The Produce Moms Podcast

"We're not all trying to be Navy SEALS or Chris Hemsworth. Focus on moving better, staying mobile and understanding what your goals are."DaRulk (14:26-14:37)

Joseph Sakoda, aka DaRulk happens to be Chris Hemsworth's trainer, but that's just the icing on the cake to what this incredibly inspirational man does! DaRulk has founded the Raw Functional Training program, is a teacher on Chris's Centr App, trains fire, police, military, special forces and ocean safety workers, and sits on the board at Children's Hospital of Orange County and Thompson Autism Clinics helping kids with sensory processing disorders.

Last but not least, DaRulk is the founder of Kore Nutrition, a supplement line filled with the highest quality ingredients at affordable costs which he's partnered with Kroger on.

DaRulk's background in kinesiology, biomechanics, and passion for understanding the brain-body connection has brought him to helping kids, moms, the elderly and everyone in between use their bodyweight to stay in shape, stay mentally focused and empower others to do the same. Even though he's worked with professional athletes, Olympic athletes and actors, DaRulk became passionate about working with first responders because those are the individuals out there saving lives.

"I used to see firefighters that would be extremely physically fit and looked aesthetically fit, but they just wouldn't be able to perform at the level that they really could," says DaRulk.

This got DaRulk even more curious about sensory processing, managing the adrenal system, organizing the nervous system, and diving deep into functional movement that anyone could do, and would get them the real level of fitness their body needs (not just the aesthetics).

"You can train doing the same movements as Navy SEALs and Chris Hemsworth, but you can do it at your own pace without any weights and do it with your body." DaRulk (8:42-8:50)

He primarily does this through Chris' Centr App where DaRulk shares workouts that are often only 10-15 minutes. Instead of "training like a beast" for hours at the gym, DaRulk says what's most important is movement. The right kind of movement in just 10-15 minutes can make you feel accomplished, like daily movement is maintainable and that you had an effective workout.

What if you "know" you should "workout", but just don't have the motivation? Or maybe you try to train a few times a week, but always fall off the wagon because life gets in the way. Inspiration is something you'll always find with DaRulk and his biggest message is that you need to find your purpose. Your purpose will always bring you back where you need to be in life, and will help you focus on staying disciplined. As DaRulk says, "once you have discipline, consistency, and purpose, you're pretty much unstoppable."

Before you get going on the Centr App or other training program, DaRulk says moms need to work on their mindset first. What kind of mindset? One where you know you're good enough just the way you are, and you're choosing to work out and stay consistent because you want to, for example, feel better moving without pain, or lead by example for your kids.

Following DaRulk's workouts is just one of many benefits the Centr App offers. There's tons of other trainers as well, with easy to follow workouts at home or at the gym, recipes, mindfulness techniques and education behind different methodologies. DaRulk says the segment of Centr users that love his training the most are moms because the workouts are easy to do at home with or without your kids and are quick! If you struggle with discipline or consistency, take it from DaRulk himself. He wakes up around 4-4:30 am every day to make sure he has time for mindfulness, personal training, and following a recovery protocol, which is just as important, if not more, to getting results with your body.

"I'm so proud of every mom out there because I know it's not easy, especially right now trying to keep your sanity, but also being the anchor of the family, which moms always are. Moms keep our families grounded, feeling safe and supported, and many times we forget that you guys also need to feel safe and supported as well, which often starts internally with yourself." DaRulk (11:45-12:18)

The Kore Nutrition line is the perfect way to stay healthy and fuel your body with everything you need to power your day, your workout, and your recovery. Kore has everything from immunity boosters, superfood powders, sleep and recovery aids, essential vitamins and minerals, nootropics, joint support, digestive support, performance support and much more! All Kore products are NSF certified, meaning they meet some of the strictest standards for public health protection.

Kore will be available on Kroger store shelves in June, and can be bought online right now at www.vitacost.com, www.kroger.com and inside the Centr App.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"We wanted to offer a product that makes the user say, 'I can't believe this isn't plastic!'"Tim Busby (9:49-10:01)

When John Oakley and Tim Busby came together to create Matter™, they were dead set on creating a product that can truly be a one-to-one alternative to single use plastics. Matter™ products are biodegradable, free from heavy metals, FDA approved and making it easy for you to improve your sustainability efforts.

When you visit NatureStar's Matter™ website, you might be confused when you see "allergen free", "gluten free", "non-GMO". Reading those disclosures are typically only seen on food labels! Instead, the Matter product line includes snack bags, sandwich bags, storage bags, kitchen bags, food wrap, plates, bowls, cutlery, straws and much more. As John Oakley and Tim Busby like to say, the Matter line of products are "from nature, back to nature" and developed from a polymer that literally breaks down back to nature, unlike plastic.

