January Question 1
Often times perishable food items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean proteins are purchased by the well-intentioned buyer only to spoil and be thrown away before consumption. If retailers were to include more of these healthful staples in their weekly ads, how would you counsel a client who was hesitant about changing their shopping habits? What advice or tips could you give to a client who is worried about buying food that may end up in the garbage if they don’t use it right away?
posted by Unknown @ 8:52 PM
32 comments
32 Comments:
If I were working with a client beginning the transition to eating more fruits and vegetables I would first find out their preferences. After that I would begin to give recommendations that I believe will be easiest for them to follow. I would start with suggesting fruits and vegetables that have a longer shelf life, like potatoes, squash, apples, and citrus fruits. My next recommendation would be freezing food. If a client realizes they won't be able to eat all their fresh food before it goes bad I would recommend that they make a large portion and freeze what they don't eat.
I would also individualize my suggestions and if it wasn't practical for my client to continually buy fresh produce I would talk with them about buying some of their fruits and vegetables frozen. One thing I would make sure to do is educate my client on the importance of looking at food labels and choosing items low in sodium and sugar.
Step 1, build rapport. Establishing a connection and understanding with the client opens the lines of communication. The first potential strategy that comes to mind is possibly introducing the client to meal planning as a way to minimize waste. Just having a plan for the produce before you buy can make a big difference. In other words, buy with purpose. Depending on the level of interest, more detail could be introduced to the meal planning concept; i.e. if you need half a bell pepper for one recipe, plan another recipe later in the week for the other half. I would also consider promoting frozen (preferably whole foods, not processed) foods to clients. Purchasing strategies would need realistically to fit into the person’s schedule. I could see a busy mom being resistant to making smaller more frequent trips to the grocery store, but it might be something another person just hadn’t thought of. Organization of the refrigerator can work the same way as product placement in a retail setting. Preparing items ahead of time for use or snacks during the week could be advantageous. Some people might not have recipe variety or ideas to make certain items an appealing option.
Despite having a million and one ideas that we think are awesome, commitment to the solution on the part of the client will be key to success, and if we can get them to come up with a solution of their own, even better. People are generally more invested in seeing their own ideas succeed. Discussing what the true barriers are to using those grocery items can help focus attempts to find a solution together. If the individual isn’t ready for change, we need to help them find the motivation, commitment, and self-efficacy to successfully change habits. Through discussion, we can help a client see value in change. Some people are ready to take big steps others can only wrap their head around a single small step at a time. I would come in with an arsenal of ideas in my head, but choose the best one or two for the specific client’s barriers.
Living alone, I have found that this is a problem that I often have, so the freezer has become my best friend. I love fruits and veggies obviously, but I can't buy multiple fruits and vegetables and eat them all before they go bad. So I would advise my client to buy either from the frozen section or if they prefer fresh, as I do, buy from the fresh section and take it home and divide the produce by how much they think they will use in the next few days and rinse that and put it in the fridge, and the rest, bag up and put into the freezer.
Gina, your statement about clients needing to come up with their own solution is key. People all have different schedules, preferences, and habits and us sharing what we do or what we have heard others do may be helpful, but in the end, the client needs to find their own routine that works for them and their lifestyle.
As I currently grocery shop for one (myself), I find myself worrying about spoilage often and if I will be able to consume what I purchase prior to spoilage. A helpful tip I have used that I could also share with my clients are how you can purchase items that spoil quickly, such as meats, dairy, and vegetables, but create large batch cooking items to store in the freezer for individualized meals. This way clients can still eat nutrient-dense meals and assure the food doesn't go to waste by prepackaging and storing it in the freezer.
I would also counsel my client on the misconception that canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are lower in nutrient quality than fresh fruits and vegetables. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals because they are harvested and flash frozen or canned at the peak of ripeness. However, noting the importance to check the sodium and sugar content in such items will be included.
