Cooking Matters at the Store: Education in the Grocery Aisle

On a rainy Tuesday at Kroger in Grosse Pointe Woods, about 15 people gather to embark on a Cooking Matters at the Store (CMATS) class. This educational walking tour, part of Gleaners’ Nutrition Education Program, teaches shoppers how to prioritize health and stretch their budgets. 

A Program for All 

Jake Bekemeyer, Program Coordinator for Gleaners, helps organize and run CMATS. He says the class is designed to cover topics that are relevant to everyone, regardless of dietary needs or budget. “The main goal of CMATS,” Jake says, “is to provide participants with tools and techniques for saving money on healthy foods that they can then apply to their own grocery shopping. The things that are covered – like the difference between unit and retail price, and how to read labels, to name a couple – are applicable to every store and every budget.” 
 
Jake’s favorite part? The endless stream of questions. “The participants always have such a wide range of experiences and preferences that I almost never get the same question twice,” he says. “But whatever the question is, I’m happy because I know they’re engaged and getting something out of it.” 

Jake Bekemeyer, Program Coordinator for Gleaners, helps organize and run CMATS.

Exploring the Aisles with a Purpose 

Today, our guide is Julie—a dietetics student from Madonna University. Julie explains that Madonna has partnered with Gleaners to give students an opportunity to fulfill their requisite teaching hours. But Julie won’t be earning her hours in a typical setting. Today’s classroom will start in the Produce section, meander past Meat and Dairy, and end with a mini shopping spree. 

“Does anyone have any dietary issues they’d like to learn more about today?” Julie asks. A smattering of replies comes from the group: low-sodium, no sugar, low-cholesterol. And with that, the tour begins. 

The group gathers around the bananas and huddles close to listen as Julie gives us tips on how to prioritize low-cost fruit. A curious passerby asks, “What is this? A banana lecture?” Indeed, it is. But it’s also more than that. The topic quickly moves from bananas to the differences between labels like organic and all-natural, canned versus fresh fruit, and why it’s almost always cheaper to opt for whole fruits rather than the pre-cut ones stores often place front and center. 

Throughout the hour-long tour, the group remains engaged and isn’t shy about asking questions. Julie and Jake field most of them, but every so often, a fellow participant offers their own advice to the group on how they’ve cut back on sugar or sodium. 

A Life-Changing Experience 

Jake says he’s seen the impact CMATS has on shopper’s choices. He spoke of one participant with arthritis in her hands who preferred canned fruit to fresh fruit because it required less chopping. However, she was unaware that some fruits are canned in sugary syrup, while others are canned in water or their own juices. “She was shocked when we did the comparison in the store,” he said. “She said she would never buy fruit canned in syrup again.” 

Gleaners Community Food Bank - Cooking Matters at the Store
Julie, a Nutrition expert from Madonna University, gives helpful shopping tips to CMATS participants.

The $10 Challenge 

Before the class ends, Jake gives each participant a $10 gift card and a challenge: to buy one item from each of the five food groups for as close to $10 as possible without going over. He admits that the idea for this challenge was conceived over a decade ago and hasn’t been adjusted for inflation. Nevertheless, the group is determined. Armed with their new knowledge, the participants scatter to do their shopping before regrouping outside to see who won. The winning receipt comes in at $9.78. 

More Than Meets the Eye 

At the end of the tour, it’s apparent that there’s a lot more to grocery shopping than most people realize. Although it may seem like a mundane chore, shopping for food involves hundreds of small decisions that have tremendous impact on your overall health and well-being—not to mention your wallet. If you’re not careful, you might just leave the store having spent more than you can afford on unhealthy foods. That’s where Cooking Matters at the Store comes in, to offer you the knowledge you need to make informed food-related choices that won’t break the bank.  

To learn more about CMATS and all the programs Cooking Matters provides, visit Gleaners Nutrition Education Programs