Certified Nutritionist Guides America’s Whole Grain Headquarters: Providing educational and accurate nutrition information is ‘key’ to healthy eating

Posted on December 22, 2008 by Rob Aronson

Dillon, Mont., – The nation’s whole grain headquarters now boasts a certified nutritionist on its team of expert bakers and chefs to insure its whole grain goodness and nutrition claims are on par with America’s growing interest in eating healthy foods.

Brittny Bird is a registered dietician and a member of the American Dietetics Association. Her focus at Great Harvest is working on FDA compliant nutrition labeling and developing whole grain programs for the nearly 220 bakeries in the Great Harvest system.

Each day, bakery owners mill carefully selected Montana wheat berries into whole-wheat flour. And each day they bake fresh breads, scones, cookies, and other sweet treats from 100 percent fresh ingredients – no preservatives. Fresh sweeteners such as honey often replace unhealthy options like high fructose corn syrup in Great Harvest products. Great Harvest has created one of the most direct pipelines from farm to table found in American commerce.

"It’s my job to make sure the products we are putting onto American dinner tables each day are compliant with the nutrition information and requirements that our customers want and deserve," says Bird. "It gives me great satisfaction knowing that my role helps to educate bakery owners and their customers on how to eat a balanced diet. Education is key; once people know what to look for, they will make a point to consume products that contain those ingredients."

Great Harvest’s made-from-scratch whole-grain breads provide excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, have no added fat or cholesterol, and have been proven to be stars in weight control and disease prevention. Recent USDA health guidelines encourage Americans to eat three servings of whole grains every day.

Customers visiting any bakery are always offered a hefty slice of freshly baked bread as part of the bakery’s unique friendly, fun and exciting atmosphere. No strings attached. It’s part of Great Harvest’s motto of being generous to others and having fun in business.

In her free time, Bird consults patients on nutrition recommendations and teaches a class on weight loss.

Founded in 1976 in Great Falls, Mont., Great Harvest Franchising, Inc. has more than 200 bakeries located throughout the nation including Alaska and Hawaii. Great Harvest is known for its handcrafted breads made with freshly ground, whole wheat from the high plains of Montana. Today the neighborhood bakeries create an array of legendary fresh baked breads and sweets, as well as specialty items during holidays. Unlike most American bakeries, Great Harvest mills its whole wheat daily. The fresh flour is used within two days to guarantee optimum freshness, nutritional value and taste.