Produce for Kids – Mom on the go in Holy Toledo

Healthy Families, Healthy Kids Campaign FLASH GIVEAWAY!

September 20, 2013September 21, 2013momonthegoinholytoledo

It is that time of year again, time to say goodbye to the pool days and hello to school days! Which means it is time to get back into a routine. No more dinners at 9pm. Gone are the mornings for sleeping in (and wouldn’t ya know I just got my kiddos accustomed to the idea, only took practically all summer break, ha-ha). And time to start the school year off right, on a healthy note! Nutrition is important at home and in the classroom. Which is why I am excited to share that Produce for Kids is teaming up with Meijer stores for the second annual Healthy Families, Helping Kids campaign to raise money for local health and nutrition-based classroom projects through DonorsChoose.org. Last year, the campaign raised more than $169,000 and supported 652 classroom projects throughout the country.

Beginning Sept. 2 to Sept. 28, the joint campaign will help raise money for classroom projects that encourage healthy relationships with food. The more produce Meijer shoppers add to their shopping lists, the more hope they can give to local children. All participating fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers at Meijer stores will make a consumption-based donation DonorsChoose.org.

Parents, be on the lookout for Produce for Kids signage, featuring characters from the popular Sprout® television show, The Chica Show, in the produce section of your local Meijer store. There, you will find Ideal Meals recipes, tips and solutions to help you keep your family healthy for back-to-school and year-round.

I have to warn you, all the recipes are amazing! I let each of my kiddos pick out two to make with mom during our kids in the kitchen sessions together. Having your children help select the produce from the store, clean it, and prepare a meal really fosters the learning process.

3 out of 3 of my kiddos gave these recipe 5 stars (or moons, said the 3-year-old, lol!) thus; it only seems appropriate to share…..

Blueberry Banana Pancakes

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

1 cup fat free milk

3 Tbsp. canola oil

1 egg

1 banana, sliced

½ cup blueberries

2 tsp. caramel dip (optional)

1 Tbsp. pecans, finely chopped (optional)

Directions:

1.Sift flours, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Add milk, oil and egg, and mix until moistened.

2.Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; spray with cooking spray. Spoon ¼ cup pancake mixture onto skillet. Add sliced bananas and blueberries, and cook 2-3 minutes, or until pancakes begin to bubble. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes, or until done.

3.Top with pecans and drizzle with caramel dip. (optional)

For more great recipes like this one be sure to check out Produce for Kids website…also has great after school snack ideas!

Disclosure…

Produce for Kids put together a goody bag filled with great ways for me to further extend the message. My kiddos have taken the lunch bag and sandwich bag to school which had a few children inquiring about Produce for Kids. And I have been sporting the travel cup all over town. But I felt a little bummed that I couldn’t send one to my loyal readers. So I am doing what I constantly tell my children to do…

I simply have to share! But the campaign only goes till the 28th so this will be a flash giveaway! I am giving away one $25 Meijer’s gift card!!

To enter simply complete the following….

Like Mom on the go in Holy Toledo Facebook page
Follow @mamaof3onthego on twitter
Like Produce for Kids Facebook page
Follow @produceforkids on twitter
Post a comment expressing you have completed the steps above and state what is your favorite fruit or vegetable.

Winner will be randomly selected Sept. 23rd @ 11:59pm

Earn Money for Local Schools at Meijer and Pinterest Contest!

September 8, 2012September 8, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Meijer and Produce for Kids are teaming up to host the second annual Healthy Schools, Healthy Minds campaign. Now through September 29th, local shoppers can contribute to this cause and support your local schools by adding produce to their Meijer shopping lists. During the campaign, participating fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers will make a donation based on consumption of their fresh produce items to DonorsChoose.org, which will support local classroom projects.

Shoppers/Moms, be on the lookout for the Produce for Kids display unit, featuring characters from popular Sprout shows, LazyTown™ and Noodle and Doodle, in the produce section of your local Meijer store. The more items you add to your shopping lists, the more local classrooms will benefit! My kiddos had a wonderful time selecting produce to place in our cart today.

