Just in time to make New Year's resolutions of eating healthier a reality, Stop & Shop Supermarket and Giant Food have announced the launch of Healthy Ideas, a new on-shelf symbol to help customers easily identify foods that are healthy.

The Healthy Ideas symbol, which can be found on shelves in 377 Stop & Shop Supermarkets and 182 Giant Food stores [in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia], identifies foods based on the USDA/FDA's definition of "healthy," the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid.gov.
"People are concerned about their health more than ever," said Carolyn O'Neil, M.S., R.D., author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!, who is partnering with Stop & Shop/Giant Food to educate customers about Healthy Ideas. "Healthy Ideas is more than a symbol; it's a lifestyle choice that allows customers to easily identify foods that are truly healthy for their family every time they shop."

According to a recent study, 80 percent of customers are more concerned about health, nutrition and fitness than they were a year ago (CBI Research), and many customers are looking to their local supermarkets to advise them about their food choices. A 2006 survey conducted by the Food Marketing Institute and Prevention magazine reported that 73 percent of shoppers expressed interest in receiving nutrition guidance from their supermarket through "signs indicating healthy food choices."

Stop & Shop/Giant Food has placed the Healthy Ideas symbol on more than 3,000 items and shelf tags throughout their stores. The new symbol identifies foods that have less fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It also ensures that foods bearing the Healthy Ideas symbol are a good source of at least one nutrient (protein, fiber, vitamins A or C, or the minerals calcium or iron). The Healthy Ideas symbol will also appear on qualifying store brand products.

The power of Healthy Ideas lies in the strength of its criteria, which were developed by a team of registered dietitians and reviewed by an advisory panel of physicians and nutrition experts.

Healthy Ideas criteria are based on the federal definition of a "healthy" food, which must be limited in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and must contain at least 10 percent of the Daily Value for one or more of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein or fiber. Additionally, since the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting trans fat and sugar consumption, Healthy Ideas includes additional criteria for artificial trans fat and sugar, taking into account the inclusion of natural sugars in the appropriate food categories.

For more information, visit www.stopandshop.com or www.giantfood.com.