Your (Free) Neighborhood Dietician

has its own registered dietitian, and she is doing what she can to create an awareness of healthy eating and living in the community.

Rachel Simpers has been at Hillsborough ShopRite since last August after graduating from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in nutrition. Simpers followed that up by engaging in a dietetic internship at the University of Dentistry and Medicine (UMDNJ) which ended in May of last year before coming to ShopRite.

Since arriving to Hillsborough, Simpers has made it her mission to be an educational resource to the community as it pertains to living a healthy lifestyle.

“I’m just here as a resource for customer questions, whether it’s an informal question or a consultation appointment,” Simpers said. “I’m just here to help.”

In addition to running multiple programs per week in which she demonstrates health-conscious recipes and enlightens consumers to their benefits, she also accommodates those with food allergies and teaches a weight loss class once per month that helps her clients make smart choices.

Simpers’ classes, particularly the weight loss class, are student-driven and interactive, which helps Simpers and her students learn from one another.

“It’s very personalized for what the class wants to go over and what they want to learn about,” Simpers said. “It’s an open discussion, and everybody becomes friends with everybody.”

Simpers’ impact on the township is not just contained within Hillsborough ShopRite. Simpers has also taught several seminars throughout the community. She has already worked with the Hillsborough MOMS club at the , and has worked with the township’s schools with plans to do so again in the near future.

“Coming up in June, I’m doing a cooking demo at a school,” Simpers said. “Any school that wants to can reach out to me, or I’ll reach out them (to see) if they have any ideas for assemblies or programs.”

One similarity all of Simpers’ programs have, whether people visit her at Hillsborough ShopRite or she pays them a visit, her services are all provided for free.

“If anyone wants to bring their organization into the store or want me to come out, it’s available for either, and it’s all free,” Simpers said.

Either way, Simpers believes that getting her message across is important, and creating awareness in any way possible is what matters most.

“Healthy eating doesn’t have to be a burden, and it doesn’t have to be super expensive. It can fit into any lifestyle,” Simpers said. “I just love my job and I always want to get that across to customers. I’m really passionate about health and wellness, whether it’s healthy eating, exercising or just healthy living in general.”