"Things in our life are starting to matter more and more because we have to take care of Mother Earth." John Oakley (10:49-10:53)

Polymer? Back to nature? What does that exactly mean? Most disposable products, like plates, cutlery, cups, plastic bags, and so on, are derived from oil and end up in a landfill where the product won't break down for hundreds or thousands of years. In a matter (no pun intended) of months, the Matter™ products will compost and disappear into soil because they're made from all natural, renewable and sustainable fibers. This creates something called biomass, which is like an enhancer for soil and makes a bit of water in the process.

Through composting, microorganisms will consume the material and create biomass, which is like an enhancer for soil and makes a bit of water in the process and goes through photosynthesis. The Matter products give back to nature and can be used over again through this sustainable process, unlike plastics which last hundreds and thousands of years.

Think plates and knives made from biodegradable plant materials can't hold up a good, hearty meal? Think again! Even Lori Taylor herself has tested the Matter™ plates, serving her family steaks without worrying if the steak knives would cut through the disposable dish. Even if Matter™ products end up in a traditional landfill or dump, they will still break down in a much shorter time period when they come into contact with microbes since the products are made of starch. Some of the products don't even take months to break down, they take a few weeks!

This product is huge for the US who is behind in terms of composting or sustainability efforts to other countries like the UK. Retailers like Target have picked up on the great opportunity Matter™ products offer consumers and, not to brag, but the company was allotted 20 shelf slots at Target stores from the getgo which is almost unheard of! Even their straws have rave reviews compared to paper ones, which unravel, dissolve, and are either too flexible or not flexible enough.

"We've developed a straw, and it's not a plastic straw or a paper straw, it doesn't unravel, it doesn't dissolve, it's flexible… we've tried to replicate what people are used to in their everyday lives without causing a problem for Mother Earth." John Oakley (18:57-19:15)

Not only are you giving back to Mother Earth and making our planet long-lasting for our future generations, you're also giving back to veterans with every Matter™ purchase you make. The company is partnered with Folds of Honor, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to spouses and children of disabled and deceased American veterans, and gives a portion of every purchase to the charity.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"When you give a child a thirty second rundown of what food paint is, they understand it immediately and cannot wait to get their hands on it. All they hear is, 'this stuff's fun!'"

Tomo Delaney (4:42-4:59)

After leaving a 22-year long career in the fashion industry as a photographer and producer, Tomo Delaney became the stay-at-home parent for his two kids. The problem Tomo was facing, like many other parents, was that his kids weren't interested in food! He remembers taking his then four year old son around local Manhattan grocery stores trying to find anything that would inspire either of his children to actually want to sit at the table and enjoy their meals.

Tomo told his family friend Pegi about his plight and she sent him an email with a business proposition that entailed presenting food to kids by color (not flavor) and giving them a purpose when they hit the table. Within ten minutes of the meeting, Noshi For Kids food paint was created. They had worked out the colors and flavors and knew that it was extremely important for the products to be organic.

"When my friend Pegi put this idea in front of me, it was like a million light bulbs going off in my head. I could immediately see what this product should be and what it could become. I immediately knew what the flavor should be, what the colors should be, what the packaging should be and I was amazed nobody had done it before. It all made sense within seconds of the idea being put in front of me." (20:46-21:09) Tomo Delaney

So what is Noshi Food Paint exactly? Noshi Food Paint are tubes of "paint" that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy at the kitchen table. What's ultimately a condiment, the paint set is used to entertain kids and get them to enjoy healthy nutrients. Each tube has a different color and it gives kids a great project to do at the table that's delicious as well!

Noshi's Food Paint is completely natural with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, is USDA Certified Organic, vegan, gluten free, soy free, no-GMO, and free of all the major allergens. The product comes in small paint tubes and has a consistency similar to premade icing, but none of the artificial ingredients! The food paint is made of over 92% individually, quick, frozen fruit (IQF) that's blended, cooked and pasteurized. The other 8% comes from organic pear juice to balance some of the flavors and a few other ingredients that help the food paint hold its shape on the plate.

As a parent, you may be wondering why you need this product when you already have, for example, maple syrup in your cabinet, or you might be worried about the mess your kid will make.

Tomo's whole idea with the paint was to give kids a reason to want to come (and stay at) the table. What's his remedy for kids making a mess and squirting the food all over? We all know kids are desperate to impress us parents, so give your kids a task to complete. Depending on the age of your kid will depend on what task you give them. Maybe your five-year-old gets only one tube of paint and is tasked with spelling words or doing simple math on their piece of toast. Tomo's daughter, who's 14-years old, loves to take a few tubes and make pixel art on her waffle for 20 minutes.

