Fruit and Vegetable Program

Iowa Department of Education

Purpose:

To distribute fresh fruit, dried fruit, and fresh vegetables to all students throughout the state

Target Population:

Students in funded schools in kindergarten to 12th grade

Program Goals:

To improve fruit and vegetable consumption among Iowa’s school-age children by offering free fruits and vegetables at various times using various methods throughout the school day

Years in Operation:

2002 – present

Results:

Participating schools in Iowa’s Fruit and Vegetable Program have various strategies for distributing fruits and vegetables to students throughout the school day, including:

• Service Delivery Mechanism — Some schools have centrally located kiosks that provide the fresh fruit and/or vegetables; others provide fruits and vegetables in the classrooms.
• Timing of Service Delivery — Fruits and vegetables can be distributed to students before or after school, at lunch, or at different snack times throughout the school day.
• Educational or Promotional Activities — Beyond the pilot activities, some schools have integrated the purpose of the Fruit and Vegetable Program into other school activities and events in addition to the normal classroom routine.

Students are provided a multitude of fruits and vegetables, a majority of those being apples and bananas. Pilot schools also introduce new fruits and vegetables into a student’s diet, including kiwi and different varieties of fruit they like. Most of the fruits and vegetables served are single serving or pre-packaged.

Funded schools are also able to use some of their funds to provide nutrition education. Nutrition materials may be purchased, but no new materials may be created.

Funding:

The Nutrition Title of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public-Law 10-171) provided $6 million in funding for a pilot program in four states. The 2004 Omnibus Bill provided the Iowa State Education Agency with an additional $1 million to continue the pilot program.

Key Partners:

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What Works and Why:

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Structure and Operations:

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Barriers to Success:

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More Information:

http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/368/434

Download:

Download this program information in PDF format.