Hannaford Supermarkets is celebrating a significant milestone for one of its signature offerings: the registered dietitian program, which has officially been helping customers make healthy choices for 20 years.

Since its introduction in 2002, the program has become a mainstay for shoppers both in-store and online. The program, which provides free nutrition education from Hannaford’s roster of registered dietitians, helps shoppers identify nutritious meal ideas and learn about shopping strategies for eating healthy on a budget or for specific dietary needs, such as heart disease or diabetes.

The program has grown significantly since its launch two decades ago, when it became one of the first programs of its kind to be offered by a large-scale supermarket retailer in the Northeast. Beginning with four dietitians in a few of stores, Hannaford shoppers now have access to free nutrition education from more than 30 dietitians in over 50 stores across New England and New York.

Hannaford registered dietitians lead more than 1,000 in-store classes, tours and online seminars per year focused on a variety of topics, including heart-healthy eating, shopping using the Guiding Stars nutrition navigation system, meal planning made easy, and nutrition for kids. Additionally, the dietitians support 200 community events each year by providing nutrition education at schools, libraries and health care facilities. The program has supported more than 200,000 shoppers to date.

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