PBH Marks National Nutrition Month

This year’s National Nutrition Month education and nutrition campaign theme is “Eat Right with Color,” and the nonprofit Produce for Better Health Foundation is encouraging industry members to spread the word through marketing and public relations efforts. The annual observance, which takes place every March, is the brainchild of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

The current campaign dovetails nicely with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation that people should fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables at every eating occasion. Ways that produce suppliers and retailers can capitalize on this healthy-eating message are as follows:

• Assemble an Adopt-A-School package based on the “Eat Right with Color” theme: The package could include one Fruit & Veggies-More Matters Creative Pockets Kit for $59.99, one Half-The-Plate poster for $4.75, one pad of Kids Fruit & Veggie Tracking Sheets featruing the Color Champions for $5.99, 30 copies of “The Quest for Color!” Activity Book at $1 each for a total of $30, and a set of 100 colorful Fruits & Veggies-More Matters Pencils at $25.99. That provides an entire classroom with themed materials for under $127. Adopt-A-School packages can be tailored to fit any size classroom and any size budget, and can be used to fill nutrition curriculum needs. They can be sent directly to the recipients or to the donating company for a personal presentation media opportunity.
• Contact local schools to let them know about any educational events your company has planned this spring and summer highlighting Fruits & Veggies-More Matters, such as a “Take Your Kids to the Supermarket” promotion or any supermarket school tours, and let them know about the free nutrition education resources available for use in their classrooms at www.FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org and www.FoodChamps.org.
• Emphasize the most colorful items in the store by making sure the Fruits and Veggies-More Matters logo appears on appropriate product packaging and signage. Before they can sport the logo, food products must submit an image of their nutrition label to PBH and meet certain nutrition guidelines.
• Add a link from your company’s website to www.FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org, and sign up to receive the “Fruit & Veggie Voice” biweekly e-newsletter, the “Recipe of the Week” e-mail, or the “Weekly Healthy Menu Idea” e-mail, and forward them to others who might wish to subscribe. Additionally, pass along PBH, Fruits & Veggies-More Matters and National Nutritional Month press releases to local media outlets.

“National Nutrition Month is a great opportunity to bring consumers the compelling message that colorful fruits and vegetables are an important aspect of a healthy diet,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, president and CEO of Hockessin, Del.-based PBH. “By helping consumers fill half their plates with a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, you’re helping them move toward better health while also strengthening the health of your bottom line. Help consumers maximize the nutritional value of their meals and snacks in March, and all season long by encouraging everyone to Eat Right with Color!”