Meijer is also featuring the Ideal Meals™ program from Produce for Kids in the produce department. Ideal Meals cards provide 12 quick, easy, and healthy chef-created/dietitian-approved complete meal solutions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts. I let each of my kiddos select one Ideal Meals card. The toddler took her time selecting the perfect card.

Then it was off to see the fish…

Also, Produce for Kids just launched a fun and exciting contest on Pinterest. Be sure to check it out! The full Pinterest contest rules can be found here: http://www.produceforkids.com/sweepstakes/fall2012/family/index.html

I put the following recipe on my grocery list from Ideal Meals….

Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna

Serves 8

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 5 hours

Ingredients:

· 2 Tbsp. olive oil

· 2 cups mushrooms, chopped

· 1 cup green bell pepper, seeded, chopped

· 1 large onion, finely chopped

· 3 cups spinach, loosely packed, chopped

· 1 lb. 2% cottage cheese

· 2 cups (plus ½ cup) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

· ¼ tsp. salt

· 26 oz. jarred low sodium pasta sauce

· 2 large zucchini, sliced, ¼-inch thick rounds

· 8 oz. no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms, peppers, onions and spinach. Cook 5 minutes, or until water evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. 2. In mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese and salt. Divide into 2 portions. 3. Grease slow cooker. Cover bottom with ⅓ of sauce and assemble as follows: single layer noodles, ⅓ of cooked vegetables, single layer zucchini, 1 portion of cottage cheese mixture, single layer of noodles. Repeat layering once in same order. Add layer of remaining sauce, cooked vegetables and zucchini. 4. Sprinkle ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top. 5. Cook on low for 5 hours or until noodles and zucchini are tender.

Nutrition Information:

Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna: Calories 490, Fat 16.32g, Protein 31.17g, Carbohydrate 50.81g, Fiber 4.64g, Cholesterol 51mg, Sodium 379mg, Calcium 614mg, Vitamin A 2696 IU, Vitamin C 39.07mg, Iron 2.88mg

Moms mark your Calendars for June 9th: Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign! (Includes easy, healthy, family friendly recipes)

June 2, 2012June 2, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

Produce for Kids® is launching its annual Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign with 16 major supermarket chains across the country, including Ohio Meijer stores, to help raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Launched this past Sunday, shoppers like you can support local children’s cancer research programs and get healthy at the same time. Thanks to the annual Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign hosted by Meijer and Produce for Kids, the more produce shoppers add to their shopping lists the more hope they can give to local Ohio children.

Celebrating a milestone 10th birthday in 2012, Produce for Kids is excited to kick off this year’s campaign with a new partnership with Sprout® and LazyTownTM. During the campaign, which will run now through June 23rd, Meijer will offer shoppers collectible Produce for Kids’ Ideal MealsTM – quick and easy healthy meal ideas, which are free and can be found in displays featuring LazyTown characters from the popular, health-focused, children’s series airing exclusively in the U.S. on 24-hour preschool television channel, Sprout.

Ideal Meals offer shoppers chef-created/nutritionist-approved easy solutions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Featuring fresh fruits and vegetables as the main ingredients, Ideal Meals are great for busy families who crave fast meal options that don’t require stopping at the local drive-thru.

In store food demos will be taking place in all Ohio Meijer stores on Saturday, June 9th . Ideal Meals will be made so feel free to stop by your local Meijer store to check out the fun with your family!

Below are some delicious and healthful summer-inspired Ideal Meals perfect for any upcoming picnics or BBQs you may be attending and nutritious summer lunch recipe ideas for you and your kids:

Turkey Burgers & Rainbow Salad

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

· 1 lb. ground turkey

· 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

· 1 egg

· 1 Tbsp. fresh basil, (or ⅓ Tbsp. dried) chopped fine

· 1 cup mushrooms, washed/dried, sliced

· ½ medium sweet onion, sliced

· 2 Tbsp. butter

· 4 slices, deli style mozzarella cheese (¾ oz. each)

· 1 large tomato, sliced

· 4 whole grain burger buns

Directions:

1. In large bowl, mix breadcrumbs, egg, basil, and salt. Once mixed, add ground turkey and mix well. Make patties about the size of the bun.

2. In frying pan, on medium/high heat add butter, mushrooms and onions and cook about 10 minutes until tender and brown. Turn heat to low and keep warm.

