AUGUST 2014 3
Produce included approximately seven different items each week, including cucumbers, squash, apricots, carrots, apples, zucchini, plums, sweet potatoes, watermelon, broccoli and even the most beautiful eggplants!
Each week the Project Transformation high school volunteers sorted and bagged different types of produce into two 15-pound bags for each family. Additionally, the families received nutrition education handouts to introduce new ideas on how to prepare, freeze and incorporate the produce into mealtimes. The children received weekly nutrition education at Project Transformation.
During BrighterBites distribution days, families received food
samples which included produce items from the week's produce bags, as well as a coordinating recipe card. As it turns out, kids loved spinach in the Hulk Smoothie! Other items sampled included fresh fruit kebobs with watermelon, orange X-Ray Vision Smoothies with carrots, oranges, apples, and pineapples; carrot mini muffins; corn, avocado and black bean salsa; triple fruit
coleslaw; and frozen
fruit popsicles.
Program surveys showed repeatedly that families used and were grateful for the produce, as well as the nutrition education component.
In the fall, BrighterBites will expand its programming to nine Dallas area schools, serving approximately 2,500 families!