Are you ready for FNCE® 2023? Mark your calendars. This year, the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE®) will be held from October 7th through October 10th in Denver, Colorado. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a student just starting your journey, FNCE® offers a fantastic opportunity for attendees to gather, learn, and connect.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- the benefits of attending FNCE® 2023
- a list of sessions you don’t want to miss as an entrepreneurial dietitian
- information about DPGs and MIGs at FNCE®
- a 10-point checklist to maximize your FNCE® experience
Have you registered for FNCE® 2023? Be sure to take advantage of the early bird pricing. The table below provides a cost breakdown for Academy members and non-members.
TIP: If you’re not able to attend the conference in-person, check out the FNCE® Front Row livestream package.
| Academy Member Status | Early Bird *full week / one day | Standard* *full week / one day | FNCE® Front Row ***full week only | ||
| Active Member | $395 | $265 | $485 | $305 | $219 |
| Retired Member | $235 | $210 | $325 | $255 | $149 |
| Student Member | $155 | $135 | $205 | $165 | $99 |
| Non-Member | $715 | $485 | $785 | $520 | $419 |
| Retired Non-Member | $555 | $535 | $595 | $565 | $239 |
| Student Non-Member | $225 | $205 | $295 | $235 | $159 |
*Early bird: register on or before September 8, 2023
**Standard: register after September 8, 2023
***FNCE® Front Row: register by October 10, 2023
5 Benefits of Attending FNCE® 2023
Are you on the fence about going to FNCE® this year? Attending this professional conference can offer numerous benefits to individuals seeking personal and career growth. Here are 5 key benefits.
1. Networking opportunities
FNCE® is a wonderful mix of food and nutrition professionals from a variety of areas within the nutrition and dietetics field. This conference provides the perfect opportunity to explore potential collaborations, share resources, and find synergies that can benefit all parties involved. Engaging with professionals from different backgrounds can stimulate creativity and expose you to fresh insights that can positively impact your work.
In addition, meeting new people and stepping out of your comfort zone can contribute to your overall personal growth, helping enhance your communication skills and even boost your confidence. For dietetic students, new grads, or dietitians looking for a change, FNCE® is also a great way to explore new job prospects or seek advice from experienced professionals.
Feeling a little nervous about networking at a professional conference like FNCE®?
Know that you are not alone. It can be intimidating even for the more seasoned dietitian. Take the time to prepare and brush up on your networking skills. Practicing and implementing the tips and strategies outlined in resources like Best Practices in Networking: The Dietitian Edition can help you go into the conference with more confidence to accomplish your conference goals.
2. Expand your knowledge
FNCE® offers a platform to learn from industry leaders and experts. From keynote speeches to presentations to panel discussions and workshops, there are a plethora of opportunities to gain valuable insights and practical knowledge. Listening to success stories, challenges, and strategies from keynote speakers and other industry leaders is a great way to build that professional drive and motivation to help you push your own boundaries.
Additionally, a number of CPEUs may be earned for attending educational sessions and engaging with poster presenters and exhibitors. Before attending the conference, remember to look into specifics on how to log CPEU for FNCE® related activities.
3. Access to latest research and trends
The field of nutrition and dietetics is constantly evolving and FNCE® is an ideal way to explore the latest research and emerging trends. Workshops, educational sessions, panel discussions, posters, and exhibits are all designed to shed light on these new ideas, technologies, products, and methodologies.
Active participation is key to help further your understanding into the latest trends and discover innovative approaches that can benefit you in your own field of work. Learning about the “latest and greatest” can also be very exciting and perhaps reignite or simply strengthen your interest in nutrition and dietetics.
4. Brand visibility
Hand-in-hand with the first benefit discussed, “Networking opportunities,” FNCE® provides you with an opportunity to represent your personal brand and business. By engaging in conversations, participating in session discussions and showcasing your expertise, you can increase your visibility, potentially leading to new opportunities and collaborations.
Before attending FNCE® take the time to ensure your LinkedIn profile and social media sites are up-to-date and professional. For additional tips to help with brand visibility at FNCE®, see the 10-point checklist below.
5. Attend the Expo
Last but not least, the FNCE® Expo. With over 140 exhibitors, the Expo provides a welcoming environment to engage with exhibitors to learn about new products and services. There are also opportunities to earn CPEUs and obtain free product samples and client resources.
TIP: Maximize your time by looking up the exhibitor list in advance. Prioritize the brand and companies that align with your business. You can print out the floor plan and highlight the specific booths you’ll want to connect with first.
