November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and as part of ShopRite’s continued commitment to providing free and convenient personalized health and wellness services, ShopRite is offering a variety of diabetes-themed educational classes, food demonstrations and store tours led by in-store dietitians.

According to statistics issued by the American Diabetes Association earlier this month, an estimated 30 million American adults live with diabetes and another 84 million are at risk for it.

“We understand that choosing nutritious foods and products, watching portion sizes, and creating diabetes-friendly recipes can be a daunting task for anyone who has been diagnosed with diabetes, or is caring for someone with diabetes,” said Natalie Menza-Crowe, director of health and wellness at ShopRite. “That’s one of the reasons that our team of over 100-plus trained and registered dietitians are offering a wide array of classes, events and in-store food demonstrations, all focused on diabetes education and inspiration, this month.”

For customers who are looking for overall suggestions on how to make smart choices at the supermarket when managing diabetes, Menza-Crowe has a few suggestions:

• Enjoy more produce. “There are countless ways to prepare fruits and vegetables so that they become a staple of your diet,” said Menza-Crowe. “If you need help coming up with easy–to-prepare recipes, our dietitians can help with suggestions. And don’t forget there are great options in the frozen and canned aisles to help with quick and easy meal solutions.”
• Don’t fear fruit! “Fruits have important vitamins, minerals and fiber that we all need, but some fruits are better options than others for shoppers who are managing their carbohydrate intake. As with anything, it’s a good idea to make sure you are watching what fruits you eat and keep an eye on portion sizes,” said Menza-Crowe.
• Be adventurous. An easy way to create more healthful meals is by incorporating different kinds of whole grains, lean meats and fish into your weekly shopping list. “You’ll never know if you like something unless you try it,” said Menza-Crowe. “And as a bonus, your family will get to taste new foods, too.”
• Take advantage of free classes offered by dietitians. “Our dietitians hold a wide range of diabetes programs that includes free classes for anyone to attend, which cover topics from carbohydrates and managing blood sugar to label reading and learning how to shop and cook with diabetes. Our top priority is helping our customers discover ways to incorporate healthy foods and habits into their daily life.”

ShopRite’s dietitian team also works in partnership with the supermarket’s approximately 220 in-store pharmacies and pharmacists to deliver diabetes assistance to its customers.

“Our goal is to assist shoppers by coordinating care between our retail dietitians and pharmacists during their shopping trip,” said Jeffrey Mondelli, ShopRite’s vice president of pharmacy, health and beauty. “Just like our dietitian team, our pharmacists are a great source of expert advice to shoppers looking for information on diabetes medicine, devices, or other products related to their care. We’re proud to work with our in-store dietitians to offer this array of complimentary services to our customers.