Meijer Partners With Produce For Kids To Bring Nutrition Education Program Jump With Jill To Schools

The healthy eating-focused Produce for Kids campaign with Meijer launches May 31 and will raise funds to bring the nutrition education program, Jump with Jill, to local schools in the Meijer area. The Produce for Kids campaign offers Meijer shoppers in-store and online meal solutions, recipes and tips for families looking to embrace healthier eating habits.

The Meijer and Produce for Kids campaign, which will run through June 27, is supported by 11 participating fresh fruit and vegetable companies. Meijer grocery shoppers are encouraged to support these brands by eating more nutritious fruits and vegetables. Shoppers can also sample simple, healthy Produce for Kids recipes at select stores on June 13.

“At Meijer, our mission is not only to provide our customers with a fresh and healthy experience every time they enter our stores, but to also create strong local communities through school programs like Jump with Jill,” said Shari Steinbach, registered dietitian and Meijer healthy living manager. “We are proud to partner with Produce for Kids on an effort that encourages our shoppers to introduce fresh fruits and vegetables to their families.”

In-store displays and signage, featuring characters from the popular family movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, will be displayed in Meijer produce departments and will list all participating companies. The signage will direct shoppers to www.produceforkids.com, which features more than 200 registered dietitian-approved and family-tested recipes, meal planning tools, grocery store specific campaign details, and healthy tips from real parents. Additionally, shoppers will be encouraged to share their own healthy recipes and ideas during the campaign using the hashtag #produceforkids.

“We are proud of our partnership with Meijer to educate families about the benefits of eating nutritious produce as part of a healthy lifestyle,” said John Shuman, president of Produce for Kids. “We are extremely proud of the $5M we have raised thus far to support local children’s charities, and we are excited to partner with Jump with Jill this year to further teach nutrition to kids in a fun and engaging way.”

Through partnerships with Produce for Kids, Meijer and select fruit and vegetable companies have raised more than $1M to benefit children's charities. Produce for Kids and Meijer raised more than $60,000 during its fall campaign, which allowed the Jump with Jill program to take place in 27 schools in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

A familiar initiative to families in the Midwest, Jump with Jill is armed with catchy songs, upbeat dance moves, and a hip wardrobe to engage kids on the subject of health and leave them empowered to eat better.

Meijer offers a diverse selection of fruits and vegetables to make it easier for families to live out what they learned from Jump with Jill in the produce department of their local grocery store.

Suppliers participating in the Meijer and Produce for Kid campaign include: Bolthouse Farms - Carrots & Premium Juices; Dole Food Company; Earthbound Farm - Organic Packaged Greens; Grower Direct California Cherries; HMC Farms & SunWest Fruit Company - California Peaches, Plums, & Nectarines; Marzetti Company - Marzetti Refrigerated Salad Dressings; Mastronardi Produce - SUNSET Tomatoes on the Vine; NatureSweet Cherubs Heavenly Salad Tomatoes & NatureSweet SunBursts Sweet Golden Snacking Tomatoes; Potandon Produce - Green Giant Fresh Klondike Rose & Red Potatoes; Shuman Produce - RealSweet Vidalia Onions; and Well-Pict Berries Strawberries.

About Produce for Kids
Produce for Kids is a philanthropically based organization that brings the produce industry together to educate consumers about healthy eating with fresh produce and raises funds for local children’s non-profit organizations. Since its creation in 2002 by Shuman Produce Inc., Produce for Kids has raised more than $5 million to benefit kids. For more information, visit www.produceforkids.com.

About Meijer
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 207 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. As a pioneer of the "one-stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings. For more information, visit www.meijer.com.

About Jump with Jill
The world’s only rock & roll nutrition show Jump with Jill uses music and dance to celebrate healthy habits by transforming nutrition education into a live concert. Created by a Registered Dietitian and professional musician, the show uses singable anthems guaranteed to get students moving and learning about healthy habits.