Fall 2015, Issue 5

What Increases Fruit and Vegetable Consumption?

Webinar Series for RDs

Healthy Menu Ideas

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. (Del Monte) is one of North America’s leading marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh cut fruit and vegetables. The Del Monte® brand has been a symbol of product innovation, quality, freshness and reliability for over 120 years. Del Monte offers a variety of healthy, wholesome and nutritious products essential to today’s consumer lifestyles. Whether you are looking for a satisfying and tasty snack, planning a family gathering, or want the freshest ingredient for your favorite recipe, Del Monte’s fresh fruits and vegetable offerings are the perfect solution to your healthy lifestyle needs.

Advertorial

Over-emphasis on eating fruits and vegetables that are organ-ic, non-GMO, and without added sodium, fat, or sugar is not helpful. What is most impactful at increasing fruit and vegeta-ble consumption? Based on what we’ve learned from efforts to reduce obesity, where obesity rates are trending down in single communities, it’s a combination of many things within the entire community that will ultimately have the biggest impact. We begin to review some of those factors in this issue.

Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D.President & CEO, Produce for Better Health Foundation

Produce for Better Health Foundation has a single mission that hasn’t changed in our nearly 25 years of existence: To increase fruit and vegetable consumption, ultimately for better health. While we are making progress, and the future looks bright for fruit and vegetable consumption among consumers under age 40, which includes our target audience of parents with young children, much progress still needs to be made if we are going to close the gap between consumption and dietary recommendations.

This issue addresses the challenges we collectively face to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. What we eat is impacted by many factors: marketing, accessibility, availability, cost, taste, cooking skills, convenience, education, health, social norms, policy, and more, with many of these factors interrelated.

In This Issue

Welcome

What Research Tells Us 4 What Increases Fruit and Vegetable Consumption?

MARKETING What Has the Industry Done to Market Fruits and Vegetables?

TIME & COST National Health and Agriculture Policy Federal Nutrition Education Incentives Flavor Count All Forms

Tools to Help Promote Fruit and Vegetables16 Celebrate Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® Month

Getting Involved14 In the News

17 PBH’s Recognition and Grant Programs — Important Deadlines!

18 Formula Five: More Ideas, More Consumption, More Matters

19 PBH Announces Store Tour Training Grantees

20 Everyday Chef: New Feature Debus on Produce for Better Health Foundation’s Website

22 PBH and Supermarket Dietitians

25 Webinar Series for RDs

22 Healthy Menu Ideas

What Increases Fruit and Vegetable

Consumption?For several years, recommendations in public health have encouraged an increase

in fruit and vegetable consumption by adults and children in the United States. The

health benefits of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption continue to grow, despite

the daily intake of fruit and vegetables remaining well below recommended levels for

most Americans. Competing marketing messages, national nutrition and agricultural

policies, lack of nutrition education and cooking skills, social norms, personal and

economic challenges, taste preferences, and many other factors can impact fruit and

vegetable intake among adults and children. Some of these factors are reviewed on

the following pages.

4 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

Chart 1: Number of ads viewed by age in 2014

Age 2-11 Age 12-17 Age 18-49

Foods and Beverages 2874 3283 4237

Fruits and Vegetables 39 36 57

Restaurants 1796 2276 3107

GRAND TOTAL 4671 5558 7344

% of Ads as Fruit and Vegetables

0.8% 0.7% 0.8%

Foods high in calories and low in nutrients are often marketed

extensively, with significantly fewer marketing dollars available

to promote healthy food choices like fruits and vegetables.

Marketing

Food choices are affected by many factors, but one key area impacting food choice is food marketing. Foods high in calories and low in nutrients are often marketed extensive-

ly, with significantly fewer marketing dollars available to promote healthy food choices like fruits and vegetables. Despite some pos-itive movement in advertising fruits and vegetables to children, advertising for this food category represented 1% or less of food and beverage ads viewed by children, adolescents, and adults (Chart 1).1 Overall, children saw 14 candy ads and 31 fast-food ads for every fruit or vegetable commercial viewed in 2014.

REFERENCE:1. Shehan CV, Harris JL. Trends in Television Food Advertising to Young People: 2014 Up-

date. UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. http://www.uconnruddcenter.org/files/Pdfs/TV%20ads%20trend%20update%202015.pdf Accessed July 17, 2015.

5FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

What Has the Industry Done to Market Fruits and Vegetables?

FRUITS & VEGGIES—MORE MATTERS With the large increase in the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, pub-lic health and private organizations recognized the need to revisit the 5 A Day messaging. Formative research was conducted in 2005, resulting in a new identity for the 5 A Day program, which is now Fruits & Veggies—More Matters®.2 Launched in early 2007, Fruits & Veggies—More Matters reflected the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and resonated with consumers, mothers in particular.

The initiative works to provide consumers information through a consumer website, FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org (Chart 2), and through a variety of intermediaries, including supermarkets, packaging, educators, health professionals, and social media.3 In fact, more than 3100 of these intermediaries link their websites directly to FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org (Chart 3), and total media impressions, inclusive of social media, has risen significantly in recent years (Chart 4). Over 375 companies and organizations are licensed to use the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo and brand messages in their merchandising, com-munications, and marketing efforts. Overall, of moms famil-iar with the campaign, 39% say that it motivates them to help themselves and/or their family to eat more fruits and vegetables, 53% say seeing the logo makes them more likely to purchase the product (Chart 5), and 70% say it is a reminder to do so.4, 5 This is all based on a campaign effort on a budget less than $3 million per year, with no paid advertising.

Chart 4: Total Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Media Impressions*

2011 2012 2013 2014

3.1 B

9.9 B

12 B

32 B

*For print and online media

outlets. Metrics prior to 2011

only included print impressions.

REFERENCES:2. Pivonka E, Seymour J, et al. Development of the behaviorally focused Fruits & Veggies—

More Matters public health initiative. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011; 111:1570-1577.3. Annual Report 2014, Produce for Better Health Foundation,

http://www.PBHFoundation.org/about/annual_rep Accessed July 16, 2015.4. Ibid.5. PBH, Moms’ Attitudes and Beliefs Related to Fruit & Vegetable Consumption, 2007-2014.

Web. http://PBHFoundation.org/pdfs/about/res/pbh_res/MomReport2014_WEB.pdf

Chart 5: Moms’ Likelihood of Purchasing Products Carrying the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Logo

Chart 3: Number of External Links to FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org

20082007 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

1,063

505

3,168

1,277

1,900

2,8803,052 3,148

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

39%

48%* 46% 45%49%

53%

% Respondents more likely to purchase product*Represents top 2 box scores in 5-point Likert Scale.

*Represents statistically signi�cant difference between years from prior year.

2009(n=241)

2010(n=459)

2011(n=609)

2012(n=352)

2013(n=368)

2014(n=445)

Chart 2: Average Monthly Visits to FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org

20082007 209 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

64,31849,81547,252

69,614

108,304

134,769124,367

297,000

6 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

NATIONAL FRUIT & VEGETABLE PROMOTION BOARD Because fruits and vegetables are out-promoted by other food products, PBH initiated a dialog with fruit and vegetable industry members in 2009 about the possibility of a National Fruit & Vegetable Research & Promotion Board to raise funds to better promote fruits and vegetables. To this point in time, and still to this day, 5 A Day and then Fruits & Veg-gies—More Matters marketing was done through voluntary contributions and in-kind marketing support, primarily on packaging and point of sale. At the time, a new fruit and vegetable advertising campaign in Western Australia had resulted in a 0.8 serving increased consumption of F/V, com-bined,6 economic evidence favored such generic promotions,7

and a variety of other factors had come into place that made such a generic promotion board possible. The objective of the proposed promotion board was to increase consumption of all forms of fruits and vegetables through implementation of a comprehensive, $30-million health marketing, communica-tions, and education effort funded by an industry assessment.

