Produce for Kids® Annual Get Healthy, Give Hope Campaign {$25 Gift Card Giveaway}

As our family strives to eat healthy I’m excited to announce that Produce for Kids® has launched its annual Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign. 16 major supermarket chains across the country, including local Price Chopper stores are coming together to help raise money for local children’s hospitals.

Now through July 28th, thanks to the annual Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign hosted by Price Chopper and Produce for Kids, the more produce shoppers add to their shopping lists the more hope they can give to local children. Celebrating a milestone 10th birthday in 2012, Produce for Kids is excited to kick off this year’s campaign with a new partnership with Sprout® and LazyTownTM. During the campaign, Produce for Kids will offer shoppers collectible Ideal Meals– quick and easy healthy meal ideas, which are free and can be found in displays featuring LazyTown characters from the popular, health-focused, children’s series airing exclusively in the U.S. on 24-hour preschool television channel, Sprout.

Ideal Meals offer shoppers chef-created/nutritionist-approved easy solutions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Featuring fresh fruits and vegetables as the main ingredients, Ideal Meals are great for busy families who crave fast meal options that don’t require stopping at the local drive-thru.

Don’t have a Price Chopper near you? Below are current campaign dates for additional stores participating nationwide:

• Kroger Southwest: Now through July 24th

• Fred Meyer: Now through July 26th

• King Soopers: Now through July 31st

• Kroger Central: Now through July 18th

Below are two delicious summer-inspired Ideal Meals that are perfect to serve as a fun dessert alternatives at any upcoming BBQs or summer events that you may be attending:

Smoothie Pops:
Serves 16
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large peach or mango, peeled and chopped
• 1 large nectarine, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium bananas, sliced
• 1 pt. strawberries or raspberries
• ¼ cup orange or fruit juice
• 2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Place all smoothie ingredients in a blender and blend until just smooth.
2. Place 16 paper cups on a baking tray. Pour smoothie into paper cups. Place tray in freezer and freeze until slushy, about 20 minutes. Remove tray from freezer and insert one popsicle stick into the center of each cup. Return to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
3. To serve, tear away paper cup and place on plate. Enjoy!

Chocolatey Fruit Skewers:
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 premade pound cake
• 8 strawberries, whole, leaves hulled
• 8 raspberries, whole
• 1 cup pineapple, cored, chunked
• 4 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
• 4 (6-inch) bamboo skewers

Directions:

1. Cut pound cake into 4 1×3-inch rectangles and 8 1×1-inch squares.
2. Place 1 1×3-inch piece cake on plate, stick skewer in middle.
3. Add strawberry, raspberry, pineapple and 1×1-inch piece of cake to skewer. Repeat with another strawberry, raspberry, pineapple and 1×1-inch piece of cake.
4. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit Giveaway Rules. This giveaway will end on July 28, 2012 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. You must be 18 years. Open to U.S. only. No P.O. boxes.

Disclosure:  The representing PR or Company provided a giftcard/product and will be providing the giveaway prize. No compensation was provided. The opinions expressed are my own personal and honest thoughts.