That is a completely valid concern for my client to have and I would agree with them on having that concern. I would advise my client to make small changes and try it slowly. Perhaps purchase 1 extra serving of fruit and 1 extra serving of vegetable at each shopping trip. And if none went to waste, then continue to increase the amount they purchase until they meet the recommended servings or at a level they are comfortable with consuming. Additionally, I would recommend my client to either leave their fruits out in a bowl where they can see it, make a habit of checking their fruit/vegetable drawers in the fridge daily, and/or making a list of what perishable fruits and vegetables are in their fridge and posting it on the outside of their fridge for a reminder to include them in their meals. It's easy to forget about eating certain foods if they're hidden somewhere in the house. I would also advise my client to consider freezing fruits and vegetables if appropriate if they're on sale but cannot be consumed before it spoils.
I think it's also important for the client to try new things and explore new fruits/vegetables they haven't tried before or didn't like before. Checking out the weekly ads for new healthy foods to try can be a good start to changing their habits.
One main idea I would suggest to shoppers would be to meal plan for the coming week with specific produce items that would be on sale in the weekly ad. It would take a quick Pinterest or Google search to find an appealing looking recipe for almost any person and/or family that utilized a certain produce item or ingredient. That way, the consumer would know that they would utilize the certain items before they spoil. Beyond pre-meditated meal planning, I think that a great marketing approach to tie along with sales on perishable food items would be to provide recipe ideas at the point of sale where the items are available in the store. I know that Meijer posts recipes every week based on items that are on sale in the ads - I think this is an AWESOME resource for consumers, especially with the company RDNs publishing the recipes and meal ideas.
I would also promote the purchase of produce and meat items that have a longer shelf life - such as frozen or canned varieties. This is frequently a way that I am able to keep fruit and vegetables on hand at all times without having to worry that they will go bad before I have the chance to consume them.
I love the insight that Noel and Steph shared on using the freezer to keep the household stocked with various produce items. I do agree with Noel, however, that checking the label on these products is key to ensuring quality nutrition and monitoring intake of sodium and added sugars. I know that when I gave grocery tours with Sophie, she would always give a helpful hint that you can freeze your own fruit for smoothies or to use as needed by waiting until items are in season and on sale for the best deal!
As we know, it does a person little good if they purchase a healthful food item, but then do not eat it. Therefore, this is an important question we might face in our careers. While giving the Meijer grocery store tours, one of the things that I often stressed was how there are a variety of forms you can purchase fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. These various forms also come in a wide range of prices. If I were speaking with a consumer who experiences difficulty eating the food they purchase and letting it spoil, then I would first talk about some food options that have a longer shelf life or can be kept in the freezer to better avoid spoilage. For example, frozen vegetables might be an excellent option. I would also provide helpful tips to consumers to utilize while shopping. For example, I would recommend looking for canned items that are low in sodium or for fruits that are canned in juice, as opposed to heavy syrups. Providing consumers with this knowledge is one of the first steps in moving toward them not just buying the items, but also eating them at home.
I thought Gina also made a good point about building rapport with your client. While the tips I provided might be useful to some people, other people may have other needs. Therefore, I certainly agree that asking questions and building a relationship are key in this scenario, as with any other scenario. Learning more about the needs of the clients also goes hand in hand with what Stephanie and Noel mention about living alone and shopping for one. Understanding the situation that your client is in will help you better tailor your advice to their needs.
It can be daunting to purchase large quantities of perishable foods in an effort to strive for a healthier lifestyle, only for food to spoil too quickly. As a dietitian, I would encourage clients to start with small amounts first. Personally, I find it helpful to plan two to three meals to cook in larger batches to eat throughout the week. I would encourage clients to only buy what they know they will use based upon the ingredients for the meals planned for the week. In order to help them be successful, I would help them create weekly meal plans that would outline their major meals and snacks. We could then develop a grocery list based upon the meal plan. As the client becomes more comfortable with the meal planning process, they would be able to create more inclusive grocery lists to broaden their palates.
I wholeheartedly agree with Steph, Noel, and Jenn regarding freezing foods in larger batches. As I also shop/cook for one, I find that buying frozen vegetables and fruits to be very cost-effective and convenient. I would also suggest this method to my clients in order to prevent foods from spoiling too quickly. Amanda also made a very valid point. Frozen and dried fruits and vegetables are just as nutrient-dense as fresh or frozen. This would also be a shelf-stable and economical way for my client to prepare nutritious meals without the worry of spoilage.
