A healthy change: Macey’s adopts new check-out aisle
It’s not a new concept to revamp the food industry with healthier options; the FDA has changed food in public school lunchrooms and posted nutritional facts in restaurants everywhere.
Now Macey’s is joining by bringing some changes to their grocery stories: a new health check-out lane.
Macey’s in Providence, in partnership with Bear River Valley Health Department, opened its first healthy check stand on Sept. 1 as a step to help people make changes for healthier shopping and lifestyles.
“I think we’re all very cognizant of some of the health challenges that are prevalent in our society,” said Kerry Chin, the Macey’s store director. “In a small way, in opening a healthy check stand, we hope that we can open some eyes and that our guests know there are some good healthy options in our store.”
Healthy food options on the aisle include fresh produce, grab-and-go meals, yogurt, water, juice, nuts and healthy kids’ treats, Chin said.
The feedback Chin has already received from Macey’s shoppers is all positive, and many of the healthy options in the lane are going quickly.
“We’re hoping that we’re just the beginning,” Chin said. “I really believe in the healthy check stand concept … I’m hoping other stores will think long and hard about opening one of their lanes and making it healthier.”
According many involved, this change is necessary for many people in the surrounding area.
BRHD’s 2013 Center for Health Data found “Bear River Valley’s obese or overweight population is at 59 percent and high blood pressure and diabetes incidence is at 7.5 percent (versus Utah’s at 7.1),” according to Macey’s press release for the check-out aisle.
One of the grants BRHD received last year was to be used in helping those in the community with pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension, and this is one of their initiatives, said Holly Budge, the public health resource manager for BRHD.
The BRHD is currently working with the Island Market and its health initiatives, as well, Budge said.
“We will continue to try to recruit other businesses in healthier retail programs and those participating with (the healthy check stands),” Budge said.
BRHD has also been working with on-campus eateries at USU to help with more health initiatives and marketing for healthy food options, said Jenny Murri, a nutritionalist with BRHD.
“I know college kids are all about grab-and-go, which does contribute to unwanted weight gain,” Murri said. “We’re going to start working with (on-campus eateries), maybe even bring ‘Shop Healthy’ signage on campus for students to look for.”
Murri and others at BRHD haven’t started specific projects with on-campus eateries yet, but they plan to start soon and have already done evaluations on campus with the help of interns from the dietetics program at USU.
The Utah Department of Health suggests where the healthy check stands should go, with the first going in the Tooele Macey’s, and the second being in Providence, said Ron Beckstrom, a registered dietician for Macey’s. Another will go into the Ogden Macey’s in October.
The initiative is about “making healthier dietary choices,” Beckstrom said. “My job is to create a shopping experience to help people achieve whatever health-related nutritional goals they have,” he said. And he believes healthy check stands can help many make better choices when it comes to reaching health goals.
Beckstrom is just one of many involved in the process who hope that young people will also be positively impacted by the healthy aisle and make healthier shopping choices.
His advice for students is to shop around the perimeter of the store where fresh produce, dairy and meats are usually placed in grocery stores. He also advices students who are usually buying food for one to look into buying frozen fruits and vegetables that will last longer than fresh.
“In regards to young people, a large demographic of those would be working for fast meals,” Beckstrom said. “I would say, ‘Don’t overlook what your local grocery store can provide you, for healthy meal choices.'” There are options available in the checkout aisle that could all provide for full, fast meals, he said.
People are impulse shoppers and will usually just grab what they want, said Courtney Neistadt, a USU student majoring in math.
“If it’s cheap and it’s there and easy to get, especially if you’re hungry, you’ll just grab it,” Neistadt said. “But if the options are healthy you’ll still grab it. If you can’t have the option to buy unhealthy food, you won’t get it.”
If community members and students go down the healthy checkout lane in Macey’s, they won’t get any other option but healthy.
—mandy.m.morgan@aggiemail.usu.edu