By law, in order for an assessment to be initiated, those who would pay the assessment need to participate in a referendum.

The majority of those voting would determine referendum results. Following discussions with the industry in 2009, further work on the proposal was discontinued due to lack of industry support. Concerns were expressed that $30 million wasn’t enough funding to have an impact; any additional assessment would have been too onerous in an industry that already suffers from very slim profit margins; and, there was no guarantee that different commodities would have benefit-ted equally, despite everyone paying their fair share.

In a follow-up effort to understand the components of the proposed promotion board that could be altered for greater industry acceptance, Cornell researchers came to the conclu-sion that the possibility of a promotion board representing all fruits and vegetables is highly improbable.8

FNV Earlier in 2015, in an effort to test the impact of marketing on fruit and vegetable consumption, Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and a collaboration of companies, celebrities, athletes and foundations launched FNV—a brand focused on increasing consumption and sales of fruits and vegetables among teens.9 The premise of the effort is to use big brand marketing tactics to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables.10

The campaign’s first year includes a launch in two lead markets—Fresno, California and Hampton Roads, Virginia. In-market activations include digital, print and out-of-home advertising; sponsorships of youth sports leagues and teams; local business and retail activations; and activations at local events. Additionally, a robust research plan will accompany FNV, measuring sales of fresh, frozen, canned and dried in the lead markets, as well as consumption, awareness, recall and resonance testing. Success in the two lead markets could help justify additional spending by industry and government partners for a large-scale funded marketing campaign for fruit and vegetables.

REFERENCES:6. Pollard, CM, Miller, MR, et al. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption: success of

the Western Australian Go for 2&5® campaign. Public Health Nutr. 2007; 11(3):314-20. 7. Kaiser, HM, et al. The Economics of Commodity Promotion Programs. 2005, Peter

Lang Publishing, Inc.8. McLaughlin EW, et al. Promoting fresh produce: a losing battle? Agribusiness. 2014;

30(4)370-384. doi:10.1002/agr.21378

REFERENCES:9. Fruits and Vegetables Get a Star-Studded Marketing Push. The Associated Press. 26

February 2015. Web. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/02/26/us/ap-us-mar-keting-fruits-vegetables.html?_r=0

10. See http://www.fnv.com/

7FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

label food can companies and reached more than 1.3 billion people through media partnerships.

Frozen. How Fresh Stays Fresh is a comprehensive advertising, social media and public relations cam-paign designed to change the way consumers think and feel about the frozen food category. The initial phase of the campaign launched in November 2013 with a public relations initiative to promote a study that found the nutrient profile of frozen fruits and

vegetables to be equal, and often superior, to fresh fruits and vegetables. The campaign is engaging consumers to inform them that freezing is a natural ‘pause button’ that locks in the nutrients and flavor of just picked fruits and veggies. The cam-paign reach is estimated to be 2.2 billion media impressions.

SESAME STREET In October, 2013, Sesame Workshop and the Produce Mar-keting Association (PMA) joined PHA in a two-year agree-ment to help promote fresh fruit and vegetable consumption to kids through the Eat Brighter! program.11 The agreement allows growers, suppliers and retailers to take advantage of the Sesame Street brand without a licensing fee, using char-acters like Big Bird and Elmo to help deliver messages about fresh (only) fruits and vegetables. Initially the agreement existed through the end of 2016, but a two-year extension was announced to allow use of the characters without a licensing fee through the end of 2018.12 Currently nearly 60 suppliers have licensing agreements. Those participating in the pro-gram for about six months are reporting positive sales lifts of 1-2 percent on eat brighter! branded items.13

CANNED AND FROZEN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE MARKETING Concern over a decline in canned and frozen fruit and vegetable consumption, in part, led the Can Manufacturers Institute to launch a Cans Get You Cooking campaign in early 2013 and the American Frozen Food Institute to launch a similar campaign, Frozen. How Fresh Stays Fresh, to promote frozen fruits and vegetables in 2014.14,15

Cans Get You Cooking is a multi-year, fully-integrated campaign funded by the food can manufacturers of the Can Manufacturers Institute. The campaign builds on the insights from comprehensive consumer research revealing consum-ers’ strong, positive associations with canned food including nutrition, quality and convenience.16 It’s designed to increase awareness about the many benefits of canned foods and show how they easily fit into dietary guidance. The campaign includes partnerships with national brands and retailers to help engage, inform and inspire consumers to cook with confidence and make more, healthy homemade meals. Since its inception, the campaign has partnered with 30 retailers representing more than 6,110 stores and brand and private

REFERENCES:11. http://www.pma.com/events/eat-brighter 12. Karst, T. Eat Brighter! Extended through 2018. The Packer On-Line. June 15, 2015.

Web. http://www.thepacker.com/news/eat-brighter-extended-through-2018. 13. Ibid.

REFERENCES:14. http://cansgetyoucooking 15. www.howfreshstaysfresh.com 16. Research was conducted using Toluna’s On-line Omnibus; interviews were completed

on July 25-27, 2012. The total sample of 1,017 respondents is representative of U.S. adults and is balanced on three key demographics: age, sex and region of the U.S. Additionally, respondents on SNAP/WIC food assistance and/or have limited access to fresh food were identified for comparative analysis of consumption behaviors and attitudes towards canned and fresh foods.

8 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

Time & Cost As the number of women participating in the work force has increased over the past several decades, the need for convenient, time-saving measures has progressively increased. Unfortunately, in an effort to save time in meal preparation, the average number of side dishes served at the in-home dinner meal has decreased over time (Chart 7), with the vegetable side dish decreasing as a result. The addition of fruit and vegetables to meals doesn’t need to be difficult since convenient forms of fruits and veggies are readily available, including canned and frozen fruit and vegeta-bles as well as packaged salads and other fresh-cut produce items.

In response to consumer concerns about the price of fruit and vegetables, USDA research suggests that the cost of eating the total recommended cups of fruits and vegetables each day is only $2.50, or 50 cents per cup.17 This included a combination of fresh, canned, and frozen items. As seen below, it makes financial sense to consume a mixture of different forms of fruits and vegetables. When factoring in the cost of preparation time, canned and fro-zen fruit and vegetables are even less expensive.18,19

Chart 7: Percent of In-home Dinners Including at Least One Side Dish

68%

56%

20131985

60

70

80 Percent of in-home dinners including at leastone side dish

REFERENCES:17. Stewart H, et al. Can low-income

Americans afford to satisfy MyPyra-mid fruit and vegetable guidelines? J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011; 43:173-179.

18. Kapica C, Weiss, W. Canned fruits, vegetables, beans and fish provide nutrients at a lower cost compared to fresh, frozen or dried. J Nutr Food Sci. 2012; 2:131. doi:10.4172/2155-9600.1000131

19. Miller SR, Knudson, WA. Nutri-tion and cost comparisons of select canned, frozen, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2014. doi:10.1177/1559827614522942

20. PBH, State of the Plate, 2015 Study on America’s Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables. Web. http://PBHFoun-dation.org/pdfs/about/res/pbh_res/State_of_the_Plate_2015_WEB_Bookmarked.pdf

21. Papanikolaou Y, et al. Consumption of frozen meals as compared to quick service restaurant meals is associated with better nutrient intakes in adult participants of The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2010) The FASEB Journal. 2014; 28(1) Supplement LB383.

1Rickman, J. Barrett, D. and Bruhn, C. “Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables.” Journal of the Science of Food and Acriculture. Vol. 87. Issues 6 and 7. April and May 2007.