Although it sounds messy, Tomo suggests using the tubes for babies instead of baby food since the food paint is essentially pureed strawberry, or peach, for example, and provides them a sensory experience. Even college age kids might love it!

"It can be a baby food. It can be a teenager food. It could be anything in between!" Tomo Delaney (10:53-10:56)

Noshi For Kids has some powerful brand partnerships with Peppa Pig and, coming soon in June, The Very Hungry Caterpillar which will be a part of a rainbow six-pack of paint. They also have a second fruit set coming out that looks like crayons inside a crayon box as a part of a partnership with Crayola. Most importantly though is Noshi's work with No Kid Hungry. Noshi For Kids donates to them yearly as much as possible and Tomo's hope is, as they grow, to keep giving more and more back.

Grab your family a set of Noshi For Kids Food Paint at www.noshiforkids.com, www.thrivemarket.com and at local Walmart retailers next to the maple syrup.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"The most important message for people to take is that you have an incredible amount of control over your mental health and your brain health."

Drew Ramsey (3:48-3:57)

Dr. Drew Ramsey, MD, psychiatrist, teacher, TEDx speaker, author of four books, and leading innovator in mental health, is bridging the gap between the food we eat and the way it impacts our happiness. What if the key to improving depression, anxiety, stress and never truly feeling happy was as simple as changing the foods we eat?

According to Dr. Drew, it is. Drew became turned on to the idea that food and our mental health is more related than we think when he was studying at Columbia University to become a psychiatrist. He started to pay attention to his diet, even becoming a low-fat vegetarian at one point (y'know, before it was trendy), while also learning about the health benefits of fish, healthy fats and Omega-3's. He's now on a mission teaching others how to use the power of food, specifically foods that are good for your brain, help balance moods, sharpen brain function and improve mental health.

"People have been, you know, debating on whether you should eat meat or not, or whether you should go keto or not. That's missing the point. The bottom line is you should have an intentional diet that feeds your mental health." Drew Ramsey (12:03-12:16)

Drew also thinks we've been having the wrong arguments when it comes to eating healthy. Instead of debating over eating meat or not, or things like the keto diet, you should eat foods that decrease inflammation (one of the greatest factors in brain health), are healthy for your gut biome, and help decrease signs of ADHD, depression and anxiety. That doesn't mean getting rid of your favorite pasta or comfort foods, but finding a way to incorporate more leafy greens or Omega-3 fats with that pasta, for example.

Wondering what foods help improve mental health the most? Some might surprise you! Red beans, mussels, clams, oysters, anchovies, leafy greens, rainbow vegetables, fermented foods and dark chocolate. If you're thinking, "how am I going to get my kids to eat mussels or anchovies!?", don't worry. In Drew's latest book Eat To Beat Depression And Anxiety he has plenty of recipes that share delicious ways to add these foods to your diet, like his kid-friendly salmon burger sliders. If all else fails, there's dark chocolate, which Drew says can be a part of your daily eating, not just saved for a special treat.

Did you know depression and anxiety affects 58 million people in the United States alone? We also saw a huge increase in depression and anxiety over the pandemic in the past year, which thankfully has opened up our conversation about our mental health epidemic.

Even if you don't feel you're struggling with anxiety or depression, eating the right foods now can help decrease the risk of depression later on or dementia. The reason for that is inflammation. Mental health issues and matters that affect the brain stem from inflammation, and one of the major things that regulate inflammation in the body and the brain are eating the right foods. The same goes for your kids. They might not be struggling with signs of ADHD, depression or anxiety now, but as they grow into teenagers or adults they become more at risk.

If your kids are picky eaters, remember their taste palettes develop over time. Let them evolve while still engaging them with brain-friendly foods that they might eventually enjoy. Try having your kids help you chop vegetables in the kitchen, joining one of Dr. Drew's brain food challenges on Instagram, or celebrating the healthy foods they do enjoy. For example, when Dr. Drew has a picky eater as a patient at his clinic, he doesn't focus on the fact that they don't like kale or oysters, but finds a way to emphasize that they do like avocados or blueberries, which are fabulous for the brain and your gut biome.

"You don't have to feel like a victim of these symptoms or that you'll suffer from them for the rest of your life. There are things that we all can do in our everyday lives to improve our mental health." Drew Ramsey (15:32-15:41)

Want to give eating for mental health a try, but intimidated to get started? Dr. Drew's latest book, Eat To Beat Depression And Anxiety, makes it simple with his Kickstart plan which gives you a six week plan that walks you through the key food categories to improve your mental health, helps you identify your challenges in motivation, and shares recipes that will help you enjoy foods you aren't used to eating. You can take it one step further by signing up for his Eat To Beat Depression e-course, which gives you a thorough action plan to incorporate brain food into your diet!

