Fruit and vegetable program exposes kids to healthy food choices

Children in South Dakota are diversifying their palettes and biting into an array of fresh produce through an educational program designed to increase their awareness of and interest in healthier eating options. Founded in California, the Harvest of the Month Program includes short, engaging, kid-friendly presentations that expose children to the history, health benefits, and taste of more than 40 different fruits and vegetables. The long-term goal is that increased exposure to these foo ds will lead to healthier eating choices at home.

The program can occur in a variety of places, from individual classrooms and school assemblies, to health or physical education classes, afterschool programs, and home visits. In-school presentations address the specific produce’s history, peak season, and vitamins and minerals, and teach children how to best select the fruit or vegetable at the store – then, they get to taste the food!

To learn more about the South Dakota Harvest of the Month Program and to obtain free lesson plans with handouts and recipes, visit the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) summary of the project. To connect with the program itself, contact Kristie Maher, Executive Director of the South Dakota Discovery Center, at (605) 224-8295 or [email protected].

Communities in Action provide examples of strategies or tools in action. Their purpose is to connect like-minded communities in their implementation efforts, giving insight into how others are tackling key challenges and what they've accomplished. To learn more about the evidence supporting this strategy's effectiveness or resources to help move towards implementation, see the What Works for Health summary of Fruit & vegetable taste testing.

Date added: September 15, 2015