3. Pan-fry or grill, on medium heat, burgers until firm (about 4-5 minutes a side).

4. Assemble bun with burger, cheese, tomato and onion/mushroom mixture.

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

· 1 apple, cored, sliced

· 4 rainbow peppers, seeded, sliced

· ½ mango, skinned, diced

· ½ fresh lemon, juiced

· 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. Thoroughly toss apples, peppers, mango, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl.

2. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Nutrition Information:

Turkey Burgers & Rainbow Salad Calories 689; Fat ; Protein ; Carbohydrate ; Fiber 14g; Cholesterol 154mg; Sodium 606mg; Calcium 34%DV; Vitamin A 41%DV; Vitamin C 160%DV; Iron 25%DV

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Pineapple Pork Kebobs

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:

Rosemary Garlic Marinade

· ½ cup olive oil

· 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced

· 4 cloves garlic, minced

Pineapple Pork Kebobs

· 1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut 1-inch chunks

· 1 cup pineapple, cut 1-inch chunks

· 1 cup sweet onion, cut 1-inch chunks

· 1 cup rainbow peppers, cut 1-inch chunks

· 10-inch skewers, soaked

Rosemary Veggies

· 2 cups broccoli, chunked

· 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

· 4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Rosemary Garlic Marinade

1. Mix olive oil, rosemary and garlic in small mixing bowl. Divide in half.

Pineapple Pork Kebobs

1. Thread pork, pineapple, onions and peppers onto skewers.

2. Brush skewers with half of Rosemary Garlic Marinade, season with salt. Let stand 5 minutes.

3. Place skewers under preheated broiler 5 inches from heat; broil 10-15 minutes or until meat is firm and lightly browned.

Rosemary Veggies

1. Heat remaining marinade in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add broccoli and cherry tomatoes, cook for 5 minutes, or until broccoli is bright green and tender.

2. Remove from heat and add cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Pineapple Pork Kebobs: Calories 580, Fat 33.7g, Protein 33.3g, Carbohydrate 34.8g, Fiber 5.5g, Cholesterol 83mg, Sodium 335mg, Calcium 257mg, Vitamin A 1171 IU, Vitamin C 103.2mg, Iron 3.3mg

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Tasty Hummus Sandwich

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

· 8 slices whole wheat bread

· 4 Tbsp. hummus

· 4 Tbsp. guacamole

· 4 romaine lettuce leaves

· 4 Tbsp. goat cheese

· 2 mini cucumbers, sliced

· 1 medium tomato, sliced

Directions:

1. Toast bread. Spread 1 Tbsp. hummus and guacamole on 1 slice of bread, add 1 romaine lettuce leaf, spread 1 Tbsp. goat cheese, then add cucumber and tomato slices.

2. Top with second slice of bread.

Nutrition Information:

Tasty Hummus Sandwich Calories 381, Fat 9.7g, Protein 15.1g, Carbohydrate 59.3g, Fiber 9.8g, Cholesterol 6mg, Sodium 452mg, Calcium 122mg, Vitamin A 3187 IU, Vitamin C 15.6mg, Iron 4.3mg

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Perfectly Petite Pizzas

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

· 2 whole wheat English muffins

· 4 Tbsp. tomato sauce

· ¼ lb. deli roast beef

· ¼ lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced

· 4 Tbsp. guacamole

· 1 medium tomato, sliced

· 2 mini cucumbers, sliced

Directions:

1. Toast English muffins.

2. Spread 1 Tbsp. tomato sauce on each English muffin. Add roast beef, cheese, 1 Tbsp. guacamole, tomato and cucumber.

Nutrition Information:

Perfectly Petite Pizzas Calories 256, Fat 9.1g, Protein 18.7g, Carbohydrate 24.9g, Fiber 5.1g, Cholesterol 43mg, Sodium 391mg, Calcium 257mg, Vitamin A 861 IU, Vitamin C 26mg, Iron 2.2mg

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To find other great recipes revolving around fresh produce visit: www.produceforkids.com. Also, be sure to follow PFK on Pinterest for even more fun recipe ideas!

Meet ya in the produce isle….