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"What we're all about is rescuing produce that is at risk of going to waste because of imperfections."Ashley Weingart (2:53-3:03)

Ashley Weingart never set out to create a business, she just wanted to find a solution to a huge produce waste problem. While working for her husband's family business Weingart Produce, Ashley would visit farms and witness firsthand the shocking amount of produce that was left in the field.

A perfectly good, healthy and nutritious piece of produce could be left in the field or rejected by buyers because of minor blemishes, being slightly off-sized or off-colored, which didn't sit well with Ashley. She couldn't watch perfectly edible produce get thrown out or plowed under when back at home, her community had people going hungry and students who don't have access to fruits and vegetables.

"Truly every day we wake up with the goal of rescuing more of this food, not only for our customers, but also to get it into the hands of our neighbors in need." Ashley Weingart (3:47-3:56)

Did you know that more than half of the food that's produced in our nation goes to waste? A fire was struck and Ashley created a program for Weingart Produce to find a home for more of this produce and get it in the hands of people who don't have enough of it. What Ashley found, however, was that the average consumer who does have access to regular produce was extremely interested in purchasing "imperfect produce". But just one year later after starting the program in 2016, Weingart Produce shut down and Ashley had to figure out what to do next. Everyone in the community who saw the impact of what the program did in just one year encouraged her to keep going, which is where Perfectly Imperfect Produce started.

Perfectly Imperfect Produce is a subscription box model that lets consumers choose boxes of produce based on size, organic or conventional, and how much fruits or vegetables they want. At the beginning, boxes were just a mixed bag of all the different items PIP received without any customization available, but the team quickly realized that's not what consumers wanted. Some boxes fit the needs of consumers who love the surprise element. Getting new produce items they've never used before and figuring out what to do with them is exactly what's been missing! For other consumers, like the busy mom or dad who wants to provide their family with healthy meals, but don't have time for creativity, boxes like the Salad Bar Box, Soup Box or Smoothie Box are exactly what they need.

You might be wondering why grocery retailers don't offer more imperfect produce. There's been an abundant amount of studies that misshapen or minorly-blemished fruits and veggies sold in brick-and-mortar retailers end up creating a larger carbon footprint because they just go to waste. It's critical that direct to consumer solutions like Perfectly Imperfect Produce are available for the consumers who will gladly enjoy these overlooked pieces of produce.

Even the CDC shows that under 10% of Americans are eating the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, even though there's plenty of supply to go around. Ashley's company picks up extra produce from a local farm may have, for example, because of an overstock of items they grew for a restaurant that isn't in business anymore or can't utilize all of the produce because they are serving a smaller amount of customers. They also pick up items that are too small, too large, blemished, scraped, scarred, discolored and so forth from farms and local wholesalers. On top of selling to average consumers, Perfectly Imperfect Produce makes weekly donations to local Ohio food pantries to serve their mission of reducing food waste through improving healthy food access.

Perfectly Imperfect Produce has just launched a Salad Bar Box, which includes local greens and salad staples, like cucumbers or tomatoes, plus extra goodies to make a delicious, creative salad. They also have Soup Boxes with everything you need to make a healthy, soothing soup, and Smoothie Boxes which includes the exact produce you need to jumpstart your morning or fuel your workout. There's also a new video series with local Ohio chef Douglas Katz who's walking you through specific produce items, what the differences in varieties are, and how to chop, slice, store and prepare them. Last month Douglas dove into winter squash and explained all the differences between acorn, butternut, spaghetti and Della cotta!

"We're really passionate about demystifying fruits and vegetables and making them more approachable for the average home chef who wants to eat healthier, wants to get their kids and their family excited about eating more fruits and vegetables, but just needs a little help understanding what to do with those items." Ashley Weingart (22:08-22:30)

Ready to get your hands on a box of Perfectly Imperfect Produce? You can purchase at their website www.perfectlyimperfectproduce.com and choose from an all fruit box, all vegetable box, or mixed box, either organic or conventional, in a size that accommodates your family. Deliveries are available Wednesday through Friday to all of Northeast Ohio, and the Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo area on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis. Meal kits are just launching too! All of the ingredients are included for a specific recipe and the produce is chopped, diced and sliced for you.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"We realize that they are the ones with the skills. They have been working for a long time, for some of them even decades, and so we just try to create a space for people to shine."

Alice Linsmeier (16:45-17:02)

The Equitable Food Initiative is on a mission to bring together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to transform agriculture and improve the lives of farm workers. It wouldn't be a celebration of Farm Workers Awareness Week without sharing the great impact the EFI creates for all individuals in the produce supply chain.

