Star Gazing for Health

Looking at the stars can help guide you in your quest for a balanced diet! No, not the stars in the sky - the stars on food products in grocery stores, a trend popping up in New England grocery stores. The Hannaford Brothers chain has developed a simple system that helps shoppers find the best foods.

Stars are awarded (a food product may have one, two, three, or zero stars) for healthy properties such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and whole grains. Foods with significant sodium, trans fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol are less likely to receive any stars.

Though the system is new, preliminary data suggests a real impact on shoppers’ decisions. Foods with stars grew up to 4 and a half times as fast as foods with no stars. Plus, consumers view the system as a simple way of judging a food’s content and educating children about nutrition. The Hannaford Brothers hope to patent the system and expand, so be sure to look out for it in a store near you in 2008. If you’re in New England, just go to a store today and start shopping smarter! And if you think it is a great idea, spread the word! Tell your friends about it using the share links at the bottom of the page, and tell your neighborhood grocer about the program.