The following activity ideas are excerpted from the Holiday Challenge Contest and Toolkit from Food and Health Communications. It’s a great resource to have in your bag of tricks, year round.The Challenge:Get MyPlate’s recommended dosage of fruits and vegetables, every day.The Points:Here’s how participants can earn points…

• Met Weekly Goal: 15 points
• Attended Program Presentation: 10 points
• Posted to Social Media About Challenge: 2 points per post

Challenge Details:This week is all about focus. Participants will not need to adjust their diet in any other way, but they should strive to get MyPlate’s recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every day this week. Often, by making room for extra fruits and vegetables in their diets, people end up eating far fewer calorie-dense foods. It’s a win-win!Prize Ideas:Capitalize on the enthusiasm for fresh fruits and vegetables by offering prizes that make fruit and vegetable preparation/storage easier. Peelers, colorful containers for precut fruit, knives and cutting boards, and fruit/vegetable scrubbers are all great options.You can also offer fancy seasonal fruits and vegetables as prizes.Fruit and Vegetable Activity Ideas:A cooking demonstration can make this challenge more approachable. Try…

• Ways to add greens: soups, potatoes, sides, stews
• Fruit sautés: great toppings for cereal, yogurt, etc.

Discuss seasonal fruits and vegetables. What are special treats at this time of year? The markets should be bursting with seasonal vegetables and fruits. July is Berry Month, after all. It’s also Blueberry Month, Watermelon Month, and Peach Month, so those foods may offer a great place to start.Make a display with recipe ideas & colorful pictures.There are lots more details in the Holiday Challenge Toolkit, so grab a copy today!