Tony Pacheco, foreign worker and Health and Safety Manager at Winset Farms' Delta Branch in British Columbia, Canada is their co-chair of EFI and never has a typical day-to-day experience. With about 196 workers from Guatemala and around 150-200 local workers during peak time, every day has a different set of challenges, especially when workers (and EFI reps) speak three separate languages. Whether he's talking to a Spanish speaking, Punjabi speaking, or English speaking worker, Tony tries to connect with each worker when walking around making sure everyone is working safely. It's imperative to keep the lines of communication open with these workers to take care of issues, for example, in their housing or with how they are working.

"Everybody has been empowered by the EFI program. It's really cool to see our meetings because I present them in English and Spanish, and then we have a Punjabi translator. Our meetings are updating in three languages and all of our posters are in three languages." Tony Pacheco (9:33-9:49)

EFI is a training program that anyone in the produce supply chain can take and be certified by. If you're like Maria Goreti Mireles Gonzalez, Human Resources Coordinator at Andrew & Williamson, you're talking to workers about the EFI program from the time they sign on as an employee. Not only that, workers around the farm are always talking about how they've grown through EFI, what they've learned or asking questions, so everyone is well aware of the impact that's available to them.

That doesn't mean workers are eager to go through the training, however. Many workers are shy, don't like to speak in front of people or think it's just going to be a boring PowerPoint presentation. Tony Pacheco says, "we have workers that didn't want to be part of it and we encourage them to do it, even though they said they were very shy and they couldn't speak in front of people. After about six months of being on the program the turnaround was just amazing and their confidence level went up."

Thanks to that confidence boost, some of the workers at Winset Farms have become forklift operators, which many were intimidated by at first because they're used to working with their hands and don't have as much of the same technology in Guatemala, where they're originally from. When workers arrive, they're introduced to electrical greenhouse cards, scissor lifts, the ability to log into computer systems to keep track of produce inventory, and the workers that went through the EFI course to become representatives are impacted greatly because their competency level is raised higher.

"After the first day [of EFI training], the workers are laughing, people that are really shy are speaking, they're making sure everyone has a space to speak, and they are just supporting each other in bringing forth the best of their skills and gifts to keep each other safe, keep the product safe and keep the environment safe." Alice Linsmeier (18:21-18:42)

One of the main things EFI tries to do is create community and bring together all of the job functions of the farm, include women, include other languages, shine a light on the indigenous workers that are bilingual indigenous speaking and uplift in the vocabulary discussion. On farms like Winset, you'll see workers from three different cultures coming together for potlucks, enjoying each others' foods and learning about what each person's unique background, no matter where they're from, has to bring to the table. They also interview workers since they're the ones working these incredibly hard jobs day-to-day and know first hand what needs to be changed or improved upon. That's how EFI gets to the root causes and brainstorms solutions.

EFI has also encouraged getting more feedback from the workers. They are the ones on the field and inside the greenhouse or packing areas, after all, so they started getting more feedback than before on what needs to be changed. Tony Pacheco says this was a huge eye-opener for him because, for one, he's in the office all day and doesn't see what goes on in the field, but also because the workers really paved the way for how they should be thinking about these problems and brainstorming solutions. It's made implementing change much faster and efficient, plus there's a level of trust now between the farm workers and the company that wasn't as prevalent before.

"It is a treasure and I have great respect and the more I work here and I share with farm workers the greater my respect is for them because it's not only the physical work that they put in; It's their life behind what they do." Maria Goreti Mireles Gonzalez (29:52-30:11)

It's important to remember as a consumer that products that are farm worker assured and have an EFI label are quite unique in that they're going above and beyond to make sure everyone is safe and healthy, from their family to yours. To support the EFI when you're shopping, look for a label that looks like a leaf and says "sustainably grown farmworker assured".

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"Here's the plan: have a plant. It's your invitation to inspire more health and happiness."

Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (38:11-38:19)

Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, President and CEO of the Produce For Better Health Foundation, and return Produce Moms guest (check out episode 16 and episode 52), is serving up some interesting data about our current state of fruit and vegetable consumption.

Every five years the Produce For Better Health Foundation commissions The NPD Group, an American market research company, to do research on America's fruit and vegetable consumption trends, which includes consumption at home and away from home as a part of the State Of The Plate assessment. State Of the Plate started in 2005, with research going back to the early 2000s, so they're able to track consumer trends across 20 years.

In the last five years the research has shown a gradual decline in how often someone is consuming a fruit and vegetable. Even with the rise in plant-based or plant-forward lifestyles, why is this? Wendy thinks it's because this isn't a habit that's formed early on and therefore when someone grows into adulthood, they don't have those healthy habits to keep growing on.

