Fall 2025 Nutrition Notes
Fall 2025 Nutrition Notes
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A Message from our Executive Director
September marks National Fruits and Veggies Month™—a perfect time to celebrate fruits and vegetables in all their glory, as well as the systems supporting local agriculture and consumer access. Fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet and vital to supporting chronic disease prevention and overall well-being. When it comes to our nutritional health, access to produce is like sunlight to a plant. A guiding thread throughout my career in public health nutrition has revolved around promoting individual-level behavioral change, as well as policy, systems and environment (PSE) strategies to increase fruit and vegetable intake among all populations in the United States.
While education is such an important component of public health nutrition, people generally know that fruits and vegetables are good for us—so, when it comes to this dietary choice, the issue is compounded by several factors, including access, affordability, time, convenience, social and cultural norms, taste preferences, policy, and more. These barriers to fruit and vegetable intake are compounded by rising food insecurity and will cause more people to turn to food banks and pantries for support, which are not designed to carry the weight of this shift alone.
So, what can be done? PSE approaches offer solutions. These strategies address barriers like affordability, availability, and convenience through policy, systems, and environment change. They leverage cross-sector partnerships (e.g., between healthcare agencies, agriculture, and national safety net programs) while also promoting healthier behaviors and strengthening consumers’ purchasing power. Programs like the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), have been found to bolster local economies, as well as improve fruit and vegetable intake and food security.
In addition to my work with GusNIP, I have had the recent privilege of serving on the Board of Directors the Foundation for Fresh Produce. The Foundation works to improve peoples' health by making fruits and vegetables more appealing, accessible, and affordable—supporting people and programs that put produce within reach for everyone. This work tackles the supply and demand side of things, helping to ensure that when people have access, they also have the desire and opportunity to choose fruits and vegetables.
Programs like GusNIP, and organizations like the Foundation for Fresh Produce, show us how to build a future where fruits and vegetables are within reach for all populations. In the coming weeks, I encourage you to try a new fruit and/or vegetable—try peak season produce like apples, pears, sweet potato and cauliflower.