The following tips can be used in your consumer communications, in store radio, ad
slicks and store signage.
General tips
Encourage your kids to add one serving of fruit and veggies to their day. Keep a bowl of
fresh fruit on the kitchen counter for after-school snacks.
Raw veggies like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli make a great after school snack. Keep a
variety cleaned, cut and ready to eat in plastic bags in your refrigerator.
Mom! Sliced fruit and veggies will stay fresh in school lunches when packed in plastic
bags. Don’t forget to include both fruit and veggies!
Mom! Kids love mini carrots. Here’s a tip – divide larger bags into individual servings
and store in plastic bags. Then they’re ready to drop into lunch bags every day!
Mom! Chunks of pineapple, bananas, kiwis make great kabobs that can be frozen. Store
in freezer bags for quick snacks.
Mom! Raisins and other dried fruit like apricots, cranberries, apples, blueberries – even
bananas – are a perfect “go anywhere” snack for kids!
Mom! Celery sticks with low fat cream cheese or peanut butter are a great snack to pack
in school lunches. Top with raisins for extra fun and flavor!
Mom! When kids ask for “seconds” at dinner, encourage additional helpings of
vegetables.
Mom! Let kids snack on raw veggies while you’re preparing them for dinner. It will help
fill them up!
Mom! Challenge each of your kids to select a new fruit or vegetable at the supermarket
this week. Fresh, frozen or canned – they all add up to more!
Mom! 100% juice can be frozen in ice cube trays for a cool treat. Better yet, add berries
or pieces of other fruit before freezing.
Mom! Orange slices make a great snack for kids during sports team practices and games.
Mom! Frozen grapes are a great treat for older kids. And frozen fruit slices help soothe
teething.
Kids’ taste test! Let your kids try the frozen, canned and fresh varieties of different
veggies. See which they like the best!
Kids’ taste test! Pick up 4 or 5 different apple varieties. Let kids try a slice of each and
vote on their favorite!
Kids’ taste test! Ask your kids to pick one new fruit or vegetable this week and conduct a
“blindfolded” taste test for the whole family to guess what it is.
Cookie cutters can be used to make fun shapes out of melon slices. Kids will love
experimenting – and eating their favorites!
Add one more! Mash bananas and add to oatmeal, pancakes and waffles!
Add one more! Top breakfast cereal with a handful of fresh fruit. It’s a family favorite
and a great, easy way to add a serving of fruit to your family’s day!
Add one more! Grilling out? Don’t forget to grill sliced veggies and fruit for a real taste
treat! Brush or spray with olive oil and grill for only a couple of minutes on each side
over medium heat.
Add one more! Add fresh fruit to your salads – oranges, grapes, kiwi and avocado are
naturals! Experiment!
Add one more! Making gelatin? Don’t forget to add fruit. Berries, grapes, peaches, pears,
mandarin oranges are always favorites!
Add one more! Give your omelets a boost by adding a handful of chopped veggies like
peppers, onions, mushrooms.
Add one more! Give your favorite sandwich and wraps a boost. Top with lettuce, tomato,
onion, avocado, shredded carrots – get creative and be healthy!
Add one more! Kick up your salads by adding an additional green, such as spinach!
Add one more! Chop up left-over veggies and add to quesadillas!
Add one more! Add spinach (fresh, canned or frozen) to your favorite pasta dishes!
Add one more! Substitute spaghetti squash for regular spaghetti. Top with tomato sauce
for a delicious and healthy meal.
Add one more! Add a handful of fresh or frozen berries to your glass of 100% juice – mix
in a blender with an ice cube or two for a great smoothie! Two servings at once!
Add one more! Cut up veggies like carrots, zucchini and potatoes. Add them as a filler to
your favorite meatloaf or soup recipes.
Add one more! Begin your day with a glass of 100% juice and a piece of fruit – that’s
two servings right at the start!
Product specific
To determine if a pineapple is ripe, smell it. It will smell like . . . pineapple!
Choose grapes that are plump and smooth with a “dusty” bloom color.
Melons like cantaloupe and honeydew should yield slightly at the stem when ripe.
Look for grapefruit that has a smooth, firm and blemish-free peel. You want grapefruit
that feels “heavy” for its size.
Ripe cherries should le large and firm and the stem should still be attached.
Bananas ripen after they are picked. Look for bunches that are uniform in shape and color
– regardless of the degree of ripeness.
Choose avocados that have a uniform green skin without bruises or either hard or soft
spots.
Choose firm, brightly-colored, smooth-skinned apples with no bruises and with the stem
intact.
The best watermelons will be symmetrical and heavy for their size. Look for a dried stem
and a yellowish underside where the melon touched the ground.
Look for tangerines that are plump and heavy for their size. They should be soft, but firm
to the touch.
Select strawberries that are plump and firm with a bright red color, natural shine and
fresh, green caps.
Gotta taste for fresh raspberries? Look for berries that are dry, plump and firm.
Fresh plums should be firm and plump, and yield to gentle pressure. If not quite ripe,
store on your counter in a paper bag for a couple of days – then refrigerate.
Pears are best when firm and unblemished. Look for stems intact.
Ripe oranges are always a snack favorite. Look for firm, heavy oranges with a finelytextured skin.
Store/care “product specific”
Fresh berries will last longer if you don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat them.
Ripe bananas can be kept in your refrigerator. The skin may darken but the banana will
be fresh for up to two weeks!
Pears, plums, peaches, nectarines can be ripened in a loosely-closed paper bag on your
countertop for 2-3 days. After they’re ripe, store in your refrigerator.
Remove the tops from fresh carrots and store for up to 2 weeks in a plastic bag in your
refrigerator. Soak in cold water to revive.
Uncut, whole melons can sit on your counter for a few days. After cutting, refrigerate in
an air-tight container.
Ripen tomatoes on your countertop – away from direct sunlight.