The research is based on volume data (consumption data from the government which is measured in cups) and even though the dietary guidelines for Americans is to make half of your plate fruits and/or vegetables, only one in 10 Americans is meeting that recommendation. This equates to a 10% annual decline in fruit and vegetable consumption by Americans every year.

"These numbers can be a little disheartening when you think, 'gosh, you know, fruits and vegetables that are being relegated to a side dish, and now they're eroding, maybe even falling off the plate entirely.'" Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (9:03-9:15)

The good news is we've seen an increase in how often fruit is being eaten as a snack and as a side, and before the pandemic, vegetable consumption was up in the food service sector. The downside? Once the pandemic happened, we lost options for veggies in public at restaurants and items like salad bars at school programs. There's been an overall double digit decline in vegetable consumption with millennials and Gen Zers (who are younger parents) as well as a decline in juice.

So who is eating fruits and vegetables then? The one out of ten Americans that eat enough fruits and vegetables are eating them at every single meal and snack occasion. On top of it, the research is showing these parents aren't as influenced by what their children say (like "mom, I don't eat green stuff!"). These are also the types of people who are interested in trying new recipes, whereas people who aren't eating enough fruit and veggies are more dependent on eating them away from their house and aren't interested in trying new recipes.

How can we improve? Wendy says it's not just about understanding how healthy and nutritious fruit and vegetables are, it's about creating an enjoyable, pleasurable experience with them. If someone is enjoying the full experience of what they're eating, they're more likely to recreate the same behavior voluntarily. Parents of picky eaters, take note!

Wendy believes we need to leverage the types of emotions that appeal to all levels of consumers in all types of situations to help them create a new, pleasurable behavior, a new experience and therefore a repeatable behavior that becomes automatic. The "know, feel, do" approach is what makes this happen. One way to do this is to focus on complementary pairings. For example, the number one breakfast food people eat fruit with is cold or hot cereal. Only 10% of cereal consumers are eating it with fruit. It's such a simple, enjoyable, repeatable meal pairing and hits a ton of emotional triggers that could make it a habit. If marketing efforts focused on reminding people to eat their cereal with fruit, we might see the data of fruit consumption increase.

The other opportunity we have is to start eating fruits and vegetables first as a part of our meal or snack. Even though there's a lot of uncertainty in households right now and people are spending their grocery money differently, Wendy and Lori believe the myth that fruits and vegetables are expensive might be dispelled if produce was eaten first at every meal, instead of left to go bad and eventually be thrown out.

"There are other important spheres for which fruit and vegetable consumption could be very positively effectuated. That could be in the public health sector, the policy sector, retail sectors, the food service sector. There are other organizations and other leading voices that need to be a part of that coalition to then elevate this to a national priority." Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak (34:30-34:57)

What's the PBH doing to utilize this data positively and turn these numbers around? So far, PBH is applying the know, feel, do framework by sharing this research with important stakeholders like The Produce Moms, and using "everyone's favorite" song lyrics paired with fruits and vegetables in digital marketing. Creating a catchy play on words can start to tie memorable, enjoyable emotions to eating fruits and vegetables. They've also formed a new scientific advisory council that will be looking at what behavioral levers to pull for each type of consumer (high, medium and low frequency fruit and vegetable eaters).

Want to do better at eating fruits and vegetables yourself, or improve your family's habits? Incorporate the "know, feel, do" method in your daily life! Have fun with your kids in the kitchen singing songs, cutting up vegetables and making a game out of their time spent with produce. Serve (and eat) fruits and vegetables before other parts of your meal and make it a habit to enjoy your produce in the ways you love most.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"We're now democratizing local food. Anybody can get this, anybody can shop this way and we can deliver it to the door."

Nick Carter (14:54-15:01)

Nick Carter, fourth generation farmer, author of "More Than A Mile: What America Needs From Local Food", and co-founder and CEO of Market Wagon is on a mission to connect "agra" with "culture" so we can bring back the connection we're missing and fabric that holds us together with food.

Market Wagon is an online "farmers market" connecting food consumers directly with local farmers and artisans. It's a direct to consumer portal and online community where you can buy specific foods from vetted artisans and farmers in your area. On top of being able to purchase produce, meat, dairy, eggs, prepared foods, baked goods and snack foods from those local to you, you can communicate with them too! Just like when you walk around a farmers market and you chat with vendors at the booths you walk up to, Market Wagon gives you that same opportunity.

"So much socialization takes place around food. So much community is built around food and we lost that and didn't know it and we're trying to restore it." Nick Carter (10:22-10:35)

Before Market Wagon, Nick created a startup called Husk, which he also calls one of the biggest failures in his repertoire. Although Husk looked successful on the surface by helping local farmers build a community of local suppliers to get into grocery stores, they started to find out the grocery stores weren't such a fan of this idea. These grocery stores didn't want to change how they sourced food, they just wanted to have a few, local items they could showcase on a marquee.

