September has become the new Fruit and Vegetable Month since it allows schools and health groups to emphasize healthy eating and recipes to prevent health problems.

Also Celebrated in June, September is the New Fruit and Vegetables Month

Why is September the new Fruit and Vegetable Month? Wouldn’t it make more sense to celebrate fruits and vegetables in June, the time of the year when great-tasting fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant?

The U.S.A.’s leading health organizations are promoting September as Fruit and Vegetable Month because September is a teachable moment. It is the time of year when vacations end and school and work begin anew. September is the time of year when we start new initiatives and get to work on new projects.

Centers for Disease Control Promotes September Fruit and Vegetables Month

The Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) colorful Fruits and Veggies program is intended to spark new thinking, and the agency gives teachers plenty of tools for including nutrition information in geography, math, and social studies classes. Explore the World with Fruits and Vegetables is a grand tour of cultures and cuisines accompanied by posters, recipes, worksheets, and all of the learning guides and trimmings necessary to turn a good idea into lessons … and homework. The CDC hopes that by promoting healthy eating at this time of year they will also promote healthy habits. They are so concerned because obesity, which lurks behind disturbing health trends, is putting millions of adults and children at risk for record levels of major diseases.

Why Do Children Need to Eat More Fruit and Vegetables?

According to the Harvard School for Public Health, fruits and vegetables can ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid painful diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss. Fruits and vegetables contain a variety of important vitamins and minerals as well as plenty of fiber. Because they are low in calories, they are filling well before they become fattening.

Help Children with Health Homework

If your children come home with CDC Fruits and Veggies program handouts, seize the moment too and help them with their homework. Take them to your local Farmers Market to select end-of-summer vegetables including peppers, tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, onions, beets, cantaloupe, grapes, plums, and watermelons. Farmers in Virginia add a seasonal touch by bringing pumpkins and gourds to open-air markets as early as mid-September.

Michelle Gulden of Kelrae Farms in Toano, Virgina, laments that by late September, their vegetable supply is just about done. Her husband took the last truckload of their vegetables to a market earlier this month. “We start out in June with lettuces, peas, radishes, and red and white potatoes. Mid-summer we have sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons and cantaloupe. We also have had peppers, eggplant, and squash.” If you live in eastern Virginia and want a prime portion of next summer’s vegetables from Kelrae, the time to sign up is now. Call 566-4803 for a contract to pick up a bushel or a half bushel a week from the farm when the 2008 crops begin to come in.

Apples are another Virginia tradition. Consider a family trip to an orchard for a festival, like the one to be held on two weekends in October at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, Virginia. The event includes music and crafts, and the menu includes apples, apple butter, and apple cider! Check the Web to learn more about Virginia harvests.

Have Fun with Fruits and Vegetables

A plate of colorful vegetables and fruit has lots of eye appeal that is quite naturally appetizing. Young children enjoy picking bright and healthy vegetables in their favorite color combinations. Snow peas, bananas, carrots, grapes, and kiwis can be speared with toothpicks at snack time.

Adults shouldn’t let the kids have all of the fun, though. Make a fruit and vegetable plate for lunch and include your own favorites like asparagus or plums. By eating foods that contain a lot of water and relatively few calories, you may also lose weight. When increasing the water content of foods, you generally decrease the fat content.

Another way to add fruit and vegetables to the diet is to pair them with favorites like pasta and pizza. Halve the amount of pasta you might usually serve and increase the portion of vegetables. Try new combinations of vegetables – and fruits – as pizza toppings.

Many Fruit and Vegetable Recipes Available on the CDC Web Site

Looking for more ways to celebrate Fruit and Vegetable Month? Go to the CDC Web site and click on recipes. Select the fruit, vegetable and meal time at hand and see several recipes to match what’s in your refrigerator or available in the fresh produce section.

Example Recipe from the CDC's Fruits and Veggies Matter Web site:

Autumn Vegetable Succotash

Recipe Summary:

Preparation Time: 20 minutes. 8 servings. 3 cups of fruits/vegetables per person

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups diced red bell peppers
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 2 cups diced yellow summer squash
• 3 cups frozen lima beans
• 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh sage

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil.
2. Add onion; cook until translucent (2 minutes).
3. Add garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, lima beans, and corn.
4. Season as desired; cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender (10 minutes)
5. Stir in sage and serve.