Noel brought up a great point about dispelling the myth of canned and frozen vegetables not being as nutritious as fresh. As mentioned by a few people above, as long as we educate our clients on what to look for like the low sodium, packed in 100% juice etc., those option are perfectly viable for getting in your fruits and veggies. Exploring all of the options for a client increases the likelihood we will find the best solution for that individual. Purchasing a mixture of fresh, canned, and frozen in varying ratios can help client explore what they are capable of using, good suggestion Viv. Small steps maintained over time are better than short term success and then utter discouragement if the Extreme Makeover: Grocery Edition plan fails.
As mentioned by everyone else this is a reasonable concern a client could have. When making changes to a clients lifestyle it is important as Gina mentioned to build rapport. After rapport has been established, you can make suggestions to the client. One of the suggestions or recommendations I would make is to plan meals around the weekly ads. I also agree with what Sophie and Noel said about recommending batch cooking to freeze meals for later. However, if the client didn’t have freezer space, or just didn’t want to freeze meals, I would recommend ways to revamp leftovers. Revamping leftovers not only prevents wastage, but can also help the client save money. For example, if a whole chicken and certain fruits and vegetables were on sale the client could make a roast chicken and veggies one night and use the leftovers to create other meals such as, stir fry, soups, and salads. As Sophie also mentioned it is important to individualize recommendations to the client because what works for one person, might not work for my client. Therefore, depending on the lifestyle my client lives my recommendations could be altered.
Adding more fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean proteins to one’s diet is a common concern or goal for individuals. Such food items are more perishable than others which can cause hesitation to purchase these products. When working with a client or patient on including more fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean proteins, I would provide information on ways to use these foods and reduce overall waste. Such advice would include meal prepping in advance, freezing prepped meals, and multiple recipes including these new foods. Purchasing already frozen fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins can prolong shelf life of foods and enable the consumer to utilize foods over a longer period of time. Canned and dried items are another option that can be incorporated with addition of education regarding sodium, added sugars, and preparation of canned and dried items.
Moriah, you mentioned a great way to prolong the use of meals by revamping leftovers.
Porviding any new ways and recipes to use leftovers can keep someone more willing to continue to consume fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean proteins since they will be less likely to become bored with the same meals. Options that are not only healthy but that also taste good can motivate one to continue to follow a healthy diet.
The key points I would focus on with a client concerned about avoiding waste due to spoilage would be emphasis on well-liked items, purchasing in small quantities initially, and planning ahead. Through helping a client change their grocery shopping habits to include more healthful but perishable items, it is first important to consider what types of food the client (and their family, if applicable) enjoy. Altering habits begins with small changes and must fit in with the individual’s current lifestyle and preferences. I would recommend that my client determine which healthy food items they enjoy and would like to purchase more often, and also several new foods that they might like to try. I would specifically recommend purchasing one new fruit, vegetable, or other healthy item per week, to slowly introduce more variety into their diet. For example, if the person was curious about sweet potatoes, I would recommend that they purchase one or two sweet potatoes on their next grocery trip along with their regularly purchased items.
Shifting shopping habits and incorporating new foods while minimizing waste of perishables could be supported by purchasing small quantities initially. If the client is not used to having many time-sensitive food items at home, it can be overwhelming to begin increasing the purchase of perishables because they require more careful attention than preserved items. I would recommend that my client begin by purchasing small amounts of their favorite healthy food staples and adjust their purchase quantities as they learn how to incorporate them into their diet. Over several weeks or months, the client would be able to get a better feeling of how much of certain foods they can reasonably eat between shopping trips. For example, it the client likes carrots and wants to purchase them more often, they could begin by purchasing a one pound bag and determining if this amount is adequate for their dietary habits. They could then increase or decrease this baseline purchase quantity according to their experience with the item. If waste is a primary concern, under-purchasing initially would be a desired approach to grocery shopping.
A third recommendation I would make would be planning ahead. Advising my client to formulate a plan and grocery list before a shopping trip could help them adhere to their budget, minimize unhealthy impulse buys, and direct their trip towards healthy foods. Selecting several recipes for the week in advance and creating a shopping list based on these recipes can help maximize diet quality and minimize waste. Purchasing items impulsively and without some sort of a plan for the item can easily lead to the food begin forgotten about at home and spoiling. These recommendations fit together in a manner that could easily be put into action and help my client gradually meet their goal of changing their shopping habits.
