Please give a brief introduction about yourself, where you went to school, and how long you’ve been with Village.
My name is Grace McGuirk. I grew up in Florham Park NJ and went to Virginia Tech for my undergraduate degree. I received a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise with a concentration in Dietetics and a minor in Civic Agriculture and Food Systems in 2014. I attended Loyola University Chicago for my Dietetic Internship and took the national exam to become a Registered Dietitian in November 2015. After volunteering for two months in Fiji as a nutrition educator, I joined Village Supermarkets in May 2016 at the ShopRite of Chester.
1. What types of services do you offer as a Registered Dietitian? Individual nutrition counseling, menu ideas and recipe makeovers, in-store health screenings & advice, shopping with the dietitian, educational group store tours, cooking demos and food tastings, kid’s healthy eating events, and community health and wellness programs.
2. Are your services free? Yes!
3. How Do I sign up? Check my monthly calendar online or at the store. You can also sign up to be a part of my newsletter for exclusive updates!
4. Are there any classes offered through your Dietitian program? Yes, throughout the year I offer a weight management series called Eat Well Be Happy as well as a Diabetes Management series. Check with Grace to see when she’ll be offering them.
5. What are the healthiest foods you recommend to eat daily, and why? I don’t think you’ll be surprised at my answer: fruits and veggies! The more varied and colorful the better. Different colors contain different types of powerfully beneficial plant compounds. They’re also the most nutrient dense types of foods loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber with very little in the way of calories. Try for at least 5 cups of fruits and non-starchy veggies a day! Besides fruits and veggies, eggs, salmon and dark chocolate (yes dark chocolate) all contain phytochemicals, essential fatty acids and vitamins and minerals to keep you feeling good all day long!
6. Do you have any suggestions of creating healthier meals? When you’re thinking of what to eat, think MyPlate. This means making half your plate fruit and non-starchy veggies, a quarter of your plate whole grains/starchy vegetables, a quarter of your plate lean protein, and including low-fat dairy or water at each meal. To make this process easier throughout the week, I would suggest meal prepping. Take one day a week (Sundays are usually a good one), make a list of all your meals for the week and go shopping! Then, prep (think big batches of oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, cutting up fruit and veggies, prepping soups, stews, & casseroles) so that during the week you don’t have an excuse not to eat healthy. Everything is prepped and ready to go. I also have tons of recipes at my desk, online and at the store if you’re ever in a rut or looking for inspiration!
7. How can I find ideas for quick, healthy meals? The Meal of the Week program is a weekly recipe that is created by Village ShopRite Retail Dietitians. Every week features a different healthy meal that incorporates all five-food groups and is ready to eat in 30 minutes or less!
8. Where can I find the products offered for the Meal of the Week? You can find everything you need to make the meal of the week in my very own case, which is located at the Juice bar.
9. Is the Meal of the week efficient and affordable? Yes! We try to make sure we choose items that save you time and money. Coupons for one or more of the products are usually available.
10. Where can I find previous Meal of the Weeks from other weeks? Ask Grace! Or check our Pinterest page “Village ShopRite’s Meal of the Week.”https://www.pinterest.com/shopritestores/village-shoprites-meal-of-the-week/
11. What 5 things are always on your grocery list? Kale, sweet potatoes, Greek yogurt, frozen fruits and veggies, frozen brown rice.
12. Since the store's remodel and the addition of the VWG there are lots of new products. Tell us about a few of your favorites.
i. Choose any of the following:
ii. Crazy Richard’s Pure PB+: Crazy Richard’s Pure PB+ presses oil from freshly roasted peanuts to give you less fat and calories than traditional nut butters while still providing 6 g of protein and a burst of B vitamins to help power you through whatever your day holds. This multifunctional powder can be used in smoothies, protein shakes, or whisked into savory sauces to add a great peanut flavor!
iii. Epic Bites: Created to feed your “inner-hunter,” these protein-packed bites are the perfect paleo-friendly snack to keep with you on-the-go. They come in five different artisanal flavors and feature all-natural meat without any added nitrites or nitrates and simple ingredients.
iv. Beanitos Chips: Get the guac and salsa ready because you’re about to find your next favorite dipping chip. And it’s made from…beans! In a world of unhealthy snacks, these guilt-free chips are made from superfood beans and feature a variety of flavors packed with 5 g of complete protein, 5 g of fiber and 255 mg of potassium per serving.
v. Enlightened Roasted Broad Beans: The best kept secret in snacking are these crispy, crunchy and addicting broad beans packed with flavor, protein and fiber to keep you satisfied until your next meal.
vi. Pukka Tea: Feel free to judge this book by its cover. The beautiful packaging of Pukka Teas opens up to reveal an even better tasting tea with unique flavors like Three Ginger, Love and Super Matcha Green tea. Sip away!
vii. Organic Gemini TigerNut Raw Snack: Never heard of TigerNuts? Well, they’re not actually nuts. They’re a root vegetable! This ancient superfood comprised about 80% of our Paleo ancestors’ diet around 2 million years ago and originates from Africa. Rich in iron, potassium and prebiotic fiber, one single ounce of TigerNuts has 40% of your daily recommended fiber!
viii. Navitas Superfood Blend: Looking for a vegan protein smoothie mix made from all natural ingredients? Look no further than Navitas Superfood Blend, an energizing & delicious ready-for-your-blender smoothie mix of hemp, cacao, and maca. This robust trio of superfoods provides you with a rich source of essential fatty acids, complete protein, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins & minerals for natural strength and energy to power through your day.
ix. Go Raw Bars: Enjoy all the benefits of sprouted grains and whole food ingredients in these raw energy bars made without any of the junk typically found in granola bars and perfect for on-the-go snacking.
13. What is this "Village Wellness Garden"? Your one-stop shop for all your dietary, health and wellness needs located in Produce and featuring products carefully curated by your in-store RD Grace to help you and your family live better. Sections include gluten free and gluten free frozen, Bob’s Red Mill entire line, snacks, specialty teas, beverages, superfoods, specialty nut butters, paleo and protein!
14. What are 3 things guests don't know about retail dietitians? We like (and eat) French fries, we spend a lot of our time working in our communities, we are rarely at our desks, we are usually cold.
15. Tell us about a time when you helped a client/guest make positive change(s) in their life (ie. share a success story you're most proud of)
a. I am four months in with my longest client (basically since I started). His heart doctor recommended my services after a negative stress test and a BMI of over 45. After meeting him for the first time, I knew right away that he was going to be one of my favorite clients. So far he has lost over 65 lbs, dropped 6 pant sizes and is up to 50 minutes 5x a week on his treadmill (when we started he listed his exercise as “the stairs when they are inevitable”). He’s currently upset with me since he’s had to buy a fourth new pair of pants since we started, but I’ll take it.
To find out more about Grace’s #WellnessWednesday tips and our Meal of the Week program, please visit ShopRiteof Chester on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShopRite.ChesterNJ/
