MALVERN, Pa. — Most everyone knows eating healthy is an important goal, but few are successful at doing it consistently. Today, ACME announced their newly expanded in-store color-coded better-for-you food finder™ — nutrition iQ® — and an education initiative called “Colors in Your Carriage” to help grocery shoppers navigate the aisles with great-tasting foods the entire family can enjoy while also meeting their nutrition needs.
Since 2010, ACME has offered color-coded nutrition tags on more than 2,500 center store food items. The nutrition iQ® program was developed and implemented in collaboration with Joslin Clinic, part of an academic medical center affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston, and features color-coded shelf tags that serve as at-a-glance cues to help shoppers identify and find better-for-you food options. The ACME nutrition iQ® program has now extended to include signage in the fresh produce, meats, bakery and seafood sections. These colored tags highlight key nutrients and health attributes in foods families enjoy every day. For example, dark orange tags highlight whole grain foods and yellow tags point out products that are good sources of protein. To bring it to life and teach shoppers how to create meals this way, ACME will also offer delicious recipes at www.facebook.com/acmemarkets and weekly guidance/tips from ACME registered dietitian Jennifer Shea to help its shoppers fill their carriage with the right colors to meet their nutrient needs.
Straight Talk On What To Eat
“Our shoppers are looking for information they can trust when it comes to which foods they should include as part of a healthy diet. We know how important it is to provide straight talk on what to eat to help clear the confusion,” says ACME registered dietitian Jennifer Shea. “nutrition iQ can help people more easily achieve the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Our goal is to make good eating enjoyable and to help consumers really understand HOW to shop, WHAT to buy and HOW to prepare quick meals their family will enjoy. Our customers count on ACME for that.”
Nearly 73 percent of daily family meals are now being eaten at home, according to the recently released report, “The State of Family Nutrition and Physical Activity.” The “Colors in Your Carriage” education initiative helps shoppers find quick-to-prepare, good-tasting solutions to fill the nutrient gaps highlighted in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The report found the nutrients most lacking are dietary fiber, vitamin D and calcium. In addition to helping shoppers fulfill these nutrient needs, nutrition iQ® helps give shoppers a way to identify foods that are at a base level better for them because every item that receives a tag is screened to be low in saturated fat, salt and in some cases sugar. When walking through our perimeter departments, customers will see signage that, for example, highlights the health benefits of produce items, whole grains and seafood – all foods that Americans should increase in their diets, while keeping overall calories in balance.
Deciphering the Code
“We recognize that shoppers can find it challenging to know whether the foods they choose are truly meeting their daily nutrition needs,” Shea says. “When it comes to choosing fresh produce, the key is to think about a rainbow of color. Every food and every nutrient has a different role in our body. We need protein to build muscle, calcium for strong bones, vitamins for normal organ function and more.” To help, ACME stores now have the nutrition iQ® tag system in the produce, meat, bakery and seafood sections and throughout the whole store.
Putting It In Action
Shea offers these suggestions as a starting point for thinking about shopping in a new way:
•Protein. Foods with the yellow tag for protein include fat-free milk or light yogurt, egg substitute, beans, lean meats like skinless chicken or turkey and seafood such as tilapia, shrimp or tuna. Share this Mediterranean halibut recipe with your family.
•Whole Grains. Food with the dark orange tag for whole grain includes brown rice, oats, barley, quinoa, popcorn, whole wheat bread and whole-grain. For a fun baking activity, try this baked brown rice recipe.
•Fiber. Foods with the orange tag for fiber include great options such as cereal, whole-wheat bread, raspberries, pears, artichokes, peas, black beans, lima beans and lentils. This lentil and sausage soup recipe scores big on fiber and taste.
•Calcium. Foods with the blue tag for calcium include fat-free milk, light yogurt, fresh and frozen spinach and soymilk. Try this tropical smoothie for a tasty treat.
Online Help Every Week Along the Way
Shea will share weekly advice for navigating the aisles throughout the months of May and June online at www.facebook.com/acmemarkets, including a video grocery tour, weekly meal suggestions and other cooking and shopping tips!
“I hope the Colors in Your Carriage education initiative inspires people this spring to try new colorful and delicious meal ideas and enjoy the array of seasonal selections that make good eating an adventure,” Shea says. “Cooking and eating healthfully are my passion and sharing ideas with one another truly make all the difference for an easy shopping experience.”
To learn more about ACME’s nutrition IQ® program visit the ACME website.
About ACME :
ACME Markets, part of the nationwide SUPERVALU® INC. (NYSE: SVU) family of grocery stores, is a 120-year-old institution that operates 117 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, employing more than 14,000 associates. With a market-leading position in the Delaware Valley, ACME offers consumers fresh and convenient supermarket solutions, in addition to services such as Sav-on Pharmacies at select locations. Established in 1891, the company and its associates remain committed to the communities they serve. For more information about ACME visit www.acmemarkets.com.
About Joslin Clinic
Joslin Clinic, part of an academic medical center affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston, is internationally recognized for its work in the area of nutrition, especially relating to obesity and diabetes.
Source: ACME Markets