Produce for Kids and Get Healthy, Give Hope

Wouldn’t it be great if you make your grocery budget really work for you?  I mean, not just buy healthy food for your family but give to a really great charity at the same time?

Wish granted!

Produce for Kids is partnering with major supermarket chains with their Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign to help raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.  May 29th through June 26th, when you buy fresh fruit and veggies at participating grocery stores, a consumption-based donation will be made to local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.  All you have to do is keep doing what you do…shop.

But where can you shop to make sure your produce purchases count?  Glad you asked!  The following grocery retailers will be participating May 29th-June 26th.  Homeland, United, Country Mart, Independent, Advantage and Major Savings.  Personally, I’ll be doing my produce shopping at Homeland for the next month.  I’m more of a Sprouts gal myself,  but knowing that all the bananas and strawberries I buy will do double duty is enough to get me back to Homeland.

Need some inspiration for your grocery list?  Here are some healthy snack recipes courtesy of Produce for Kids.

Banana Fro-Yo

Ingredients:

2 bananas, peeled, chopped
3 cups lowfat yogurt
1 cup pineapple, cored, chopped
¼ cup caramel dip

1. Place bananas in freezer bag and freeze overnight.
2. Blend bananas, yogurt and pineapple in blender until thick and smooth.
3. Portion and freeze for 25 minutes.
4. Drizzle with caramel dip and serve.

Smoothie Pops

1 large peach or mango, peeled, chopped
1 large nectarine, peeled, chopped
2 medium bananas, peeled, sliced
1 cup strawberries, leaves hulled
1 cup blueberries
¼ cup orange or fruit juice
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
16 paper cups

1. Place all smoothie ingredients in a blender and blend until just smooth.

2. Place 16 paper cups on a baking tray.  Pour smoothie into paper cups.  Place tray in freezer and freeze until slushy, about 20 minutes.

3. Remove tray from freezer and insert one popsicle stick into the center of each cup.  Return to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

4. Tear away paper cup and place on plate.

Super Green Smoothie

 2 cups 1% milk
1 banana, peeled, cut in half
½ avocado, pitted, peeled
1 cup spinach, gently packed
1 cup green apple, cored, chopped
3 Tbsp. ground flax seed
2 Tbsp. honey

1. Blend milk, banana, avocado, spinach, apple, flax seed and honey in blender until smooth.