Some of our greatest failures lead to our greatest successes, which is why Husk inspired the start of Market Wagon. All it took were 12 customers to order online and come pick up their goods for Nick to know he was on to something. A few months later because of the customer demand, Market Wagon started offering home delivery. Today, the company has 24 locations (soon to be 50) with over 1,000 vendors and tens of thousands of customers.

The whole mission behind Market Wagon is to reconnect "agra" and "culture". Over the last 20-30 years, we've been a period called the industrial food complex. When food was industrialized and turned into a consumer good that is manufactured "somewhere out in the world" that people purchase and eat just for calories, we lost the true meaning of food, which is a fabric that holds us together.

But wait, are all the farmers and artisans on Market Wagon really local? Yes, and Market Wagon ensures this because sellers actually have to appear at the Market Wagon facility with their food or products so Market Wagon can deliver the orders. Not only does a seller have to be local to Market Wagon geographically, but they have to participate in the online communication.

Market Wagon considers someone local to you, the consumer, if you could actually visit their farm or see them at a farmers market and get to know them. If a seller is a part of a giant factory or production, they're not a fit for Market Wagon. A local artisan selling baked goods where you, the consumer, can get to know the person behind the food online (or in person) is who Market Wagon hosts on their marketplace. Market Wagon has also doubled down on efforts to help support chefs in converting some of their menu items into heat-and-eat prepared meals, or create build-your-own recipe meal kits.

"You can follow your favorite farmers and then you can receive updates from them. We're building a community because that connection is what food is all about." Nick Carter (9:19-9:28)

Even though 44 million people currently have access to Market Wagon, the goal is to be available from coast to coast over the next few years. More and more people have a need to stay home and not visit the grocery store, let alone a farmers market, as often. Nick encourages you to not only purchase products and produce off of Market Wagon, but to connect with the farmers behind them. As Nick says, they love to talk about what they do and build a relationship with you, the consumer, so he suggests asking them questions like, "how did you produce this?" or "do you use chemicals or synthetic fertilizers?".

Lastly, Nick recommends you try your hand at growing food yourself! Even if it's just a pot of tomatoes or cilantro on your apartment balcony, by growing something edible you're going to use in your kitchen, it'll give you appreciation and gratitude for our farmers, the work they put in and the risks they take to feed us all every day.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"At NatureSweet, our commitment is really to transform the lives of agricultural workers in North America, no matter what."Lori Castillo (3:02-3:11)

NatureSweet's ability to transform the lives of their agricultural workers across North America just got stronger now that they're partnered with Fair Trade USA! Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit organization in Oakland, California and the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in the North American market.

You've probably seen the Fair Trade label on your favorite produce items at the grocery store, but what does it actually mean? First, it means that the farm or factory that produced that product (Fair Trade certifies flowers, seafood and is best known for their work in textiles) is being regularly inspected against the Fair Trade standards. These standards are extensive and cover social practices, economic practices and environmental practices at the farm level.

Secondly, for every product that is sold with a Fair Trade label on it, a portion of that product's price goes back directly to the workers on that product's farm into a special fund just for them. No one else has access to it but the workers, who then decide how the money is used through democratic voting. The workers invest the money into projects that address the greatest needs of their communities, like access to medical and dental services, transportation for children to get to school, or making clean running water available.

It's empowering for the farm workers to make this decision since they understand their communities' needs best, and in turn, they can work with the Fair Trade organization to prioritize the projects and turn them into a reality.

"There's nothing more important than initiatives like this that are transforming the lives of those who work in the agricultural industry and that is exactly what Fair Trade is all about." Lori Taylor (19:03-19:17)

If you're concerned about the markup on Fair Trade products' prices, don't be. There's a small premium put on the price of goods at the point of sale that's merely fractions of a penny. You pay that premium at checkout, but the total cost could be, for example a few pennies per pound. That might not sound like much, but those fractions of pennies add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars and even millions of dollars.

The Fair Trade organization empowers farm workers, yes, but also ensures the economic, social and environmental practices on a farm are met at a very high standard. Things like safe and responsible working conditions, ensuring workers live in safe housing, get adequate rest and meal breaks, and that they're paid sick and maternity leave are all examples of what these standards include.

Another important focus of Fair Trade is that there's transparency with workers when they are being hired. Unfortunately there are plenty of times when workers don't understand their rights under the law, how their pay is calculated, what benefits they are entitled to and what procedures are in place to gain access to those. Fair Trade eliminates that and wants to make the experience for a farm worker just as excellent as it might be for a high up executive in a corporation.

