15 Supermarkets That Let You Meet a Dietitian for Free

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Let’s face it, nutrition is a complex subject. And finding a dietitian in your area who accepts your insurance deters some people from seeking nutrition education.

But what if there was a dietitian in your community who was easily accessible, knowledgeable and completely free?

It turns out that these fully credentialed nutrition experts may be right in the aisles of your local supermarket. You don’t even have to schedule an appointment to meet with them or travel to an office. They’re ready and willing to provide nutrition information and help you make informed food choices while you shop.

And if you can’t make it to the store, they’re offering virtual classes to educate people (near and far) about nutrition. “Overall, the goal of our program is just to provide nutrition education to our customers[and]help them find their version of health,” says Emily McGee, one of the registered dietitians on the Stop & Shop Nutrition Partners team.

As a registered dietitian myself, I spoke with registered dietitians at three different grocery stores to learn more about what they do and their impact on the community.

What nutrition services are available at the supermarket?

Supermarket dietitians, often called retail dietitians, offer a variety of offerings to local consumers, as well as virtual programs that provide nutrition education to people around the world. Below are just a few of the many services offered:

Nutritional assistance in store and in the community

Allison Stowell, a registered dietitian at Hannaford Supermarket, works in the store. Every day, you can find her walking the aisles helping customers answer their nutrition questions and make food choices. “I know that the grocery store can be an overwhelming and challenging experience, and it’s easy to lose sight of your goals; you have about 10 seconds to help someone take a step forward,” Stowell says.

She also works on in-store demonstrations, developing recipes for the store and giving presentations to communities and nonprofits, such as schools and libraries. These services are also offered at other stores, such as Big Y, a family-owned grocery store in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and at select Stop & Shop locations.

Virtual courses

In recent years, many supermarkets have made a big push to offer virtual services. Big Y has an email service where you can ask a dietitian a question, and one of the company’s two dietitians, Carrie Taylor and Andrea Luttrell, will respond with their answer.

Big Y also offers online classes and support groups, and people from all over the world have joined the organization. “People from Mexico and different countries have called us,” Luttrell says.

Stop & Shop offers an extensive library of virtual nutrition and cooking classes. “We partner with our pharmacist to offer more health-specific classes, like eating for heart health and eating for diabetes,” McGee says.

Individual consultation

Many stores offer free one-on-one nutrition consultations. Big Y experimented with charging $10 to $20 for a consultation and then refunding the money in the form of a gift card after the meeting. “We wanted the consumer to understand the value of paying for nutrition education and meeting with a registered dietitian,” Taylor says. However, the low cost proved to be a barrier for the customer, so they made their services completely free and saw a higher engagement rate.

During a nutrition session, “we might look at the nutrition label or make product suggestions,” McGee says. Stowell adds that she hopes to bridge the gap between the nutritional information people receive from their doctor or local dietitian and putting that information into practice in their shopping habits.

In-store displays

Even if you don’t have time to chat with a dietitian in-store or attend a class, you can still learn more through their nutrition displays in many stores. Stop & Shop has a program called Nutrition Partners that highlights certain better-for-you products in stores. “It’s a healthy shopping destination where our dietitians have meticulously vetted and selected these products,” McGee says.

Big Y offers a Kids Fruit Club booth, where children can grab a free piece of fruit to enjoy while they shop with their family. “The goal of the Kids Fruit Club is to make shopping with kids easier by providing a nutritious alternative to snacks while encouraging them to live a healthy lifestyle,” Luttrell says.

Stores with dieticians

Retail dietitians make a difference in their communities and can be a great place to start if you’re not sure where to turn for nutrition information. Here are some of the supermarkets that offer a combination of in-store and virtual nutrition services:

Still not sure if you could benefit from consulting a dietitian? They can make a big difference in helping you make simple food choices every day.

For example, Luttrell recalls talking to a woman at a health fair who had recently been diagnosed with diabetes. “She told me how much she missed bananas, and I told her she could still eat them with a little guidance,” Luttrell says. “It was apparently the best news she’d ever heard in her life: She could eat bananas again.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com