Finally, considering the average cost of a meal purchased at a restaurant ($6.96) is three times higher than one made in-home ($2.24),20 it is important to encourage price sensitive consumers to eat more meals at home. Selecting frozen or prepared meals from the store and adding fruit and vegetable side dishes, even fresh-cut, is more economical and more nutritious than eating out.21

The key is to eat at home and include frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice — in addition to fresh — to meet daily fruit and vegetable consumption goals.

9FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

USDA spending contradicts the priority of fruits and vegeta-bles in the dietary guidelines: Lower-priority foods like meat dominated USDA spending, largely due to feed-crop subsidies, while USDA spending on fruits and vegetables was only about one-third their share (Chart 10). The added cost of bringing fruit and vegetable spending in alignment with dietary guidelines is estimated at more than $8 billion, a three-fold increase over current spending.

Fruits and vegetables are also a low spending priority for the Na-tional Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) despite the sizable health risks attributable to the consumption gap. Only 1% of NIH research projects on cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke, for example, focused on fruits and vegetables, despite the fact that the fruit and vege-table consumption gap contributes between 5.6%-22.2% of the risk of those three major diseases. The added cost to bring NIH and CDC funding for fruits and vegetables into alignment with their role in disease prevention is roughly $164 million for NIH and $75 million for CDC, nearly a three-fold increase in current spending for NIH and a ten-fold increase for CDC (Chart 11).

Federal Support for Nutrition

National Health and Agriculture PolicyPBH recently released its third report, 2015 Gap Analysis, The Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Challenge: How Federal Spending Falls Short of Addressing Public Health Needs. Like the previous two reports, it was designed to assess the extent to which federal policy makers, through their spending decisions, have made fruits and vegetables a national public-health priority. Despite perceptions, federal spending by USDA and HHS con-sistently reveals that fruits and vegetables remain a low priority for federal policy makers when viewed in light of public-health concerns and recommendations.

The economic costs to the nation due to the fruit and vegetable consumption gap (the amount between actual and recommended consumption levels) are shown to be very large and increasing. In fact, the annual cost to the nation due to the fruit and vegetable consumption gap is more than $63 billion, larger than the annual spending of 46 states and the GDP of 121 countries.

0

2

4

6

8

USDA

8.36

2.692

1.627 0.342 0.164 0.057 0.075 0.007USDA Nutrition

EducationNIH CDC

Fruit and Vegetable Spending Gap ($ Billions)

Current Fruit and Vegetable Spending ($ Billions)

Chart 11: The Cost of Aligning Federal Programs with Federal Nutrition Policy

Federal Nutrition EducationNutrition assistance programs reach tens of millions of Americans each year that could benefit substantially from well-funded, effective nutrition education programming. However, federal nutrition education spending represents less than one percent of total spending for nutrition assistance programs.22 Of the four largest nutrition education programs, Expanded Food & Nutri-tion Education Program (EFNEP), SNAP-Ed, Team Nutrition (in schools), and the WIC Nutrition Education program, the most effective at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is EFNEP. It uses a peer-education model, which has proven effective, including in minority and ethnic communities.23 However, the average spending on nutrition education per participant in the SNAP and school meals’ programs, which are the country’s two

largest nutrition assistance programs, lags far behind the EFNEP benchmark. The added cost of bringing EFNEP-level nutrition education to all SNAP participants is estimated to be more than $1.6 billion, a six-fold increase over current spending (Chart 11).

Ultimately, USDA spending for nutrition education remains far short of levels needed to encourage substantial increases in fruit and vegetable consumption.

Chart 10: Food Groups: Daily Recommended Servings vs. USDA Spending

REFERENCES:22. Rosenfeld, A. 2015 Gap Analysis—The Federal Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Challenge: How Federal Spending Falls Short of Addressing Public Health Needs, 2015. Produce for Better Health Foundation, 2015. Web. http://PBHFoundation.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Gap_Report_2015_WEB_1436565208.PDF

23. http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/implement/improving-services/peer-educa-tion/main

0

10

20

30

40

50

Grains

28.2

18.713.3

9.4 8.4

49.5

8.8 7.7

41.4

14.7

Dairy Protein Oils Fruit andVegetables

% Share of Recommended Servings % of USDA Spending 2012/2013

10 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

IncentivesThe 2008 Farm Bill provided funding for a pilot project to offer incentives at point of purchase to encourage participating SNAP households to purchase fruits, vegetables, or other healthful foods and to conduct a rigorous evaluation that measures the impact of the pilot program on health and nutrition. This effort is referred to as the Healthy Incentives Pilot (HIP.)24 For every dollar of SNAP benefits that were spent on targeted fruits and vegetables at participating retailers, SNAP households received a 30-cent incentive on their SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The incentive could be spent on any SNAP-eligible foods and beverages. HIP statistically significantly increased fruit and vegetable consumption 26 percent among participants over non-HIP participants.25

Since then, $100 million in mandatory funding in the latest 2014 Farm Bill is for the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program. This is a new initiative to support programs that incentivize SNAP participants at point of purchase to increase their purchase of fruits and vegetables.26 In April 2015, FINI announced its first round of funding, $31.5 million, awarded to 31 projects in 26 states. All FINI projects, among a variety of re-quirements, must participate in the FINI comprehensive program evaluation. This evaluation will attempt to answer the question of what incentive approach works best at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

FlavorTaste also impacts food choices and an unpleasant taste is often the chief reason for food rejection. Humans have an innate preference for sweet and reject bitter tasting compounds, though there appear to be genetic differences such that some individuals perceive bitter compounds more intensely than others. In fact, about one-quarter of Americans taste bitter compounds more intensely, and are often referred to as supertasters. Another one-quarter are nontasters, and one-half are regular tasters that vary along a continuum between supertasters and nontasters.27

The very plant compounds in vegetables and some fruits that are beneficial to health— phenols, flavonoids, terpenes, glucinolates, sulfamides and others — are almost always bitter, acrid, or astringent. There is evidence that supertasters report more dislike for some vegetables than nontasters.28

Given the number of Americans who are supertasters, it is important to consider food preparation techniques that make these foods palatable to consumers. For example, salt or sugar helps block bitterness or astringency and are therefore important additions for acceptability of fruit and vegetables like cruciferous vegetables, green beans, cranberries, grapefruit, lemons, limes and many other vegetables. Combining fruit with vegetables in a smoothie or juice drink is a common way for the sweetness of fruit to block the bitterness in vegetables. Salting eggplant and allowing it to drain for an hour is thought to draw out excess moisture and bitterness.29 Blanching broccoli rabe is recom-mended to help reduce bitter flavors.30 Massaging dark leafy greens, which break down cell walls and releases enzymes that split apart bitter-tasting compounds, also seems to be a common suggestion.31

Because the beneficial compounds in vegetables and fruit are often bitter, heavy emphasis on ‘no added salt or added sugar’ to these very nutritious fruits and vegetables that are lacking in the American diet is counter-productive.

REFERENCES:24. See http://www.fns.usda.gov/hip/healthy-incentives-pilot 25. Bartlett, Susan, Jacob Klerman, et al. Evaluation of the Healthy Incentives

Pilot (HIP): Final Report. Prepared by Abt Associates for the U.S. Department of Agri-culture, Food and Nutrition Service, September 2014.

26. See http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&conten-tid=2015/04/0084.xml

REFERENCES:27. Drewnowski A, Rock, CL. The influence of genetic taste markers on food acceptance.

