achieve in your role here at Amherst? Are there any long-term goals you have for improving the campus community’s health and wellness?

A: With the new dining hall around the corner, our team has been working hard to try out new allergy-friendly options. This is a goal I would love to continue working on with our team and student input as we continue to see a large increase in need for in area. A continuous long-term goal of mine is to always find ways to keep up with what’s trending for students in the health and wellness space and how we can incorporate it into dining.