News Type: Food in the News

Spring strategies that connect with health-conscious shoppers

Posted on May 6, 2025 by -

Spring means luscious offerings of strawberries, asparagus and snap peas. As these seasonal favorites hit the produce aisles, brands are highlighting ways families can enjoy the fresh flavor through kid-friendly snacks, simple weeknight dinners or interactive cooking experiences.

Brighter Bites, Yo Quiero and the Healthy Family Project are carryout out campaigns that blend nutrition education, convenience and playful engagement, aiming to turn springtime produce into both a household staple and a source of fun.

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Produce Prescriptions A cure for fruit and vegetable underconsumption?

Posted on February 9, 2024 by -

Initial research findings suggest produce boxes offer unique benefits. Together, Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit, and UT (University of Texas) physicians have partnered to deliver a produce prescription program and pilot study of 150 families with Medicaid-eligible children ages 5-12 in the Houston, TX, area for eight months. Part of this program includes families receiving deliveries of produce boxes full of about 20 pounds of fresh fruits and veggies, or 8 to 10 types of fruits and vegetables, delivered every two weeks for 32 weeks directly to their home via DoorDash.

“Early indications are that families who received Produce Rx were able to significantly increase their fruit and vegetable consumption. Families have seen a wide array of produce items, such as kohlrabi, eggplant, and dragon fruit, in addition to many items they were already familiar with,” says Mike Pomeroy, MPH, vice president of operations, Brighter Bites.

“One parent commented, ‘My son and I are always excited to see what will come in the bag next week. We work together in the kitchen to find ways to use all the unique produce items.’ These families have learned to love new produce varietals that they will purchase with their own dollars in the years to come, increasing produce sales for everyone,” says Pomeroy.

Click here to read the full article.

 

Thanksgiving with Brighter Bites

Posted on November 22, 2017 by -

Here at Brighter Bites, we love holidays that are centered around food and trying new recipes, so we’re most grateful that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Thanksgiving reminds us to be thankful for all the fruits and vegetables that flourish in the fall and winter – such as sweet potatoes, apples, squash, and pumpkin!

While we love cooking with these amazing seasonal produce items, an after dinner tummy-ache reminds us that not all recipes are created equal and that many traditional Thanksgiving dishes are full of WHOA foods. But did you know that with a few simple swaps, you can incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your Thanksgiving day gathering (to leave some extra room for pumpkin pie, of course)?

Whether you are spending the day cooking with your family or enjoying a potluck meal with friends, check out these healthier Thanksgiving options that are full of GO foods AND flavor.

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

This warm soup is a great way to start to your holiday meal! Serve as an appetizer or side and add some roasted pumpkin seeds on top for a nice crunch!

The Perfect Pear and Brussels Sprout Salad

Many Thanksgiving foods tend to be orange, yellow, and brown… but not this salad! Add some color and vitamins to your holiday menu with this yummy dish.

Sneaky Mashed Potatoes

Shhhhh… we sneak in some cauliflower to this updated mashed potatoes recipe. The kids will be so busy gobbling this up, they won’t even notice it’s healthy!

Sweet Potato Harvest Salad

This is the perfect side for your holiday plate. It is full of seasonal produce and the pomegranate seeds adds a bright “pop” of flavor.

 

 

Tag @BrighterBites on Facebook or Instagram to show us your #HealthySides!

Happy Thanksgiving from our Brighter Bites family to yours!

Giving Families a Chance to Help Their Picky Eaters

Posted on February 17, 2016 by -

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Caitlin Daniel’s op-Ed in yesterday’s New York Times, A Hidden Cost to Giving Kids Their Vegetables, suggests a shift in the national conversation about the food kids should be eating today and cites the need for more programs that expose children to nutritious foods. Brighter Bites is highly focused on providing access to free fresh produce and nutrition education to families living in the food deserts of Houston, Dallas, and Austin in three eight-week increments throughout the year. By giving parents the financial freedom to cook nutritious meals for their kids, we give children a decent chance of liking them. Ms. Daniel’s call for more programming to help low-income kids change their tastes is spot on. Expanding the reach of programs like Brighter Bites will expand the palates of our children.

Making Fruits and Vegetables Fun and Beautiful

Posted on May 13, 2015 by -

This week our friends at the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas in Austin gave a nice shout out to Brighter Bites in an article providing great tips for getting kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. We love where they are going! Making produce more fun and interactive, and giving it directly to families to take home is the cornerstone of the Brighter Bites program. The best news is that the families keep asking for more. We’re adding on to the Capitol Area Food Bank’s tips in a blog post next week. Come back to read all about the Sneaky Strategies to Increase Your Veggie Consumption.

February is American Heart Month

Posted on February 10, 2015 by -

Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States according to the CDC? A great way to help reduce your risk of heart disease is by munching on lots of fruits and veggies. Most fruits and vegetables are packed with fiber which may prevent high blood cholesterol. Eating more fresh produce could also help reduce sodium intake and possibly lead to lower blood pressure. Heart According to the American Heart Association, most adults should be consuming about four to five cups of fruits and vegetables every day. One easy way to do that is to add fruits and veggies to foods that you already enjoy. Adding broccoli to pasta or fruit to yogurt allows you to enjoy some of your favorite foods and still get plenty of fruits and veggies. You can also try different ways of preparing vegetables that you haven’t tried before. For example, roasting Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and tomatoes brings out different flavors than if they were steamed or raw. Of course, one of our favorite ways to eat lots of fruits and veggies is to pack them into smoothies. Whether it’s spinach in our popular Hulk Smoothie or carrots in our X-Ray Vision Smoothie, we love slurping up tasty smoothies packed with a nutritious punch. Including more colorful produce in your diet can lead to a healthier heart and therefore, a healthier life. Brighter Bites offers families a variety of vibrant veggies and fruits every week which we hope will help them have healthy heart beets!