Am J Clin Nutr. 1995; 62:506-5011.28. Garcia-Bailo B, et al. Genetic variation in taste and its influence on food selection. A

Journal of Integrative Biology. 2009; 13(1). Doi: 10.1089/omi.2008.003129. See: https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/icooks/ask.html 30. See: http://startcooking.com/keep-it-fresh-learn-how-to-blanch 31. See: http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101_basics_tech-

niques/a_new_cooking_technique_for_bitter_greens

11FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

Count All Forms In light of continued low fruit and vegetable consumption,32,33 it is more important than ever to emphasize that all forms — canned, frozen, fresh, dried, 100% juice — are great ways to get fruit and vegetables into the diet. This is important because:

‘All Forms’ Important to Health A variety of studies and diets demonstrate the importance of fruits and vegetables to health, but were not specific to the ‘form’ of fruit or vegetable.34,35, 36,37,38 Fruit and vegeta-bles, regardless of form, provide much needed nutrients that are currently underconsumed in the United States, including folate, magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K. Fruit and vegetables, again regard-less of form, also contain various phytochemicals that are thought to play an important role in disease preven-tion.39,40,41,42,43,44

Packaged Fruit & Vegetables are Not Chief Sodium & Added Sugar Culprits Fruit and vegetables are not the main contributors to Americans’ sugar and sodium intake, regardless of the form in which they are consumed. In fact, all canned, frozen, and dried fruits contribute less than 2 percent of the added sugar in most Americans’ diets,45 and vegetables add less than one percent of the sodium.46 Most vegetables on the market today are well below FDA’s ‘healthy’ definition that requires sodium be 480 mg or less, even with all of the juice in the can, which must be represented on the Nutrition Facts box. Furthermore, if desired, draining vegetables can reduce sodium by nearly 40%.47

Cooking and Nutrients Heat used during canning or freezing of fruits or vegetables does not destroy fiber or minerals and most fat-soluble nutrients, including carotenoids, vitamin A, and vitamin E, are higher in processed fruits and vegetables.48This is true, in part, because the mild heat treatment in processed products allows for greater bioavailability of lipid-soluble nutrients. Water soluble vitamins are susceptible to heat and light, though the blanching process often used prior to canning and freezing inactivates enzymes that cause oxida-tion. Cooking fresh produce will have the same impact on nutrients as canning and freezing. Of note, some processed fruit and vegetables may also contain greater nutritional value because some processing cultivars are more nutritious than fresh cultivars, as is the case with tomatoes. There are dozens of varieties of strawberries and 200 varieties of peaches, for example, all a bit different in profile. Even the side of the tree that the fruit grows on can impact its nutri-ent or phytochemical profile.

‘All Forms’ Improves Self-Efficacy Mothers feel they can help their families eat more fruit and vegetables when they know that various forms (canned, frozen, fresh, dried, 100% juice) all help them meet their daily fruit and vegetable goals.49 In PBH’s experience, when mothers are made to feel guilty or that they are a ‘bad mother’ if they don’t feed their family fresh fruit and veg-etables (or ‘without added salt, fat, or added sugars’), they simply ‘give up.’50

‘All Forms’ Correlates with Greater Consumption Shoppers with all forms of fruit and vegetables available in their home report eating more fruits and vegetables overall.51 Likewise, adults and children who eat canned fruit and vegetables eat more fruit and vegetables overall.52,53

Exclusively recommending one form of fruit or vegetable over another ignores the benefits of each form and limits consumer choice.

Consumers should be encouraged to include ‘all forms’ of fruits and vegetables in daily meals and snacks. This allows for greater choices for various lifestyles, socio-economic levels, and taste preferences.

12 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

Common Consumer QuestionWhen talking about beans, what is the most consumer-friendly terminology?

With the continuing importance of plant based foods for health, it is critical that we use terminology that consumers understand when discussing beans (legumes). Research on the term “le-gumes” shows that less than 2 out of 3 consumers believe beans are legumes, while one out of 3 would include peanuts and one out of 4 would include bean sprouts.54 The term “pulses,” which is sometimes used internationally to describe the “family” of beans, peas and lentils, is unknown to, or misunderstood by, Americans. One in 3 would not classify any type of bean, pea, or lentil, with the term “pulse.” In fact, only 33% have ever heard of the term, with only 29% believing that they know what the term means. And, of those that think they know, more than half believe the term is related to the circulatory system.

Also, since canned beans are purchased by 80% of U.S. house-holds, while bagged beans are only purchased by 20% of US households,55 and since canned beans outsell bagged beans by 11-1,56 it is critical that the term used be inclusive of canned beans. Consumer research shows, however, that more than 9 out of 10 consumers exclude canned beans when asked to associate foods that are “dry” or “dried” beans.57 This same consumer research has shown that the best term to use is “Beans” fol-

lowed by a descriptor of the top-selling types, i.e., “Beans, such as black-beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans.” This term maximizes consumer understanding and is inclusive of all packaging forms.

Bottom Line Instead of the term ‘legumes’ or ‘pulses’ when referring to beans, use the term ‘beans’ followed by a descriptor, i.e. ‘beans, such as black-beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans.’

REFERENCES:54. MMR Research Associates. (2015) Bean Terminology Research. Unpublished raw data.

55. Nielsen Consumer Panel Services, Calendar Year 2014

56. Nielsen Scantrack Expanded All Outlets Combined, Based on Units (million) for the 52 weeks ending 2/14/15

57. MMR Research Associates. (2015)

REFERENCES:32. Moore, LV, Thompson FE. Adults meeting fruit and vegetable intake recommenda-

tions—United States, 2013. MMWR. 2015; 64(26), 709-713. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm6426.pdf.

33. PBH, State of the Plate, 2015. 34. Boeing H, Bechthold A, Bub A, et al. Critical review: vegetables and fruit in the preven-

tion of chronic diseases. Eur J Nutr. 2012; 51:637-663.35. Appel LJ, et al., A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. New

Engl J of Med. 1997; 336 (16), 1117-1124.36. Wang, X., Ouyang, Y., et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality from all

causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: systematic review and dose-response me-ta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. BMJ. 2014; 349: g4490.

37. Ruston C, Gardner E, Walker D. Can pure fruit and vegetable juices protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease too? A review of the evidence. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2006; 57(3/4): 249-272.

38. Griep L, Geleijnse J, et al. Raw and processed fruit and vegetable consumption and 10-year coronary heart disease incidence in a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands. 2010; PLoS ONE 5(10): e13609. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013609.

39. Khurana S, Venkataraman K, Hollingsworth A, Piche M, Tai TC. Polyphenols: benefits to the cardiovascular system in health and in aging. Nutrients. 2013; 5(10): 3779–3827. doi: 10.3390/nu5103779.

40. Liu RH. Dietary bioactive compounds and their health implications. J Food Sci. 2013; 78 Suppl 1: A18-25. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.12101.

41. Liu RH. Health-promoting components of fruits and vegetables in the diet. Adv Nutr. 2013; 4(3): 384S-92S. doi: 10.3945/an.112.003517.

42. Scalbert A, Manach C, Morand C, Remesy C. Dietary polyphenols and the prevention of diseases. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2005; 45: 287-306. doi: 10.1080/1040869059096.

43. Skinner M, Hunter D, eds. Bioactives in Fruit: Health Benefits and Functional Foods. UK: Wiley-Blackwell; 2013.

44. Alasalvar C, Shahidi F, eds. Dried Fruits: Phytochemicals and Health Effects. UK: Wi-ley-Blackwell; 2013.

45. Sources of calories from added sugars among the US population, 2005-2006. Applied Research Program Web site. National Cancer Institute. http://appliedresearch.cancer.gov/diet/foodsources/added_sugars/. Updated April 11, 2014. Accessed April 30, 2015.