Jenn, I really like how you pointed out the recipe resource Meijer has for consumers. I agree that this is a great marketing strategy to consumers to consume more of the sale items. Along with Google and Pinterest this would also be a great suggestion for a client to look at before planning meals for the week. I also agree with your other suggestions including purchasing produce that is more shelf stable however, you want to make sure to educate the client on ways to choose healthier canned and frozen produce options. Great ideas!
With proper planning, food spoilage can be brought down to a minimum. It is essential that you have a good understanding of a client’s lifestyle and budget. I believe freezing is a great option. If the budget and freezer space allows, I recommend doubling one or two recipes a week and freezing half of them. This can save money and time if done properly. You can save money by choosing to make dishes with produce items that are on sale and in season. If freezer space is low, my advice is to carefully freeze items, meaning be sure to freeze them in a way that takes up the least space possible. I often recommend to put dishes in a freezer-safe zip lock bag and lay it flat on a cookie sheet or some type of flat surface, and put it in the freezer like this. Once solid, remove the cookie sheet. It makes it much easier to organize and stack the meals in your freezer this way.
If an individual’s lifestyle allows, I also recommend two short grocery trips a week, instead of one large trip when it comes to food spoilage. This can be time consuming, but if the client is able to do this it can prevent spoilage and over purchasing. I sometimes find people tend to over buy grocery items, and food spoils. Plans may change, you might unexpectedly go to dinner during the week, and your groceries may accidentally spoil. By only buying groceries for the next 3-4 days you can reevaluate your weekly grocery list in the middle of the week. You may realize you have more or less food than you expected.
Kirsten, I liked how you focused on having the client choose well-liked items and buying in small quantities. It is important to work with the client and make sure you listen to their likes and dislikes. If they simply don’t like the food they’re buying, it is very likely it will spoil! I do think it’s important to encourage trying new things, too. I also believe it is key to buy things in small quantities at first. It’s tempting to buy things in bulk to save money, but it’s important to figure out which produce items you like and use most often to prevent spoilage.
I think it is very important to first make your client feel comfortable with the changes you want them to make regarding their purchasing habits. If the client is not comfortable the changes will not be sustained and goals will not be met. Coaching your client to understand that making changes regarding the purchasing of new grocery items can be overwhelming at first, but I think its very important to stress the fact that after a few trips to the grocery store their once new, different healthy items will become their staple purchases and routine. I would start by encouraging my client to swipe an old, unhealthy item out each week for one or two new more nutritionally balanced grocery items a week. I would not expect my client to change their grocery store habits over night, but instead I would encourage small changes each week to avoid food waste and food spoilage from unused, new food items.
I agree with Jenn that providing recipes based on local ads would be a huge help to the consumer. I also think Pinterest is a great resource for people who want to incorporate new foods in their diets, but are unsure how to cook and use them.
Noel also made a great point about large batch cooking and freezing food items. Although this might seem obvious to us, many people do not realize they can freeze food after it has been cooked. That being said I think if I was to encourage my client to freeze foods I would make sure to provide a small food safety handout on how to properly package and store frozen food items to avoid improper freezing techniques that could lead to food spoilage and potential foodborne illness.
When working with clients to increase their consumption of healthy perishable food items, one strategy would include looking over the grocery store adds with my clients and working with them to select one or two fruits and vegetables or other healthy perishable food items that are on sell that week. Then together we can develop a strategy to use the items throughout the week that will minimize the potential waste of purchasing the perishable products. For example fresh lettuce and tomatoes can be used for a salad one night with the leftovers used in a burrito the next night. Another tip to reduce potential waste is to complete prep-work as soon as they arrive home with their groceries. This will increase their likelihood of using the foods because it is ready to be used; for example pre-washed apples on the kitchen counter are ready for a healthy snack and washed and chopped carrots in the refrigerator are ready for a snack or to be added to a dish (stir-fry, soup, etc.).
When trying to help consumers reduce the amount of spoilage and waste, I think the first step is to see what the consumer eats normally throughout the week. Looking at one's food habits and preferences are important when trying to relate to the person you are helping. If spaghetti and jar sauce is a common weekly meal, one can encourage the consumer to add vegetables that are on sale at the particular grocery store to increase fiber, vitamins and minerals. Planning and educating in this way can also help reduce waste, because intentionally choosing produce and knowing what it will be used for throughout the week is important.
