Produce for Kids Kicks Off Back to School Eat Smart for A Great Start Campaign to Benefit PBS Kids

Produce for Kids(PFK) is kicking off its annual "Eat Smart for a Great Smart" fall campaign on August 31. More than 1,000 grocery stores in 24 states are taking part to help educate families about creating simple, healthy meals at home and to raise money to support continued healthy lifestyle and nutrition based programming at PBS KIDS. 

From now through the end of October, twenty-three fruit and vegetable growers participating in the Produce for Kids campaign will make a donation to PBS KIDS based on sale of fresh produce items. The participating retailers are Ahold's Stop & Shop, GIANT Food Stores (Carlisle division), Giant Landover, and MARTIN'S divisions, United Texas and Meijer.

Over the past five years, PFK's fall campaign, through its supplier and retail partners, has raised more than $650,000 for PBS KIDS, to support the development of educational content, resources and outreach materials that promote healthy eating to families and educators nationwide.

Participating stores will feature exclusive Produce For Kids' Ideal Meals display units complete with 12 new Ideal Meal recipe solutions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks using fresh ingredients found in the produce department.  Just in time for the holidays, PFK's Ideal Meals program is offering healthy twists to some holiday favorites this fall. Ideal Meal collectible recipe cards are free to shoppers. In-store recipe demonstrations will takeplace in participating stores featuring campaign sponsor products to show consumers just how simple a healthy Ideal Meal is to create.

PFK will also be supporting the campaign extensively through all social media outlets as well as through the newly improved produceforkids.org, which includes updated information and resources for parents. PBS KIDS will be supporting the campaign through regional PBS stations' websites, heavy promotion on PBSparents.org and PBSKIDS.org and through the PBS social media networks.

"Fall is the time of year parents and kids are getting back into school mode. 'Eat Smart for a Great Start' is how we help parents get into the mindset of preparing healthy meals for their families amidst busy schedules. We work with our retail partners to educate consumers in a fun way with our Ideal Meals program," said Heidi McIntyre, Produce for Kids executive director "We have great partners in the produce industry who make it possible for PFK to continue to share the message of healthy eating with families as well as support PBS KIDS' educational outreach for educators and families."

Shoppers can also enter the "Play With Your Produce Challenge" for a chance to win PBS KIDS personalized back-to-school gear and grocery gift cards valued up to $100. Teachers are also invited to enter their classrooms in the "Play With Your Produce Classroom Challenge" and can win $500, $750 or $1,000 in cash rewards for their classroom. Find out more and enter online at www.produceforkids.org

Later this fall, PFK will introduce Parents on Produce Board, a new committee made up experts and online influencers in the professional and parenting arena. Already national advocates for healthy lifestyles and balanced eating habits, this new board of parent professionals will further support the importance of a healthy, produce-bearing diet in direct association to the PFK message.