When was the last time you stepped out of a supermarket and thought, I definitely won't regret any decisions I made here? Most people walk into a supermarket and approach it like Target. They have a list, but rarely stick to it—meaning they stock up on junk food in addition to the healthier food that may/may not have been on their list. Kellogg's Shortfall Supermarket aimed to fix that.
What is a Shortfall Supermarket?
Shortfall Supermarket is a pop-up in New York focused on helping people make better decisions by noticing where they "fall short" nutritionally and making it easier to shop for foods with those nutrients.
When you first enter the store, you take a short quiz about your every day routine, how you feel, and your food preferences. From there, the store would print a "receipt" that told you what nutrients your body needs the most.
From there you walk the aisles, which is organized but the nutrients that each food provides. This means that certain veggies are next to dark chocolate, fruits with cereals—you get the gist.
Once you gather all your ingredients, you can either get all groceries for free or donate the equivalent balance to Girl Up, an organization that helps young girls learn and participate in leadership development.
So What Was The Takeaway?
It's no secret that lately, we are all a little more conscious of healthy practices, whether we keep them or not. But for someone like me, who is sometimes more enticed by sweets and carbs than more nutritionally-dense foods, a supermarket like this is wildly helpful and revolutionary.
Learning about what you're deficient in helps you focus on getting more of it without feeling like you have to change your entire diet. After that, you're able to find some other foods that will balance out your diet without passing other, more enticing, but less healthy options.
And it's easier than you might think to create combos of these nutrients to fill your quota without veering too far out of your comfort zone. From Buddha bowls to chia seed pudding, it's so easy to customize well-balanced meals to meet your tastes. Kellogg's nutritionist, Rebecca Scritchfield, gave some advice on pairings and preppings if you're in need of some more inspirtion.
What's Her Advice?
Scritchfield has worked with several of Kellogg's programs throughout the year, and this time, she assisted shoppers in finding pairings that incorporated new foods in ways that weren't too scary.
Some of her favorite foods include sardines, which she recommends pairing with swiss chard and kale. After pulsing all these ingredients in a blender with olive oil, you get a sauce perfect to marinade fish or toss in a stir fry. For a sweet treat, she loves combining prunes with peanut butter and chocolate, or freezing dark chocolate-dipped kiwis for a boost of magnesium and vitamin E.
Either way you go, there's a way to transform your routine, your shopping habits and your eating in a way that isn't too crazy of a shock to your tastebuds. And a supermarket like this definitely helps.