Do the products from Fair Trade farms actually differ from others? Anyone understands that if they feel safe, respected, empowered and dignified at their workplace, they're going to be invested in the quality of their work and put in an extra level of attention to what it is they're doing. Plus, knowing that Fair Trade also benefits a worker's family and community increases their overall wellbeing and livelihood. You might not visibly see a difference, but you can enjoy Fair Trade products knowing the people behind it have been treated humanely, with care, respect and the highest standard of working conditions.

"This is 100% sustainability and you can contribute to the improvement of the agricultural supply chain and the advancement of our industry by purchasing these Fair Trade Certified™ NatureSweet tomatoes at Walmart." Lori Taylor (22:17-22:34)

Not only is NatureSweet Fair Trade Certified™, they're also certified by The Equitable Food Initiative which certifies greenhouses to ensure they meet the highest standards in the industry. Being able to invest your dollars in a company that's dedicated to sustainability and transforming agriculture at your local Walmart is an incredible achievement for our industry! Fair Trade items were once seen as obscure or high end as they weren't as readily available across all parts of America. Now, you can play your role in improving the industry standard for agricultural workers and the lives that bring you your favorite produce.

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!

"Anyone looking to make a more nutritious, healthy choice, my core philosophy comes back to more produce, more often."

Jackie London (6:16-6:28)

It's no wonder Jackie London, Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, Head of Nutrition & Wellness for WW (formerly Weight Watchers), and author of "Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less, and Feel Great About Your Body (Grand Central Life and Style)" has been on The Produce Moms podcast Episode 8, Episode 44 and now Episode 143! Her passion for helping everyone living a more nutritious life filled with fruits, vegetables and a simple approach to self-care is infectious. Jackie makes healthy eating accessible to everyone and anyone, no matter where they are on their health journey.

Jackie launched her book, "Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less, and Feel Great About Your Body (Grand Central Life and Style)" in January of 2019 to help answer your most burning, head spinning questions about losing weight and living a healthy life. The book is relatable, down to earth, digestible and offers true, evergreen advice, giving you peace of mind from all of the latest diet fads, trends, technique and confusing science. Alongside that, Jackie has been a part of WW (formerly Weight Watchers) for almost two years and is on a mission to bring out the core message of what dynamic self-care is to the world.

"I feel like we're all in a constant state of evaluating and reevaluating self-care as a priority and what that looks like on an everyday basis… it's absolutely different and completely dynamic." Jackie London (2:11-2:30)

The team at WW and their latest My WW Plus program is teaching people around the world how to have a holistic approach to wellness and weight loss. It's not about simply losing weight or trying to follow any of the recent diet "rules", rather the program teaches you how to create simple, healthy, everyday habits that impact all parts of you as a human.

My WW Plus offers help with meal planning, snacks, increasing your activity level, creating healthy sleep patterns, mindset and quick coaching to add dynamic self-care into your life. And when it comes to fruit and vegetables, Jackie makes adding more produce, more often approachable, real and easy.

Did you know that less than two percent of teens in America are eating the recommended amount of vegetables on a daily basis?

Instead of seeing this as a horrific statistic, Jackie sees this as a growth opportunity. If you think about the lifestyle and every day habit of a teen, they're usually on the go and convenience is a top priority. From school (virtual or in-person), to outdoor activities, sports practices, homework, spending time socially distanced with friends, and ever changing environments, it's no wonder teens grab the easiest thing to open and snack on.

Jackie suggests adding in veggies or fruit to meals that you may already be making for your teen at home, such as an egg sandwich that has arugula scrambled in it or avocado on top. Plus, having ready-to-grab, whole pieces of produce, like apples, pears, bananas, carrots or celery, gives teens the energy they need for all of their activities and are an easy segue from the unhealthy items they might be choosing now.

Teens aren't the only ones who need convenience… so do the majority of us! When trying to create a healthy lifestyle, Jackie says ditch the diet myths and make life simple. Consider what's convenient for you or is an easy addition into your daily habits to eat better. You don't have to do what all the gurus and diet fads tell you, and give yourself the permission to switch directions if something isn't working.

"If cauliflower is the Jane Austen of vegetables, then apples would be Charlotte Bronte of my personal kitchen." Jackie London (16:32-16:30)

When asked her favorite produce item as of late, Jackie couldn't choose! She isn't just passionate about helping others eat more fruits and vegetables, she can't get enough of cauliflower, sweet potatoes and apples herself! Jackie's favorite way to make eating fruits and vegetables fun for everyone is to add a kick of spice (she's a salsa lover), turn produce items into dips, and create toppings bars, like with potatoes. That way, you get the same, nutritious benefits while also making produce meals fun, exciting and tasty for everyone!

How to get involved

• Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
• Reach out to us - we'd love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.

If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review on iTunes. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and we'd love for you to help us spread the word!