- Email: [email protected]
To market … to market
GEM No. 101
To Market.
To Market
Marilynn Burger, R.D. Tn-County Health Department 7000 E. Belleview, Suite 301 Englewood, Colorado 80111 9:35
A.M.-
10:45
A.M.-
1:30
P.M.-
"After my husband had a heart attack, the doctor said we had to watch his diet. What am I to do?" "My cholesterol is high, I have to cut down on fat, and I don't know where to begin." "Help! I can't eat anything. Everything I like is BAD for me."
Have you had a day with phone calls like this? The dietitians at Tri-County Health Department regularly receive questions from people faced with the realization they need to make dietary and lifestyle changes. They go through the whole range of emotions from denial to anger to acceptance. Acceptance is often accompanied by confusion as to what to do and frustration with the fact that "everything I like will be off limits." Because of this, we felt people new to the concept of heart healthy eating wanted guidelines to follow and specific brand name products to look for while shopping. To meet this need we developed a 30-page shopping guide called "To Market ... To MarketHow to Shop Smart for a Healthy Heart" (see Photo 1). A grant of $5,000 from The American Heart Association of Colorado was used to publish the book in a professional manner: two colors, original graphics, high quality printing and paper. We have found the shopping guide we developed is a valuable resource and educational tool for dietitians, nutrition educators, private practice physicians , wellness centers, and health clinics. The shopping guide proved to be a helpful resource and a natural springboard for our heart healthy shopping tours (see Photo 2). Since 50% of food purchase decisions are made while in the supermarket (1), tours of local supermarkets seemed the most logical place for hands-on nutrition education. We have offered them as part of our community nutrition. curriculum, in conjunction with cholesterol screening programs, and as a feature in wellness courses. Our tours have received broad-based community support: local supermarkets, and adult education programs have sponsored them as well as special interest groups such as teachers and other health professionals. Between 10 and 15 participants is an ideal size for a group tour. However, we have conducted tours with as many as 30 in a group. Tours have also been done with three groups touring Simultaneously. Fifteen minutes is spent on fat facts and
Photo 1. Shopping guide used in supermarket tour
Photo 2. Heart healthy shopping tour
basic label reading, and the rest of the time is spent touring the store. The two-hour tour costs $15 per person, but this can vary depending on the situation. Each participant receives a free copy of the shopping guide and free food samples. For outside groups our fee is $50 per hour for the instructor, for interdepartmental activities we adjust our fee according to the circumstances. As you can see, shopping tours can be a source of revenue for individual nutrition educators or dietitians as well as for organizations such as health departments, hospitals, and wellness programs. Supermarket management has been receptive to hosting the tours as we emphasize the positive products available on grocery shelves. They view the project as a community service, part of the store's educational outreach, and as an effective marketing tool. Scheduling for tours is flexible. We work with store managers and schedule tours at times the store is not exceptionally busy, i.e., mid-morning, after lunch hour, and evenings. These times also seem to suit the consumers' needs. We hold tours upon request for interested groups and as they fit into the scheduling needs of our department. There is no set pattern or firm schedule. Our tours go aisle-by-aisle, follOWing the same order as our marketing guide. Although not all supermarkets are organized the same, generally our approach is to move around the perimeter of the store where the most essential foods are found and then down the aisles to feature products such as cereals, salad dressings, frozen entrees, and desserts.
these products for desserts, dips, and as a sour cream substitute. • Whole-grain crackers--We focus on the merits of whole grains, the importance of checking the percent of fat calories, and the disadvantages of palm and coconut oil. • Meat-We discuss how meat is graded and how to select lean cuts.
Among the topics we discuss are the following: • Mexican foods-We pOint out that vegetarian refried beans contain vegetable shortening rather than lard; that com tortillas have no fat; and that although flour tortillas are often made with lard by reading labels carefully, shoppers ~ usually find a brand made with vegetable shortening. • Yogurt-Since all yogurts are not created equal, we emphasize the non-fat yogurt products and relate ways to adapt
Questions and group interaction are encouraged. The goal of our shopping tours is to teach people the basic principles of nutrition and to help people learn how to read labels and how to recognize different types offat. Specific products are used to illustrate the points we make, but our goal is for the shoppers to be able to make informed purchaSing decisions about everything on their shopping lists. Our shopping tour follows the gUidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA). We feel the AHA's Phase 1 diet with 30% fat is an appropriate starting place for the general public. We encourage a slow transition such as Jane Brody's approach of "evolution rather than revolution" for the average adult. Participants with acute health problems and a doctor's prescription are counseled to follow their individual set of guidelines. Since negatives seem to outweigh positives when a person is new to dietary change, we emphasize what can be eaten, not what must be given up. Currently, we are conducting seminars to instruct others to lead shopping tours. As dietitians and nutrition educators, we want to be agents of change in improving the dietary habits of our communities, correcting media misinformation, and expanding the visibility of the nutrition message. Shopping tours can be a fun and an effective way to accomplish this. Note For more information on the shopping guide or on the training seminars contact TriCounty Health Department, 7000 E. Belleview, Englewood, CO BOllI, (303)220-9200. Literature Cited 1 Point-of-Purchase Advertising Institute. Dupont consumer buying habits study . New York: Point of Purchase Advertising Institute, 1978.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION 2O:238A, 1988
To Market.
