ShopRite Launches Campaign Celebrating Family Meals Month

September is Family Meals Month at ShopRite, and the supermarket is celebrating with the launch of a campaign that educates shoppers about the benefits of sharing family meals and makes it easier for families to enjoy more meals together.

The campaign leverages the company's entire team of corporate and in-store dietitians, who serve over 140 stores in the tri-state area, to inspire and educate customers about ways to create nutritious and delicious family meals. The dietitians will host free food demonstrations, classes and events, as well as distribute free recipe cookbooks during the month of September. For more information on Family Meals Month-inspired in-store events, stop by the office of your local ShopRite Dietitian. To find one near you, visit shoprite.com

"Here at ShopRite, we believe that mealtime is family time and that there is power and value in sharing family meals," says Natalie Menza-Crowe, MS, RD, Director of Health and Wellness at ShopRite. "Study after study has shown that families that make time to dine together are happier and healthier. It doesn't just benefit the individual. Family meals benefit our community as a whole."

In addition to in-store events and activities, during the month of September, ShopRite is offering four chef-inspired, dietitian-approved meal kits designed to make dinnertime a breeze. Each ShopRite Kitchen Limited Edition Meal Kit serves two and retails for $11.99. Available entrees are:

• Smoked Chicken Thighs with Korean Broccoli & Cauliflower
• Grilled Chicken Breast with Couscous & Vegetables Bruschetta
• Turkey Meatloaf with Sautéed Spinach & Butternut Squash
• Smoked Chicken Breast With Roasted Vegetables & Wheat Berry Feta Salad

"Providing our shoppers with healthy, affordable and time-saving resources has always been a priority at ShopRite," says Menza-Crowe. "We are honored to take part in this campaign spearheaded by our partners at FMI, and we look forward to talking to our customers about the many benefits of sharing nutritious family meals."

So why should your family make time for more family meals? Research provided by the industry trade group, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Foundation has shown that finding time to share more family meals can improve the quality of your family's life.

• Family meals encourage meaningful household conversations. Whether you are discussing current events, sharing new interests, or simply catching up on what happened at work or school, meals can be a time dedicated to positive interactions that strengthen family bonds.

• Children who have family meals are less likely to engage in "risky" behaviors. Studies have shown that kids who regularly eat with their family have less tendency to smoke, drink alcohol, and try drugs. Family meals support mental health as well as coping skills.

• Family meals the reduce risk of obesity and other health concerns. Kids are likely to eat more fruits and vegetables when they have homemade family meals. Sharing nutritious meals made at home can benefit the health of the whole family and create healthy food habits that last for a lifetime.

• Family meals can help kids have higher self-esteem and do better in school. A family mealtime environment that encourages productive and engaging conversations can support literacy, self-confidence, and academic achievements.

• Family mealtime teaches kids positive social behaviors. Learning appropriate table manners are important, and can be practiced outside of the home. These are behaviors that will serve kids for their entire life.

About ShopRite:
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With more than 270 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than six million customers each week. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Since the program began in 1999, ShopRite Partners In Caring has donated $43 million to food banks that support more than 2,100 worthy charities. As a title sponsor of the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer, ShopRite has donated $30 million to local organizations, hospitals and community groups. For more information, please visit www.shoprite.com.

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