Washington, DC – Research from The Foundation for Fresh Produce reveals that toddlers are currently the only age group meeting the recommended levels of fruit and vegetable consumption[1]. The findings highlight the importance of establishing routine produce consumption habits in children which will last throughout their lifetime.
To address this important issue, and as part of its commitment to child nutrition, The Foundation is launching its first-ever month-long campaign, “Hacks for Healthy Back-to-School Habits,” in partnership with leading U.S. retailers and food industry partners. The campaign, designed to promote simple and engaging food, cooking, and meal prep “hacks,” aims to instill healthy eating habits in children as they head back to school.
“The Foundation’s research underscores the crucial role that early childhood produce consumption plays in establishing lifelong healthy eating patterns,” says Emily Holdorf, Registered Dietitian for the Foundation for Fresh Produce. “With our partners, we are committed to providing practical hacks and promoting consistent produce habits and messaging to ensure children maintain their recommended consumption levels as they grow.”
The campaign will feature unique activations at nine retail partners nationwide: Coborn’s Inc., Fresh Thyme, Hy-Vee, Inserra Supermarkets, Meijer, Natural Grocers, Schnucks, The United Family of Stores, and Weis Markets. These retailers will engage children and their families with innovative strategies to integrate more fruits and vegetables into their daily routines. A few examples of activities include:
- Hy-Vee: Launching the “Hy-Vee Hacks for Healthy Back-to-School Habits” shopper challenge, encouraging families to choose produce more frequently.
- Meijer: Offering 100 lucky shoppers an individual consultation with a registered dietitian through Have A Plant® Scholarships, focusing on incorporating fruits and veggies into pre-school meals, lunch boxes, and after-school snacks.
- Schnuck’s and Weis Markets: Providing shoppers with product hacks through in-store magazines.
Additional campaign elements include cooking demonstrations, virtual classes, in-store displays, social media posts, produce incentive coupons and more.
Consumers can find details about activities at their local retailer and learn how to participate by visiting here.
Additionally, any retailer can easily access ideas, including sample social media posts, A 25 Hacks for Healthy Back-to-School Habits Infographic, in-store intercom scripts and more through the Hacks to Habits Back-to-School Retail Guide, available FREE here.
“Making it easy and fun for kids to consume more fruits and vegetables is the key to success when it comes to building lifelong healthy eating habits for children,” says Katie Calligaro, Director, Marketing and Communication for The Foundation. “While we know the majority of children consume meals prepared by their school’s nutrition program (which are required to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans), the meals and snacks prepared at home play a critical role in boosting fruit and vegetable consumption.”
“Providing tools that streamline messaging for retailers can help elevate fruits and vegetables in a way that consistently resonates with consumers,” Calligaro added. “The more they hear it, see it, and experience it, the more likely they are to repeat it, which is what creates a habit.”
This inaugural Back-to-School promotion is sponsored by The Foundation for Fresh Produce in collaboration with the California Walnut Board, Egg Nutrition Center, and National Pork Board. This partnership emphasizes the importance of pairing fruits and vegetables with other nutrient-dense foods to create balanced, nutritious eating habits.
For more information on ways to get involved with The Foundation for Fresh Produce, contact Sharese Roper, Director of Industry and Partner Engagement at sroper@freshproduce.com.
[1] State of the Plate: America’s Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Trends, The Foundation for Fresh Produce, 2020.
About The Foundation for Fresh Produce
The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s vision is to grow a healthier world by changing the trajectory of human health. We believe the produce industry has the potential to provide solutions for many of the world’s greatest health and economic challenges – especially those surrounding nutrition and hunger. The Foundation focuses on improving the appeal of fruits and vegetables as an integral part of people’s diets, supporting the development of infrastructure and supply chain solutions that provide easier access, and establishing strategic alliances that enable children and families to form healthier eating habits. To galvanize the industry’s efforts to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, The Foundation for Fresh Produce merged with the Produce For Better Health Foundation (PBH) in January 2023. PBH programming (inclusive of the Have A Plant® Movement) continues under The Foundation, dedicated to helping consumers live happier, healthy lives by eating more fruits and vegetables every single day.