To Market
Marilynn Burger, R.D. Tn-County Health Department 7000 E. Belleview, Suite 301 Englewood, Colorado 80111 9:35
A.M.-
10:45
A.M.-
1:30
P.M.-
"After my husband had a heart attack, the doctor said we had to watch his diet. What am I to do?" "My cholesterol is high, I have to cut down on fat, and I don't know where to begin." "Help! I can't eat anything. Everything I like is BAD for me."
Have you had a day with phone calls like this? The dietitians at Tri-County Health Department regularly receive questions from people faced with the realization they need to make dietary and lifestyle changes. They go through the whole range of emotions from denial to anger to acceptance. Acceptance is often accompanied by confusion as to what to do and frustration with the fact that "everything I like will be off limits." Because of this, we felt people new to the concept of heart healthy eating wanted guidelines to follow and specific brand name products to look for while shopping. To meet this need we developed a 30-page shopping guide called "To Market ... To MarketHow to Shop Smart for a Healthy Heart" (see Photo 1). A grant of $5,000 from The American Heart Association of Colorado was used to publish the book in a professional manner: two colors, original graphics, high quality printing and paper. We have found the shopping guide we developed is a valuable resource and educational tool for dietitians, nutrition educators, private practice physicians , wellness centers, and health clinics. The shopping guide proved to be a helpful resource and a natural springboard for our heart healthy shopping tours (see Photo 2). Since 50% of food purchase decisions are made while in the supermarket (1), tours of local supermarkets seemed the most logical place for hands-on nutrition education. We have offered them as part of our community nutrition. curriculum, in conjunction with cholesterol screening programs, and as a feature in wellness courses. Our tours have received broad-based community support: local supermarkets, and adult education programs have sponsored them as well as special interest groups such as teachers and other health professionals. Between 10 and 15 participants is an ideal size for a group tour. However, we have conducted tours with as many as 30 in a group. Tours have also been done with three groups touring Simultaneously. Fifteen minutes is spent on fat facts and
Photo 1. Shopping guide used in supermarket tour
Photo 2. Heart healthy shopping tour
basic label reading, and the rest of the time is spent touring the store. The two-hour tour costs $15 per person, but this can vary depending on the situation. Each participant receives a free copy of the shopping guide and free food samples. For outside groups our fee is $50 per hour for the instructor, for interdepartmental activities we adjust our fee according to the circumstances. As you can see, shopping tours can be a source of revenue for individual nutrition educators or dietitians as well as for organizations such as health departments, hospitals, and wellness programs. Supermarket management has been receptive to hosting the tours as we emphasize the positive products available on grocery shelves. They view the project as a community service, part of the store's educational outreach, and as an effective marketing tool. Scheduling for tours is flexible. We work with store managers and schedule tours at times the store is not exceptionally busy, i.e., mid-morning, after lunch hour, and evenings. These times also seem to suit the consumers' needs. We hold tours upon request for interested groups and as they fit into the scheduling needs of our department. There is no set pattern or firm schedule. Our tours go aisle-by-aisle, follOWing the same order as our marketing guide. Although not all supermarkets are organized the same, generally our approach is to move around the perimeter of the store where the most essential foods are found and then down the aisles to feature products such as cereals, salad dressings, frozen entrees, and desserts.
these products for desserts, dips, and as a sour cream substitute. • Whole-grain crackers--We focus on the merits of whole grains, the importance of checking the percent of fat calories, and the disadvantages of palm and coconut oil. • Meat-We discuss how meat is graded and how to select lean cuts.
Among the topics we discuss are the following: • Mexican foods-We pOint out that vegetarian refried beans contain vegetable shortening rather than lard; that com tortillas have no fat; and that although flour tortillas are often made with lard by reading labels carefully, shoppers ~ usually find a brand made with vegetable shortening. • Yogurt-Since all yogurts are not created equal, we emphasize the non-fat yogurt products and relate ways to adapt
Questions and group interaction are encouraged. The goal of our shopping tours is to teach people the basic principles of nutrition and to help people learn how to read labels and how to recognize different types offat. Specific products are used to illustrate the points we make, but our goal is for the shoppers to be able to make informed purchaSing decisions about everything on their shopping lists. Our shopping tour follows the gUidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA). We feel the AHA's Phase 1 diet with 30% fat is an appropriate starting place for the general public. We encourage a slow transition such as Jane Brody's approach of "evolution rather than revolution" for the average adult. Participants with acute health problems and a doctor's prescription are counseled to follow their individual set of guidelines. Since negatives seem to outweigh positives when a person is new to dietary change, we emphasize what can be eaten, not what must be given up. Currently, we are conducting seminars to instruct others to lead shopping tours. As dietitians and nutrition educators, we want to be agents of change in improving the dietary habits of our communities, correcting media misinformation, and expanding the visibility of the nutrition message. Shopping tours can be a fun and an effective way to accomplish this. Note For more information on the shopping guide or on the training seminars contact TriCounty Health Department, 7000 E. Belleview, Englewood, CO BOllI, (303)220-9200. Literature Cited 1 Point-of-Purchase Advertising Institute. Dupont consumer buying habits study . New York: Point of Purchase Advertising Institute, 1978.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION 2O:238A, 1988