Education on ways to utilize produce, meats and dairy for different recipes and snacks is also something clients can benefit from, as well as reduce waste. Buying a bag of spinach can be used for more than just salads such as adding spinach to smoothies, pasta dishes, and as a pizza topping.
Tessa,
I like the idea about doubling up on meals, and then freezing half of them. That way, the consumer can save money by doubling up on specific ingredients on sale and still able to enjoy them weeks later. That also saves the consumer time that is takes to prep meals. Making meals in bulk can help reduce stress of planning meals every day of the week, and save money by purchasing produce or other high spoilage foods at low cost.
First, fresh or perishable groceries may be incorporated into the diet with a bit of attention expiration dates and food consumption rates. By having a good estimate of how much food they will reasonably eat in a week waste rates may be reduced. To aide with this weekly meal planning may be utilized, to improve their grocery list. Second, an alternative way to manage fresh foods rather than cooking them immediately is to prepare and then freeze them for ready use later. Both raw foods and prepared meals may be safely stored long term in the freezer with a small amount of initial preparation. Third, fresh varieties of fruits, vegetables, or meats may be incorporated into the diet over time. A nervous consumer may start with adopting a low risk group such as fruits and work their comfort level up to protein sources over time.
Having fresh produce in weekly ads and encouraging the consumer to purchase more of them would have to be paired with further instruction on how to store, prepare, and hold these foods. The more I talk with people about grocery shopping and food preparation, the more I see that food preparation and cooking knowledge is inadequate. What to do with fresh produce and even what different fruit and vegetable names are is falling out of the range of common knowledge. Therefore, my first step in helping a client invest in perishable food items would be to provide them with information about how to store items, prep items, incorporate items into dishes, and how to freeze dishes and/or prepped items. This would reduce food waste and increase the client's confidence in changing their shopping habits. Meal planning may also be a helpful strategy in helping a client use fresh produce and minimize waste from said produce.
There have been several great points brought up already that I can certainly agree with as well. I feel that planning ahead is perhaps the biggest area that I would stress with a client that this hesitant about changing their shopping habits. As others have mentioned previously, having a clear idea and list of items that you will be able to prepare throughout the week and what will need to be included within each recipe is a great place to start. I really like the idea that Jenn mentioned earlier about taking things a step further within the circular ads and including additional recipes for shoppers to use. I think that is a great idea and will give customers a better idea of how they can use their produce.
In addition to the other ideas given, I would suggest that client plan on making more frequent trips to the grocery store (as economically possible) and focus on not over-buying while visiting the store. Try to have a “smaller-fridge” mentality. I feel that we sometimes have a tendency to want to “stock up” on different foods, either to avoid the grocery store all together or eliminate the stressfulness of shopping. With fresh produce it is not as feasible to do this in the same way that you can with boxed, canned, or processed foods. I would emphasize to the client the health benefits of focusing on fresher food items as opposed to the latter
I agree with Jenn's idea on planning out your weekly meals in advance with recipes using the perishable items on sale that week-- similarly to how Meijer structures their promotions. Going off of this idea, it may also be useful in the weekly planning to have recipes that use some of the same ingredients throughout so customers looking to cook and shop for just one or two people will still be utilizing the perishable recipes all throughout the week so that they do not deal with the issue of left-over ingredients and spoilage. For example, if a large bag of baby spinach was on sale that week, it is difficult to use an entire bag with just one recipe, so having a weekly meal plan of various recipes using fresh baby spinach such as a soup on Monday, a veggie omelette on Wednesday, and a spinach & turkey salad on Friday!
Excellent discussion everyone! It appears as though as a group we agree on several initial suggestions such as utilizing freezer space, meal planning, batch cooking, and making the most of leftovers! Does anyone have a fun way they revamp leftovers? Or a favorite freezer friendly recipe they would recommend to a client??
