Registered dietitian Heather Cox leads the food tour at a Raleigh Kroger. For people with heart disease, Cox said the tour it is a chance for customers to learn about healthy eating.
"It's very overwhelming when someone says to them 'you can't eat any of these foods.' I don't care if they're your favorite foods. Tough," said Cox.
Peggy Moree said she came to the food tour because her family has a history of heart disease.
"I wanted to come and find out how to prevent those problems," she said.
Shopper Susan Goodman said her heart is fine, but her husband has high cholesterol.
"I'm trying to prepare proper meals for him," said Goodman.
Cox said each program lasts about two hours.
"I'm just trying to give them the basics. Once they have the basic knowledge, they can take it and use it on other things," said Cox.
She also answered questions about fat and fad diets.
Cox said many people do not know the size of a serving or how vegetables, like spinach, add protein power to salads.
"Iceberg lettuce is water. That's pretty much what it is," said Cox.
Cox also explained to shoppers how to look for hidden fats, carbohydrates and calories.
The food tour focuses on nutritious foods, but Cox said all foods fit into a diet and does not have to be expensive.
"We talk about buying canned fruits or frozen vegetables," she said.
She said many tour participants leave with a new shopping and meal planning strategies.
The Raleigh Kroger also offers food tours for people with diabetes.
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