In addition, to the Expo booths, other Expo features include:
- Expo Theater – culinary demos
- FNCE® Spotlight Stage – 20-minute demos/presentations on new products
- A one-day exhibit focused on connecting attendees with employment opportunities, dietetic internships, or graduate programs
- A one-day exhibit that highlights products developed by Academy members
Navigating FNCE® 2023 Sessions
How do you decide which sessions to attend? This is another conference aspect that is best to prepare for in advance. Rather than look at the long list of educational sessions offered each day, it may be more helpful at first, to look at the sessions separated by FNCE® Tracks.
For instance, the Media and Communications Track lists 7 applicable sessions. The table below provides a brief summary of each session.
| The Power of Language: Identifying and Eliminating Bias in Practice and Media Experts examine potentially harmful uses of language, common instances of bias and demonstrate how to implement changes to create a more engaging, positive environment. | 10/8/2023 10:00am-11:30am |
| Unleashing Your Dietetics Superpower Through Storytelling Discuss the power of storytelling for career building, apply steps for effective storytelling to make you marketable to potential clients, and elicit stories from dietitians that have led to their unique professions. | 10/8/2023 1:30pm-3:00pm |
| Integrating Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusivity in Global Foods and Counseling and Communications Courses Discuss how to integrate cultural definitions and framework of global foods course into curriculum, identify strategies to teach and assess cultural sensitivity and inclusivity in nutrition and communication courses and articulate a plan to develop cultural competence in order to advance the efficacy of dietetics. | 10/8/2023 3:30pm-4:30pm |
| Write and Test Recipes with Confidence! Learn about the recipe writing workflow process, recipe writing red flags food editors use in evaluating recipes for publication, and the step-by-step guidelines professional recipe testers use to ensure home cooks can consistently replicate a recipe. | 10/9/2023 1:30pm-3:00pm |
| Communicating with Cultural Competence in Sports Nutrition Identify steps to enhance practitioner-athlete trust and customize the athlete care process in an inclusive way to decrease athlete pushback and perceptions of unsupportive care. Discuss how to communicate with cultural competence working with athletes, teams and performance professionals. | 10/9/2023 3:30pm-4:30pm |
| So You Want to Write a Cookbook? Author Insights and Strategies for Publishing Success Examine effective food communication strategies to best convey your message to clients and stakeholders in food writing projects like cookbooks. Learn steps to develop a cookbook and food styling tips to enhance any food writing project. | 10/10/2023 10:00am-11:30am |
| Be a Better Podcaster: How To Hone Your Voice and Grow Your Audience Take a closer look at podcasting in terms of time commitment, equipment, pre-launch research and planning. Discuss brainstorming topics, establishing recording, editing and marketing strategies, current challenges of monetization and ideas to leverage a podcast for value. | 10/10/2023 12:00pm-1:30pm |
While Media and Communications may (or may not) be your primary area of focus, it is beneficial to at least glance at all the education sessions offered. Not only can you find additional information for each session regarding speakers, learning objectives and CPEU offered, but consider selecting at least one or two sessions in Tracks outside your typical zone. These sessions can introduce new concepts and perspectives, as well as help make connections across disciplines and encourage innovative thinking.
If you’re looking to take your FNCE® 2023 experience even further, there are a handful of workshops and special activities offered for an added cost. Here is a sample of Pre-FNCE® options to consider:
- Pre-FNCE® Workshop: Content Marketing Workshop: Using Behavioral Science and Marketing Principles to Drive Revenue
- Pre-FNCE® Excursions: Sunrise Yoga at Red Rocks and Taste of LoDo Walking Tour
Academy Groups at FNCE® 2023
Dietetic Practice Groups (DPGs) cater to specific areas of practice within the field of nutrition and dietetics. DPGs provide members with resources, networking and professional development opportunities. Member Interest Groups (MIGs) are made up of Academy members sharing common interests, issues or backgrounds.
Remember to check out your DPG’s FNCE® page to see what special events are offered by your group.
Similar to DPGs, stay up-to-date with your MIGs for FNCE® 2023 events. Continue to check the website of the MIG for added workshops, social events, awards receptions, and showcases.
- Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
- Cultures of Gender and Age
- Disabilities in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Global
- Indians in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition
- National Organization of Black in Dietetics and Nutrition
- Religion
If you are not a member of the Academy’s DPGs or MIGs, now may be a great time to look into joining one, before attending FNCE® 2023.
Final Thoughts
With FNCE® 2023 just a few months away, now is the time decide whether you will be a part of this invaluable opportunity for professional and personal growth. We explored advantages of attending FNCE®, including networking opportunities and gaining insight into the latest research and trends.
Additionally, we discussed the importance of thorough planning before attending the conference. This includes taking time to define your purpose for attending FNCE® 2023. Set specific goals and objectives such as attending specific sessions and exhibits, connecting with “X number of new people per day,” and identifying potential new business opportunities. For more tips on how to maximize your time at FNCE® this year, see the 10-point checklist below.