46. Sources of sodium among the US population, 2005–06. Applied Research Program Web site. National Cancer Institute. http://appliedresearch.cancer.gov/diet/foodsources/sodi-um/. Updated April 11, 2014. Accessed April 30, 2015.

47. Shadix K. Reducing sodium in canned beans – easier than 1-2-3. Today’s Dietitian. 2010; 12(1): page 62. http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/011110p62.shtml. Accessed May 6, 2015.

48. Rickman J, Barrett D, Bruhn C. Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables: Part II. Vitamin A and carotenoids, vitamin E, minerals and fiber. J Sci Food Agric. 2007; 87 (7): 1185-1196.

49. Pivonka et al., 2011.50. Ibid.51. PBH. Primary Shoppers’ Attitudes and Beliefs Related to Fruit & Vegetable Consumption,

2012 vs 2014. http://PBHFoundation.org/pdfs/about/res/pbh_res/PrimaryShopperRe-port_WEB.pdf, page 18.

52. Freedman MR, Fulgoni V. Consumption of canned fruits and vegetables is associated with greater total vegetable and fruit consumption, better diet quality and increased nu-trient intake in children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2010. Department of Nutrition, Science & Pkg, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA and Nutrition Impact, LLC, Battle Creek, MI [ABSTRACT]

53. Canned Food Alliance, 2015. Web. http://www.mealtime.org/AdultNutrition/NHANES-adult-research-press-release.aspx, accessed April 30, 2015.

13FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

In the NewsReview headlines for the latest fruit and vegetable news

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

The Packer“Judge halts Sysco, US Foods deal”

“Ahold, Delhaize agree to merge”

The Packer“Dole goes big with new salad kits”

“CDC report confirms low produce consumption”

“Pesticide exposure risk very low, study reports”

“Generals say school nutrition key to national security”

“#ImperfectVeg targets waste”

“L.A. celebrates citrus awareness #CitrusMatters”

“$1 million in Florida goes to citrus greening cure”

“Sunkist partnership reduces waste, increases revenue using every part of fruit”

“Pacific states show preference for unique, local”

The Produce News“Brutally cold winter perfectly wonderful for

New Jersey peaches”

The Packer“The next kale? Top chefs point to rise of cauliflower

and carrots”

“Demand for avocado ripening rooms mirrors fruit’s popularity”

“Giorgio Fresh: The Mushroom Blend helps increase burger sales”

“Millennials: Have dollars, seek food adventures, trend toward authentic”

“Gen Xers and food trends: At-home meals rock for this segment”

“USDA forecasts low inflation for fresh produce in 2015”

“USDA increases California drought aid”

“Fires won’t slow fruit movement”

Core Report“More than 1,000 ag workers stranded at border”

Frozen Express“CDC: 1 in 9 children have high blood pressure”

“New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s salt proposal shakes things up”

“Produce, import programs may suffer if FDA doesn’t get FSMA funding hike, Taylor warns”

“More secondary schools serve healthier lunches”

“A cookbook for eating well on a food stamp budget”

“FDA revises proposed Nutrition Facts label rule to include

a daily value for added sugars”

“Americans are finally eating less”

Frozen Express“Food industry evolves to meet school lunch challenges”

“Spicy foods (generally in the form of chili peppers) linked to longer life, study finds”

“Demand for natural colors increases as 80 percent of parents cite artificial color safety concerns, study finds”

“Hartman: ‘Local’ could topple ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ on labels”

14 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

Facebook.com/Fruits & Veggies—More Matters and

Facebook.com/PBHFoundation

Twitter.com/Fruits_Veggies

Pinterest.com/fvmorematters

Instagram.com@FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters

It’s Easy to Stay connected with PBH and

Fruits & Veggies—More Matters

Advertorial

Top 10 California Canned Peach Snacks:

According to a study conducted by Oregon State University, canned California Peaches are nutritionally on par with fresh. In fact, some nutrients—Vitamin A and Folate, for example—increase thanks to the canning process. Looking for nutritious and delicious peach snacks? Here are our Top 25!

1. Pop Open a Can!A national survey conducted by the Peach Board shows that eating peaches right out of the can or from a peach cup is the #1 way to enjoy this yummy summer fruit. They are the 100% Healthy Snack that makes great cents! 2. Smoothies! Mix canned peaches with 1 ripe banana, vanilla yogurt, a little sugar and ice cubes. Add a handful of greens for a peachy-green smoothie!

3. Fruit KabobsPlace sliced peaches, apricot halves and pears onto a kabob stick to make eating fruit easy and convenient!

4. Add to a Salad Top greens with sliced peaches. Add a handful of your favorite nuts for a nutritionally complete meal.

5. Grab-N-Go MuffinsSubstitute pureed drained peaches for the butter or oil in your favorite muffin mix or recipe!

6. Cocktails! Use canned fruit to make a peach martini or margarita. 7. One Ingredient Sorbet!Freeze an unopened can of peaches until solid. Submerge can in hot tap water for 1 min. Open can, chop fruit into chunks & place into food processor until smooth!

8. Pies, Pies, Pies!Swap out fresh fruit with canned during the winter months.

9. Peach Salsa Top grilled chicken or fish with homemade peach salsa or add diced peaches to store bought salsa for an extra kick.

10. Turkey & Fruit WrapAdd a punch of flavor by rolling up canned peaches, turkey and avocado in a whole-wheat tortilla.

To receive this as a pdf, please email Adrienne Hegarty at adriennem@echopr.com

California Cling Peaches @CalClingPeach www.calclingpeach.com

CELEBRATEFruits & Veggies—More Matters Month!

#GrabNGo

#FVMMMonth

PBH celebrates Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® Month every September. While a theme for the month is typi-cally featured, the main point of the month is to high-

light the vast selection of fruit and vegetables that are available year-round and how eating half your plate as fruit and vegetables goes a long way to living a healthy lifestyle. Fruit and vegetables are also very versatile, not only in the many different ways they can be enjoyed, but also because they are available as fresh, fro-zen, canned, dried and 100% juice. This availability and variety makes including more fruit and vegetables in daily meals and snacks a breeze and is the perfect reason to celebrate in September!

If the selected theme doesn’t work with your marketing and planned promotions, no worries as you can also celebrate Fruits & Veggies—More Matters month by:

Leveraging any one of the numerous marketing toolkits available on the PBHFoundation.org website on the Retail page under the Private Sector tab. Many of the toolkits include ad slicks, copy for in-store radio and POS or price signs. The newest toolkits also include memes and sample social media posts. The elements of the toolkits are the perfect tools for retailers, processors, supermarket dietitians, and other health professionals to use in their consumer outreach efforts throughout Fruits & Veggies—More Matters month.

Linking to FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org from your website to join the 3,000+ sites that already benefit from our fruit and vegetable information portal.

Informing others that September is Fruits & Veggies—More Matters month and encouraging them to make half their plate fruit and vegetables.

Encouraging others to try a new fruit and vegetable. At FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org you will find selection, storage, and preparation tips for more than 100 fruits and vegetables.

Championing a ‘fruit and vegetable’ challenge in your workplace to see who can eat the most fruit and vegetables during September.

Visiting PBHFoundation.org/get_inv/updates to sign-up to receive updates.

16 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

Each year PBH honors organizations, within the fruit and vegetable industry, as well as externally, who meet the criteria to be recognized as a Fruits & Veggies—More

Matters® Champion or Role Model. Certain criteria must be met to be honored as a Champion and that same criteria plus more to be honored as a Role Model. Companies and associations within the private and public sectors are eligible to apply.

