Staff Profile: Meet Mainstay’s Nutritional Consultant, Emily LaBombard

01/30/25

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Color photo of Emily LaBombard, a white woman with shoulder-length blonde hair. She is dressed casually and sitting outside. She is smiling at the camera and happily eating a carrot.
Mainstay’s Nutritional Consultant, Emily LaBombard, sitting outside and happily eating a carrot!

With over 60 mouths to feed across 6 houses, Emily LaBombard is one busy lady! Emily is the Nutritional Consultant for Mainstay Supportive Housing, which operates supportive homes for adults with intellectual and other disabilities in Malden, Newton and Norwood, Mass. We sat down with Emily recently to ask her about the challenges of finding nutritious foods to create meals our residents enjoy.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

1. How did you get into the food services industry?

I am a registered dietician and went to school for nutritional science and this is where I fell in love with nutrition, and eventually the scientific world of dietetics. I then received a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in dietetics. I have always loved the community base of dietetics and feel that nutrition pairs well with my passion for preventative care. I came to the food services industry because of this, and I enjoy figuring out how you can create recipes that taste really good and go hand-in-hand with health. In addition to my work with Mainstay, I also work one-on-one with a lot of women. Previously I’ve worked in schools and several long-term care facilities.

2.  How do you create a meal plan balancing nutrition with what foods residents like to eat and how do you incorporate fresh foods into that?

My version of nutrition is balance. Instead of taking away, I like to ask, “How do we add?” I ask myself how we can add more vegetables, fruit, protein or non-inflammatory fats. Since being at Mainstay, I have met with each of the residents and gotten to know their likes and dislikes. Some tell me they don’t like their vegetables soggy. Some tell me they prefer them not to be on the side. That’s when we incorporate them into a food. It’s about understanding preference. I take my nutrition foundation – fruits, vegetables, and carbs – and try to find a balance of flavor. Where can we add in something different? I like to present meals that are customizable, like tacos where we serve fresh tomatoes and onions so residents can add what they like.

3. Do you collaborate with residents to come up with meal plans?

I definitely do! My work really started with the house in Newton to see what works. Each month I created a new menu and at the end of the month I would talk to the house manager and residents. I would also take inventory to see what was left over. For example, we found that residents really love meatloaf and chili, so I thought about how to make those recipes more nutrition focused. Maybe I’d add zucchini to the meatloaf or a few extra beans and peppers in the chili. These additions don’t change the taste, but rather enhance the nutritional value. We have a good cycle of recipes residents like that we found have a good balance of health and flavor.

4. What meals on the menu really make most residents’ eyes light up?

Chicken Caesar wraps are very popular. These offer a really great source of protein with the chicken, and we serve them on a whole wheat or spinach wrap. I’ve been playing around with turkey meatballs and turkey burgers. These are great comfort foods, too, as is lasagna. We did try a zucchini lasagna that wasn’t a huge hit, but we pivoted, and we moved it!

5. How is your work at Mainstay different than in your previous positions?

From a dietician/health perspective, Mainstay has such a beautiful community of residents with varying degree of mental capabilities and cognition. And in the health space, they often forget about nutrition. We can really support these individuals’ brain function and cognition. Food, nutrition and cooking can bring a sense of independence and empowerment. I really enjoy and feel privileged to work with our residents and enjoy giving them these tools. Getting to know the residents has been such an honor, and it’s fun to look forward to the community aspect of their nightly dinners. Mainstay has such a community and a home feel, so having a collaborative meal brings it to fruition, too.

6. Can you share a little bit about what you like to do when you’re not at work?

I live in the North End right in Boston and it’s so fun. I’m such a foodie and love exploring new restaurants and checking out different markets. I love a good farmer’s market and am very active and really enjoy being by the water, going for walks, seeing friends, reading and dabbling in the guitar a bit. A lot of my time is spent eating, which gives me some good inspiration!

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