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KEASBEY, N.J. — Customers looking to create healthier holiday meals can get free assistance and advice courtesy of ShopRite’s in-store dietitian team, who are offering classes and events highlighting better-for-you holiday recipe suggestions in December.
ShopRite’s team of in-store dietitians, who service 140 stores, will offer a variety of events focused on creating healthy holiday traditions, as well as free store tours, complimentary cookbooks, and personalized nutritional guidance. The outreach is part of ShopRite’s latest Well Everyday campaign, an ongoing health and wellness education program that combines in-store signage, social media content, circular ads and dietitian-led programs to assist customers in making healthier food choices.
“The holidays are here and that means it’s time to enjoy the bounty of the season with friends and family. If you’re looking to lighten up your family’s favorite holiday dishes and desserts, our team of ShopRite dietitians are here to help,” says Natalie Menza-Crowe, director of health and wellness at ShopRite.
Below, Menza-Crowe shares some of her best tips for bringing an extra serving of healthy to holiday celebrations.
- Make-ahead meals can save the day when you’ve already booked out your oven for other main dishes such as turkey or a roast. One of my go-to ideas is a cooked grains casserole featuring rice or quinoa. Best of all, each dish can be stored in the freezer until you’re ready to defrost and serve them.
- Appetizers are a great way to get the party started, but no need to stress about them while you’re trying to finish all of your other dishes. You can make your favorite homemade dips a day or two in advance, and store until you need them. To make your dips extra healthy, use low-fat yogurt in place of sour cream or mayonnaise and serve with cut-up veggies.
- Use pre-cut veggies, or chop your own, to save time. If your menu includes cooked dishes made with fresh seasonal vegetables, the smaller you chop your vegetables, the less time it will take for them to cook.
- Put your slow cooker to work. You can make all sorts of “traditional” holiday meals, such as sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes or even green bean casseroles, in a slow cooker, and they’ll come out delicious every time.