Another annual recognition program is PBH’s Supermarket Dietitian of the Year. Like with the Champion and Role Model program, there is a set of criteria that must be met in order for a dietitian to be considered. The submission can be made by the dietitian or, and ideally, by a colleague or supervisor.

PBH sponsors two grant programs for 4-year colleges and uni-versities; the Formula 5 Marketing Competition and the Store Tour Training Grant. The competition offers marketing majors, at accredited colleges and universities within the United States, the opportunity to influence fruit and vegetable marketing, sales, and consumption within America. Three to five proposals are selected and team representatives associated with each proposal are invited to attend PBH’s Annual Conference to present the marketing proposal and plan to all conference attendees during the general session. An email of ‘intent to submit a proposal’ is due by September 30, followed by the full proposal on or before December 31.

The Store Tour Training Grants are used to encourage enhanced collaboration between supermarkets and university nutrition and dietetic programs with a specific emphasis on training nutrition and dietetic students to deliver grocery store tours about fruit and vegetables.  The submission deadline for the spring semester is September 30, and April 29, for the fall semester.

DEADLINE RECAP:Champion and Role Model Program – January 5

Formula 5 Marketing Competition – September 30, Intent to Submit a Proposal and December 31, Full Proposal

Store Tour Training Grants – September 30 for Spring, 2016 semester and April 29 for Fall, 2016

Supermarket RD of the Year – January 5

MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND:

PBHFoundation.org/Get Involved – Criteria for Champion and Role Model Program and Supermarket RD of the Year

Formula 5 Marketing and Store Tour Training Grants – Email: development@PBHFoundation.org

PBH’s Recognition and Grant Programs

IMPORTANT DEADLINES!

17FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

As seen in supermarkets, hospitals and schools across the nation, the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® brand logo helps Americans make healthy choices in every form —

fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice. In support of Produce for Better Health Foundation’s (PBH) mission of mo-tivating Americans to eat more fruit and vegetables to improve public health, PBH is pleased to announce its continued spon-sorship of its second annual Formula 5 Marketing Competition. The competition offers marketing majors, at accredited colleges and universities within the United States, the opportunity to influence fruit and vegetable marketing, sales, and consumption within America.

To participate in the competition, small groups of Junior and Senior marketing students will create a complete marketing proposal and plan, including indicators of success and financials. Three to five proposals will be selected and team representatives associated with each proposal will be invited to attend PBH’s 2016 Annual Conference where they will present the marketing proposal and plan to all conference attendees during the general session. The attendees will then be afforded two full days to

Formula F ive: A Fruit & Vegetable MarketingCompetition

More Ideas, More Consumption, More Matters

interact and talk with the team representatives. The 2016 Annual Conference will be held April 4-6 at the Omni Hotel & Spa at Montelucia. Registration is now open.

The marketing competition is not only another new way PBH is delivering value to donors, supporters, and the fruit and vege-table industry, but also an avenue for industry companies to tap into new ideas from millennial marketers, as well as the opportu-nity to identify talent through internships and build relationships with top marketing colleges across the country. PBH honored a team from Fresno State University for the 2015 competition year. Their marketing idea and plan, RadiKale, can be found on the PBHFoundation.org site in the Annual Meeting section.

The full outline of and criteria for the competition can be found on PBHFoundation.org. An email of intent to submit a completed submission must be sent to marketingcomp@PBHFoundation.org by September 30, 2015. Questions on the marketing competition can be directed to Kristen Stevens, kstevens@PBHFoundation.org or 831.929.4994.

18 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

In continuation of Produce for Better Health Foundation’s long-standing support of supermarkets, coupled with the close work PBH has done with supermarket dietitians over

the last several years, PBH is pleased to announce 10 new Store Tour Training Grant recipients for the collegiate fall 2015 semes-ter.  The grant funding is used to encourage enhanced collabora-tion between supermarkets and university nutrition and dietetic programs with a specific emphasis on training nutrition and dietetic students to deliver grocery store tours about fruit and vegetables. 

PBH Announces Store Tour Training Grantees

These schools and their partnering grocers include:• Drexel University, Fresh Grocer• Lenoir-Rhyne University, Asheville, Ingles Markets• Morrison/Chartwells Dietetic Internship Program,

multiple grocers nationwide• North Dakota State University, Family Fare and Hornbacher’s• University of Central Oklahoma, Homeland Stores• University of Cincinnati, Kroger• University of Illinois at Chicago, Mariano’s• University of North Florida, Earth Fare and Native Sun

Natural Foods Market• University of Pittsburgh, Giant Eagle• University of Southern Mississippi, Winn Dixie and Kroger

“With the addition of these 10 grantees to the 11 previously awarded grantees, there will be more than 400 nutrition/dietetic students trained to conduct store tours,” says Elizabeth Pivon-ka, President and CEO of PBH. “In addition, more than 4000 consumers will have participated in the store tours: half as fellow college students and half as members of the community.”The 2016 Request for Proposal was also recently released. This funding period will begin January 1 and August 1 to coincide with the collegiate fall and spring semesters. Grants again will be limited to no more than $5,000 per internship program per semester. The submission deadline for the spring 2016 semester is September 30, 2015, and April 29, 2016 for the fall 2016 semes-ter. PBH is offering a minimum of $50,000 in total grant funding annually, split between the fall and spring semesters.

Join Us! PBH hosts a monthly Twitter party on the first Wednesday of every month at 4:00 pm EST to provide fruit and vegetable in-formation, tips and recipes direct to consumers, members of the fruit and vegetable industry, daycares, and even chefs! We never know who will join our party! On average, 206 participants join our monthly party generating an average of 1,300 mentions and retweets and 2.8M impressions. PBH will focus on the following topics for the September-December parties.

Be sure to check our Twitter feed often for party updates and topics for 2015, https://twitter.com/Fruits_Veggies.

SeptemberOctober

NovemberDecember

9.2.1510.7.1511.4.1512.2.15

#MoreMatters#AwesomeAutumn#FeastOnFVs#Fit4FVs

19FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

New Feature Debuts on Produce for Better Health

Foundation’s Website

At the end of May, a new feature, The Everyday Chef: Fruit & Veggie Culinary Creations, was added to our consumer website, FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org. The new col-

umn hosted by two chefs, Alex Caspero, RD and Andrew Dole, RDN, offers sound advice and tips to help consumers eat more fruits and vegetables, in all forms, through their recipes, articles, and blogs. PBH added the new section based on feedback from site visitors, our annual consumer survey, and input from the annual strategic and business planning process.

Alex Caspero is a registered dietitian, yoga instructor and veg-etable lover. In addition to working with PBH, Alex is also the Director of Wellness for University of the Pacific with campuses in Stockton, San Francisco and Sacremento. Alex’s featured tips and recipes include: 5 Unique Ways to Eat Strawberries, How to Roast Vegetables, and Quick Weeknight Pasta Sauces.

Andrew Dole is a 15-year culinary veteran, a RDN, culinary in-structor and nutrition entrepreneur. For Andrew, cooking wasn’t always easy, but he has learned a few tricks over the years and that simple is best. Andrew’s philosophy on cooking is ‘A little know how, some simple ingredients, and the desire to learn can get you a darn good meal.’ His current highlighted recipes are: Steamed Snow Peas with Tomatoes, and Roasted Ratatouille with Simple Marinara. Andrew’s monthly column on performance nu-trition, which focuses on the relationship between nutrition and athletic performance, including the quality and quantity of your fluid and food intake, Fuel for Long Workouts & Races, is also currently highlighted on FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org.The additional culinary expertise feature is particularly notewor-thy given the direct tieback to requests from site visitors and our ongoing commitment to help consumers with how to eat more fruit and vegetables. The articles, tips and recipes will be updated regularly so fresh content will always be available.

