WEBSITE Harris Teeter

LYNNE MILLER

Without setting foot in the store, Harris Teeter shoppers can learn how to keep their kids fit and trim, how to adopt an anti-inflammatory diet and what to look for in a sunscreen — all by visiting the retailer's website.

Those are a few of the health, diet and nutrition topics covered in Harris Teeter's wellness page, published online, with free hard copies available in the stores.

In March 2006, the retailer began developing what it calls “Yourwellness Guides,” working with Dr. Russell Greenfield, or “Dr. Russ,” an expert in integrative medicine and the former medical director at Carolinas Integrative Health. The guides are part of a program that connects website visitors to the brick-and-mortar supermarkets. For example, the original guide includes a list of wellness keys for 23 attributes, such as sugar free, vegan, heart healthy or fat free, which shoppers can look for on specially marked products on store shelves and also on shelf tags.

The Matthews, N.C.-based retailer and Greenfield declined to be interviewed by WH, but last year Harris Teeter said the program was designed to make shopping for healthy food easy. “With its customers' health in mind, Harris Teeter has been diligently working on a new program for the past year to simplify their shopping experience,” the company said in a statement.

In the June wellness guide on harristeeter.com, the retailer offers tips for keeping children in shape. A list of healthy snacks emphasizes fruits and vegetables. Recipes for black bean salad, fruit couscous and other healthy treats are provided, courtesy of chef Phil Anderson, director of fresh foods for Harris Teeter. In the May guide, the retailer offered tips on anti-inflammatory diets, as a defense against arthritis. People should boost their intake of healthy omega-3 fats, found in coldwater fish such as Alaskan salmon, herring and trout.

The summer 2006 guide offers timeless advice on topics such as how to pack healthy foods for a picnic, and when to use sunscreen. “Make wearing sunscreen a morning ritual, just like brushing your teeth,” stated the guide, which recommends products with a SPF of at least 15.