I have been presented with this dilemma countless times. Many people have a difficult time justifying their perishable food purchases after considering how often those items are thrown away due to spoilage or rotting. My first suggestion to a client who would like to take advantage of healthy and fresh items that are on sale but susceptible to spoilage would be to consider the foods placement in their fridge, freezer, and pantry. The typical storage location for fresh fruits and vegetables is in the drawers (often called crisper drawers) within a refrigerator. There is a purpose for this, as they often have humidity controls that help to preserve the freshness of fruits and veggies. However helpful this feature is, the location of those drawers is often times at the very bottom of the refrigerator. I would advise the client to make a mental note in the morning to move one or two produce items out of the drawer and onto a shelf that is close to eye level. Then, fresh produce can be one of the first items seen every time they open their refrigerator.
My second suggestion to the client would be to check the weekly grocery store ad for which fresh/perishable) items are on sale. Based on those foods, look up recipes on the internet that include that item and plan to make the recipe within a week or so. Buying those perishable items is more justified when one has a “plan of action” for consumption.
If my client would like to take advantage of a great sale and the item is perishable but they know they won’t be able to cook it right away, my third suggestion to them would be to freeze the item (if applicable). A list of foods that are able to be frozen along with the safe/suggested amount of time they can be frozen would be very helpful to give the client in this instance.
I agree with many of Vivian's suggestions, especially the helpfulness of posting refrigerator contents on the fridge door. My mom has recently began this practice for herself and has been able to significantly reduce her food waste as a result. Tracking and posting for yourself what food you purchased and what items you have in your fridge can assist in eating things up before they spoil. If your fridge is typically very full, it is easy to have some items get pushed to the back and forgotten about. Being aware of what foods you have and making a conscious effort to use them up before buying more is an excellent strategy for reducing waste. Further, I agree with Vivian's suggestion to begin by adding one extra serving of fruit/vegetable in an effort to increase healthy grocery shopping. Starting with a gradual increase in fruit and vegetable purchasing and adjusting future amounts accordingly could be a very effective strategy for increasing intake while avoiding food waste.
There have been several great suggestions! I agree with Noel that meal planning is very important and getting creative with using your produce in several different ways. I think that soup is an easy way to incorporate several different vegetables. Another great way to use up produce that you are worried about spoiling is putting it in the freezer to use in a smoothie. You can even freeze kale and spinach to use in a green smoothie.
I think it is important to talk with the client about frozen and canned options. I would recommend that the client gradually increase buying the fresh grocery store items, because if they buy a lot of it at once then it is more likely they won't be able to eat it all prior to spoilage. Grocery shopping and meal planning can be a skill, so I think working with the client and understanding their time, cooking skills, and schedule can help you make a plan that will fit for them.
Desiray questioned us about fun ways to reuse leftovers, and it reminded me of a resource I discovered when researching for a healthy eating on a budget presentation. Cook Smarts has a great visual of different ways to use different categories of leftovers. It includes more detail on protein and definitely could be more specific about types of fruits and vegetables to repurpose into different meals, but I still think it is a useful tool. The visual makes it easy to use and understand as well. Here is the link to it if anyone is interested! http://www.cooksmarts.com/articles/guide-repurposing-leftovers/
Gina your comment as to the importance of client self efficacy highlights important factors in any behavior change. Incorporation of new fruits, vegetables, meats or other food items will need to occur over a course of time. As in any behavior change, intermittent steps will cause less anxiety and increase opportunity for success in the long term.
This reminds me of the topic about freezer meal parties that I've had with the dietitians at my current rotation. I thought I knew what it was before, but after they explained all the details to me, I really didn't know what it was and how beneficial it can be! I think I would encourage clients if they were open to having a community group, where interested participants can use their week's leftover fruits/vegetables to make a recipe to share with others. Basically everyone will bring enough ingredients to make a ziplock freezer meal for all the other participants, so everyone will get to take home a variety of extra freezer meals. It's a great way to use a bulk of food and get to know community members!
In response to Noel, I agree that there is little to no difference in the nutrient quality of frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. However, an emerging concern about cans containing BPA is something to take note of. BPA research has grown within the past 10 years and there has been enough evidence against it to cause companies to start marking product such, as plastic water bottles and containers, with a “BPA free” label. Those most at risk include babies, children, and pregnant women. Now, the health benefits that come from eating fruits or vegetables (even canned) seems to trump the BPA risks for those who are not in the at risk category. However, this could potentially be a motivator for a client to choose fresh produce over canned.
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