Produce For Kids & Price Chopper Launch Get Healthy, Give Hope Campaign

Last year I posted about Produce for Kids and their Get Healthy, Give Hope Campaign and I am pleased to announce that it is once again time for this fantastic campaign! My children have a problem eating healthy (as do many children I know) and I am constantly on the lookout for fun and exciting ways to get them to eat better. When I first met Produce for Kids, I was overwhelmed with their commitment to nutrition for kids and have kept in touch with them ever since. On their website you can find recipes and fun ideas to get your children in some better eating patterns and I for one have enjoyed the experience of finding new ways to prepare simple foods. Want to know more about this campaign? Check out the details...

Produce for Kids is launching its annual Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign with major supermarket chains across the country, including your local Price Chopper store, to help raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Children's Hospital at Dartmouth this Sunday. Beginning June 16th, the joint campaign will run through July 27th and will help raise money for children in need. The more produce Price Chopper shoppers add to their shopping lists, the more hope they can give to local children. All participating fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers at Price Chopper stores will make a consumption-based donation to local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

To learn more about the campaign, shoppers can visit the Produce for Kids in-store display which features easy-to-prepare recipes, helpful materials with additional information on the campaign and links to visit more than 90 easy Ideal Meals® recipes online. The display also features characters from the popular Sprout® health-focused children’s series “LazyTown™” and “The Chica Show,” along with tips on healthy eating for kids.

Here are some of the recipes that Produce for Kids offers...

Banana Fro-Yo

Serves 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
·   2 bananas, peeled, chopped
·   3 cups lowfat yogurt
·   1 cup pineapple, cored, chopped
·   ¼ cup caramel dip
Directions:
1. Place bananas in freezer bag and freeze overnight.
2. Blend bananas, yougurt and pineapple in blender until thick and smooth.
3. Portion and freeze for 25 minutes.  
4. Drizzle with caramel dip and serve.

Smoothie Pops & Super Cereal Mix

Serves 16
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
·   1 large peach or mango, peeled, chopped
·   1 large nectarine, peeled, chopped
·   2 medium bananas, peeled, sliced
·   1 cup strawberries, leaves hulled
·   1 cup blueberries
·   ¼ cup orange or fruit juice
·   2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
·   16 paper cups
Directions:
1. Place all smoothie ingredients in a blender and blend until just smooth.
2. Place 16 paper cups on a baking tray.  Pour smoothie into paper cups.  Place tray in freezer and freeze until slushy, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove tray from freezer and insert one popsicle stick into the center of each cup.  Return to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
4. Tear away paper cup and place on plate.
Serves 4
Preparation Time:
Ingredients:
·   1 cup toasted oat rings cereal
·   1 cup round corn puffs cereal
·   ½ cup round colored corn puffs cereal
·   ½ cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
Directions:
1. Combine all cereal mix ingredients in a large bowl.

Super Green Smoothie

Serves 4
Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
·   2 cups 1% milk
·   1 banana, peeled, cut in half
·   ½ avocado, pitted, peeled
·   1 cup spinach, gently packed
·   1 cup green apple, cored, chopped
·   3 Tbsp. ground flax seed
·   2 Tbsp. honey
Directions:
1. Blend milk, banana, avocado, spinach, apple, flax seed and honey in blender until smooth.

YUM, YUM, YUM! Here is a bit more information about who Produce for Kids is and what they have to offer parents all across the country...

Produce for Kids’ marketing programs take place in grocery stores across the country promoting healthy eating and benefiting local children’s non-profit groups. These campaigns combine advertising, in-store displays and events, public relations and Internet marketing. Ideal Meals™ offer simple, healthy meal solutions for busy parents through complete meal recipe ideas created by a chef and approved by a nutritionist.

Since its creation in 2002 by Shuman Produce Inc., Produce for Kids has raised more than $3.7 million for children’s non-profit organizations including Children’s Miracle Network® Hospitals, Let’s Move Salad Bars To Schools and PBS KIDS® among others. All funds raised directly benefit these partner organizations.

Year-round resources for parents include Ideal Meals; the Parents on Produce board, a panel made up of busy working parents; Ideal Meal demonstration videos and healthy eating tips and articles.

The Produce for Kids program has been embraced by the produce industry and covers grocery store retailers in more than 40 states and incorporates suppliers in every major produce category.

So, this summer as you prepare to enjoy picnics at the park, warm, sunny afternoons at the beach or simple snacks for after nap time, check out Produce for Kids and see what they have to offer you. Have a great summer!!

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I will be receiving free Produce for Kids products in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.