Produce For Kids Introduces Ideal Meals

Orlando, Fla. – May 13, 2010 – Produce for Kids is kicking off its annual Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign this month to raise money for local children’s hospitals and Children’s Miracle Network-affiliated hospitals.

From May through the July, more than 35 participating fruit and vegetable growers will make a donation to local children’s hospitals based on sales of the fresh produce items they ship to the six participating retailers’ stores. The more items purchased, the more local children’s hospitals benefit.

New this year, PFK redesigned its Web site to create more exposure for all sponsors and retailers as well as become a 12-month resource for shoppers; and the organization offered a new program called Ideal Meals to participating retailers.

Ideal Meals, are 4×6-inch cards, merchandised in store in a self-contained, colorful display unit, that contain fast, easy tips for shopping and assembling healthy meals using sponsored products. Each meal is developed by a registered dietitian and meets the recommended dietary guidelines set by the USDA.

Acme Markets is one of the six participating retailers this spring. Anthony Barbieri, director of produce and floral sales at Acme Markets said, from the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign to the success of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution TV show, a fresh revolution is occurring.

“Today’s busy lifestyles have made healthy eating seem challenging, however programs like ‘Let’s Move’ and ‘Food Revolution’ show that making good choices can be easy and fun,” Barbieri said. “As the region’s neighborhood grocer, ACME wants to help local families learn just that. There can be no more important cause than the health and happiness of kids. By working to support local children’s hospitals, we are helping to ensure that kids in need get the best medical care and that parents balance their kids’ diets by eating more fresh produce.”

Kroger’s Southwest division stores, Price Chopper, GIANT Food Stores, Meijer, and Publix Super Markets are also participating in the Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign.

PFK is supporting the retailers’ who are featuring Ideal Meals as part of their spring campaigns with special demo days featuring Ideal Meals recipes. The PFK demo days will bring attention to the campaign’s fundraising and show just how simple and easy an Ideal Meal is to make.

“Our consumer research shows moms want more information in the produce department on how to prepare healthy, kid-friendly meals,” said Heidi McIntyre, PFK executive director. “Our new meal solutions cards make it easy to shop for and prepare healthy and delicious meals for their families.”

The Produce for Kids program is customized for each participating retailer.

“This is not a one-size fits all approach,” McIntyre said. “We customize the program and POS to meet each participating retailer’s needs.”

In addition, shoppers at all participating retailers will be invited to visit the redesigned produceforkids.org to download Ideal Meals information and enter the Ideal MealsTM Healthy Chef Sweepstakes for a chance to win kitchen cookware packages, handheld pocket video cameras, $250 grocery gift cards and other prizes.

Source: Produce For Kids