BUY PRODUCE AND RAISE MONEY FOR KIDS
From now to July 3, when shoppers buy participating sponsors’ fresh fruits and vegetables at Meijer, a donation will be made to support the Children’s Miracle Network® hospitals in the area. Locally the donation goes to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Meijer has been involved in the program, called Produce for Kids (PFK) over the past 8 years and have raised over $417,000!
Purchase of the following items at Meijer Stores will benefit the local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals: NatureSweet® Cherubs® tomatoes; DOLE® packaged salads; Earthbound Farm® organic salads; Highline Mushrooms; HMC Farms, Fowler Packing Company, and SunWest Fruit Company – California peaches, plums, and nectarines; Marzetti® salad dressings; SUNSET® Campari® tomatoes; Mission Produce Hass avocados; Green Giant® fresh potatoes; RealSweet® Vidalia® onions; Stemilt GrowersTM apples and AppleSweets®; Well•Pict strawberries; TopLine® Mini cucumbers and tomatoes on the vine.
In addition, PFK promotes healthy eating and provides delicious recipes created by Registered Dietitians. These are a few of my favorites:
Zesty Pasta Salad (Serves 6)
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
4 cups cooked whole grain pasta (penne or bow tie)
1/4 cup Marzetti® Roasted Garlic Italian Vinaigrette salad dressing
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Sunset® Campari® cocktail tomatoes or NatureSweet® Cherubs® tomatoes, halved
½ Topline® seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup finely chopped Highline mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped RealSweet® Vidalia® onion
Cook pasta in large saucepan according to package directions. Drain; rinse briefly under cold water.
Combine dressing, basil, and garlic in small bowl. Place pasta in large bowl; add tomato, cucumber, avocado, mushrooms, and onion in large bowl. Add dressing; toss until evenly coated.
Breakfast Pizza (Serves 2)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
1 (6-inch) whole wheat pita
3 Tbsp. almond butter
½ cup Stemilt AppleSweets®, flavor of choice
½ cup Well-Pict strawberries, cut into pieces
½ cup California peaches, plums or nectarines
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds
1 tsp. honey
Cut peaches, plums or nectarines in half and remove pit. Cut halves into thin slices.
Toast pita. Spread with almond butter, and layer with apple slices, strawberries, peaches, plums or nectarines and almond slivers. Drizzle honey over top. Cut in pizza-like slices and serve.
Have fun making these recipes with your kids and don’t forget to visit Meijer and PFK at Maranda’s Park Parties. We’ll have coupons, fresh apples, recipe cards, water bottles and healthy eating fun!
I always had an interest in food and nutrition and attended Central Michigan University to earn a Bachelors Degree in Dietetics. Several years later, I went back to college to obtain my Masters degree in Human Nutrition from Andrews University. I have been a Registered Dietitian for 27 years and have spent the last 20 years working with Supermarkets. I discovered years ago that grocery stores were a great place to reach consumers and help them obtain accurate nutrition information. I also realized that busy families are looking for quick, affordable, and healthy ideas for meals. In my position as Healthy Living Manager at Meijer I spend a lot of time working with food manufacturers and commodity groups to search out and create easy recipes that can become part of family-pleasing menus. Although my two daughters are now grown and married, my husband and I continue to enjoy cooking together and creating new recipes with nutritious ingredients. I hope my information provides you and your family with easy ideas to live a healthy life!