Everyday Chef

Strawberry Eggrolls photo credit: Alex Caspero

How to Roast Vegetables photo credit: Alex Caspero

20 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

PBHFoundation.org/annual_meet

Join us April 4-6, 2016at Omni Scottsdale Resort

& Spa at Montelucia

Build GROW LearnPartner CONNECT

The Consumer Connection conference unites companies and individuals for a noteworthy

3-day conference full of high-energy sessions, one-on-one business meetings, up-to-date

research, and a variety of interactive events designed specifically to help YOU connect.

Join retailers, supermarket dietitians, suppliers, growers, shippers and processors, and

BUILD strategic alliances, GROW your brand, LEARN from vibrant speakers, PARTNER

with colleagues, and CONNECT with peers.

INFORMATION PORTAL

This resource has been compiled specifically with super-markets, supermarket nutrition professionals, and super-market communications departments in mind. The portal

features information on a variety of fruit and vegetable topics, from pesticide residues to fruit and vegetable promotional days/months to a list of professionally photographed healthy real-food plates in support of MyPlate and the ‘make half the plate fruit and vegetables’ recommendation. Relevant background research, consumer handouts, consumer articles, and ready-to-use twitter

messages on key topics are also available. Additional information from FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org, PBHFoundation.org, and FoodChamps.org (for kids) is available by going directly to those sites. Some of the materials on the portal are downloadable and customizable.

To gain access to the portal, please contact Kristen Stevens, kstevens@PBHFoundation.org.

Over the last several years, PBH has supported supermarket

dietitians with their goal of helping consumers to not

only purchase, but consume more fruits and vegetables,

through education, events, and an information portal. The

education programs and information are complimentary to

all supermarket dietitians, as is participation at PBH events

which are by invitation only. Details on PBH’s programs for

retail dietitians are provided below and can also be found on

PBHFoundation.org.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

While the information portal is an education opportunity in and of itself, PBH also offers webinars and a magazine written specifically for retail dietitians and health professionals interact-ing directly with consumers. The webinars are mainly focused on new research related to fruit and vegetables and are offered throughout the calendar year based on availability. Continuing education credits are offered to all participants, and all webinars are also archived on PBHFoundation.org/public sector/webinars to allow for future reference. For a list of webinars, go to page 25.

The Fruit & Veggie Connection bi-annual magazine, written specifically for health professionals, is another great way for dietitians to learn more about key topics and trends pertaining to fruits and vegetables. Dietitians and health professionals can receive the magazine in the mail or access it online.

If you are interested in receiving the magazine, contact Allison Kissel, akissel@PBHFoundation.org to be added to the list. Archived issues are available at PBHFoundation.org on the Public Sector main page.

22 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

PBH AND SupermarketDIETIT IANS

Supermarket Dietitians at PBH’s Annual Conference, The Consumer Connection

PBH PROGRAMS AND EVENTSPBH sponsors three educational programs and events each calendar year for retail dietitians. Attendance is

complimentary and by invitation only. Two of the programs coincide with the timing of the National Grocers

Association’s Annual Expo and the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit Convention & Expo,

respectively. The third event is PBH’s Annual Conference.

PBH PROGRAM AT FRESH SUMMIT

For the fourth consecutive year, PBH will host approximately 20 supermarket dietitians for a 3-day educational and networking program October 22-25, 2015. The program coincides with PMA’s Fresh Summit in Atlanta, Georgia allowing the super-market dietitians to explore the tradeshow floor; an outstanding learning experience in and of itself. The program will feature var-ious learning opportunities including a session on ‘The Science of Flavor’ and a chef demonstration, marketing tips and tools to increase consumption, grocery store tours, sponsored receptions and dinners, and several networking opportunities.

23FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

PBH Supports Supermarket Dietitians in a Variety of Ways

Supermarket Dietitians Hosted by PBH at Fresh Summit 2014

PBH PROGRAM AT NGA

PBH hosts a small group of dietitians, from small chain and independent retailers, at the annual National Grocers Association (NGA) Expo, typically held in February in Las Vegas, Nevada. The program includes: Complimentary attendance at all NGA breakfast sessions and workshops, networking dinners with PBH staff members and members of PBH’s Board of Trustees, and time on the expo floor, including visiting the booths of PBH donors and supporters. The 2nd annual program will be held February 28-March 2, 2016.

The final educational program and event PBH sponsors annually for retail dietitians is our own annual conference, typically held in March/April in Arizona or California. The conference affords attendees the opportunity to build strategic alliances, grow their brand, learn from vibrant speakers, partner with colleagues, and connect with peers.

The conference unites companies and individuals for a notewor-thy 3-day conference full of high-energy sessions, one-on-one business meetings, up-to-date research, and a variety of interac-tive events designed specifically to help attendees connect. The conference also includes:

A 24-hour Networking Room for sponsors and attendees to meet one-on-one, share products, and build lasting partnerships.

A one-of-a-kind program line-up featuring experts from various fields, useful research for marketing fruits and vegetables, and networking time to get the most out of attending.

Exclusive Business Exchange Appointment times spread over a three-day period, utilizing scheduling software so you can meet WHO you want, WHEN you want.

Continuing education credits for dietitians are always available.

If you are interested in attending any one of these events, contact Cyndy Dennis, cdennis@PBHFoundation.org or Elizabeth Pivonka, epivonka@PBHFoundation.org.

For more information on the conference visit PBHFoundation.org/annual_meet.

PBH ANNUAL CONFERENCE: THE CONSUMER CONNECTION

24 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

In order to help health professionals in their effort to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, PBH offers webinars for 1 hour of continuing education credit for dietitians. PowerPoint and audio recordings can be found at PBHFoundation.org/pub_sec/webinars/

2015 State of the Plate, An Overview of Fruit & Vegetable Consumption TrendsThis webinar shares insights into American’s eating habits and new data on fruit and vegetable consumption trends. Learn about who is eating fruit and vegetables today and hear about future consumption estimates based on current population characteristics.

Understanding Food Risks Organic foods, all natural ingredients, pesticide residues, food additives, genetically modified foods, allergens: what are the relative risks of consuming these in the food we eat? Dr. Bruce Chassy, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign presents basic food risks, including an overview of toxicology, and then applies this knowledge to discuss the safety of foods.

The Whole Truth About 100% Fruit Juice Learn more about 100% fruit juice, with emphasis on the unique benefits from polyphenols in 100% grape juice made from Concord grapes, with polyphenol expert Mario Ferruzzi, PhD of Purdue University. Nutrition blogger Sarah-Jane Bedwell, RD, LDN also offers consumer-friendly tips, techniques and recipes to help squeeze more fruit into the day.

Strawberries as a Functional Food: A Sweet Strategy for Health This webinar covers the protective power of strawberries in a variety of health conditions, including chronic inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, insulin resistance, diabetes and age-related declines in cognitive function.

The Power of the Pour: The Nutrition & Health Benefits of 100% Fruit Juice Review evidence that supports the benefits of consuming 100% fruit juice as part of a healthy diet, including improved nutrient adequacy and diet quality. Review findings from studies on 100% orange juice/100% fruit juice consumption and health concerns such as overweight/obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and heart health risk factors.

Setting the Nutrition Record Straight on Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Learn about new research on the nutritional quality of fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables that can help encourage consumers to “think frozen.”

Cans Get You Cooking! Understand how nutritious and versatile canned fruit and veggies are, including ways they can be incorporated into everyday meals for overall health and wellness.

