August 14, 2018 – As the start of the school year approaches, parents everywhere will face the daily question of “what’s for lunch?” The nutritionists at Giant Food Stores (Giant/Martin’s) want to make packing healthy lunchboxes easier this school year by helping customers use Guiding Stars® as a starting point for buying more nutritious food.
Earlier this year, our Giant / Martin’s brand, headquartered in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, launched Guiding Stars®, a nutrition navigation program to help shoppers quickly identify more nutritious food choices throughout the store. With symbols that are visible at a glance, Guiding Stars aims to take the guesswork out of nutrition by decoding labels into one clear rating. More than 9,000 items at the brand’s stores feature the star ranking system showcasing “good,” “better,” and “best” choices.
To build star-rated lunchboxes, Giant / Martin’s nutritionists suggest adding lots of colorful fruits and veggies, choosing whole grains with fiber, including protein to help children stay full during the day, aiming for at least one serving of dairy for calcium, vitamin D and protein – and remembering to have fun and try new things.
The nutritionists have also taken some lunchbox favorites and added a shiny new twist to give customers some practical ideas for the new school year, such as brilliant bento boxes filled with healthy choices like tuna salad made with Greek yogurt, whole wheat crackers, cheese and applesauce. Or a “walking taco” made from multi-grain tortilla chips, black beans, diced chicken, cheese and salsa.
Giant / Martin’s nutritionists also remind customers to pack Guiding Star-rated snacks for children to enjoy after school, with suggestions that include 100 calorie nut packs, dry roasted edamame, sea salt popcorn, roasted chickpeas, raisins and fruit cups in 100 percent juice.