Food Safety Efforts in Produce ProductionUnderstand how the produce industry is working to prevent microbial contamination of fruit and vegetables in order to instill confidence about produce safety.

Building a Better Breakfast with High-Quality Protein and ProduceReview the research on how high-quality protein paired with fruit and vegetables can influence nutrient adequacy, satiety and health. Learn practical tips to help build a better breakfast.

Grapes and Cardiovascular Health: The Heart of the MatterAn in-depth look at the science supporting the role of grapes in heart health plus an overview of emerging new areas of grape health research. Numerous serving suggestions are included.

Pesticide Residues: What to Communicate to ConsumersThis webinar addresses the importance of accurately communi-cating to consumers that eating either conventional or organic fruit and vegetables is the right choice and eating more is the healthy choice.

California Raisins: Small Fruit, Mighty Nutrition A review of research highlighting the role of raisins in health, as well as practical tips for cooking with raisins.

Potatoes: A World of UsesPotatoes are used for their versatility, low cost, and easy storage, but seldom get credit for their nutritious contributions in the diet.

25FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

26 FRUIT & VEGGIE CONNECTION, FALL 2015, ISSUE 5

To promote the message to “fill half your plate with fruit and vegeta-

bles,” PBH developed MyPlate education sheets to demon-strate to consumers what a healthy “plate” could look like for dinner, lunch, snacks.. For each healthy plate, there is a recipe with preparation instructions and a shopping list—everything that’s needed to quickly and easily re-create the meal at home. To date, 45 healthy plates have been developed.

The concept behind these plates is to show what MyPlate looks like with real food. The menu for each plate must meet the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters nutrition criteria, consistent with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Recipes are developed and taste tested by consumers, and a professional photo of each plate is used to promote the healthy plates. Nutrient and cost analyses for each recipe/meal are also included. PBH features these healthy plates in cookbooks, education sheets, and in ongoing social media efforts to promote the message about filling half your plate with fruit and vegetables for healthy eating, including Facebook and Twitter.

Healthy plate ideas are available at PBHFoundation.org/pri_sec/retail/mar_tools/half_the_plate/. These colorful education sheets are downloadable and free to use, with recipes that can be made quickly and inexpensively at home. A complementary resource showing how MyPlate can be used to replace less healthy/un-

Asparagus, Mandarin Orange, Chicken and Rice SaladPreparation Time: 30 minutesFresh California asparagus, mandarin oranges, chicken and brown rice make perfect complements in this

easy Asian-influenced salad.

In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette ingredients; set aside. Cook rice according to package directions. Place whole trimmed asparagus in a large skillet with 1 ½ inches of water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2-5 minutes. Rinse with cool water and cut into 1-inch pieces. In a medium size bowl, toss all ingredients. Serves 4.

Weekly Meal Planning Tip: When you’re planning a dinner with chicken, cook up extra chicken breast and refrigerate for later use in this salad.

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 Tbsp rice vinegar3 Tbsp mandarin orange juice, reserved from oranges

1 Tbsp soy sauce

Salad

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed2 11-oz cans mandarin oranges, drained, reserve juice

12 oz. cooked chicken breast, cut into chunksInstant brown rice to make 3 cups cooked

Mash half the avocado chunks with yogurt and

lime juice in a medium bowl. Add remaining filling

ingredients, including the rest of the avocado chunks;

mix gently. Top each tortilla with ¼ of filling mixture.

Roll, tuck in ends. Slice in half diagonally, securing with

toothpicks, if needed. Serves 4.

*Large avocados recommended for this recipe. A

large avocado averages about 8 ounces. For easy

instructions on how to choose and use avocado, visit

CaliforniaAvocado.com.

Fresh California avocado doubles for dressing and filling complementing blueberries, carrots, arugula and chicken

in this appetizing summer wrap.

Cooking Tip: Mash a ripe fresh California Avocado to create a satisfying dip, or use it as a spread on

sandwiches and toast. Substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods, avocados may help reduce

dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol while adding good fats to your diet.

Ingredients

1 ripe, fresh California

Avocado, peeled, seeded, and

cut into chunks*

½ cup plain nonfat Greek

yogurt

1 tsp. lime juice

½ cup blueberries

½ cup grated carrots

¼ cup chopped red onion

Preparation Time: 15 minutesCalifornia Avocado Super Summer Wrap

2 cups chopped fresh arugula

12 oz. cooked chicken breast, cubed

4-8” whole wheat tortillas

A flavorful, enticing mix of fresh strawberries, white beans and edamame in a light vinaigrette, nested on baby spinach and topped with crumbled feta cheese.

Cook edamame according to package directions, while preparing remaining ingredients. Rinse under cool water and drain. In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette ingredients. In a medium bowl, toss all ingredients except spinach and vinaigrette. Serve on individual plates by nesting strawberry, white bean and edamame mix atop spinach. Drizzle with dressing. Serves 4.

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

¼ cup apple juice

¼ tsp salt

⅛ tsp pepper

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Strawberry, White Bean and Edamame Salad

Salad

1½ cup shelled edamame

1½ cup Naturipe strawberries, quartered

1 15-oz can low-sodium white beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup red onion, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

6 cups baby spinach

healthy meals can be found in the form of a PowerPoint presenta-tion at PBHFoundation.org/ pdfs/pub_sec/MyPlate_Meal_Make-overs.pdf.

MyPlate education sheets show consumers how easy it can be to create healthy meals by filling half your plate with fruit and vegetables.

Healthy MyPlate Ideas

Produce for Better Health Foundation Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) consumer education foundation whose mission is to motivate Amer-icans to eat more fruit and vegetables to improve public health. PBH partners with government agencies like CDC, non-profit organizations, health professionals, educators, and members of the fruit and vegetable industry to promote increased consumption of fruit and vegetables. We leverage private industry and public sector resources, influence policy makers, motivate key consumer influencers, and promote fruit and vegetables directly to consumers.

We’re on a Mission!

Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Managed by PBH, Fruit & Veggies—More Matters is the nation’s largest public-private fruit and vegetable nutrition education initia-tive. The foundation of Fruit & Veggies—More Matters is a brand logo and messaging designed to motivate Americans to eat more fruit and vegetables. Fruit & Veggies—More Matters materials and messages are widely featured in print, on websites, and on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and blogs. Since its inception in 2007, it is estimated that the Fruit & Veggies—More Matters logo has been seen an average of 108 times by every American.

Fruit & Veggie Connection is a publication of Produce for Better Health Foundation for the public health community. Reprinting with credit is encouraged. Direct comments or questions to FVConnection@PBHFoundation.org

Join the DiscussionPBH Twitter Party: the first Wednesday

of each month at 4 p.m. EST

Fruit & Vegetable Blog: Stem & Stalk . . . Let’s Talk (MoreMatters.org/?cat=27)

PBH Offers FREE Resources on Fruit & Vegetables!Access is quick and easy . . .

7465 Lancaster Pike Suite J, 2nd Floor Hockessin, DE 19707

Receive free email updatesWeekly Menus and Recipes (for consumers)

Fruit & Veggie Connection Magazine

Webinars

Signing up is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. GO to PBHFoundation.org/get_inv/signupforinfo/

2. ENTER your email and click ‘Join’

3. CHOOSE the information you want to receive

Visit our websitesPBHFoundation.org

(for health influencers)

MoreMatters.org (for consumers)

FoodChamps.org (for kids)

Follow usFacebook (Fruits-VeggiesMore-Matters)

Twitter (Twitter.com/Fruits_Veggies)

Pinterest (Pinterest.com/fvmorematters)

Instagram (instagram.com/fruitsandveggiesmorematters)

©2015 Produce for Better Health Foundation. 1635-0715