The Goal is a Veggie Forward Future
The Importance of Veggies Early and Often
What is Veggies Early and Often?
Ensuring that your littlest eaters consume the right amount of vegetables is no small task. It’s no wonder that only 10% of young children meet recommendations for vegetable intake. But we know that eating healthy at an early age can help lead to a lifetime of health, that’s why we created the Veggies Early and Often initiative. Through Veggies Early & Often, Partnership for a Healthier America(PHA)is convening leaders in the baby & toddler food industry, health professionals and early childhood education specialists to consolidate evidence and outline an action agenda with the goal to raise a generation of veggie lovers.
How we’re making it easier for parents to find healthy food
To increase vegetable consumption among young children, and to help parents and caregivers differentiate “veggie-forward” options from options with a small percentage of vegetables, we created the “Veggies Early & Often” icon. Companies can easily adopt it on packaging or menus if a product meets Partnership for a Healthier America’s strict “Veggies Early & Often” nutritional criteria.
What are the requirements to earn the VEO icon:
- Product contains over 50% vegetables by weight
- Product has no additives
How we’re joining forces to make a difference
PHA is working towards a better food future by driving long-term positive change for the communities that need it most. We convened a coalition of baby and toddler food manufacturers that are working together to make a real change. This year, we’re championing a bold new commitment: adding 1 million servings of vegetables through veggie-forward products in 2024! That’s millions of happy tummies and bright little futures nurtured by the power of good food! By working together, we’re making a real impact on the baby and toddler food industry, ensuring a future filled with nutritious choices and happy eaters.
Our Industry Partners:
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Happy Family Organics
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Serenity Kids
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Lil' Gourmets
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Nurture Life
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Square Baby
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Yumi
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Tiny Organics
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Small Bites Adventure Club
Video Content from our Kid Feeding Experts
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Alicia ‘Chacha’ Miller, MS, RD, LDN
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Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN
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Marina Chaparro, RD, CDE, MPH
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Amy Palanjian
Our resources for families and pediatricians:
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Resource
Yes, Kids CAN Learn to Love Veggies
A Review of Evidence to Support Why Young Eaters Need Veggies ‘Early and Often’
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Resource
Patient Infographic for Medical Professionals (English & Spanish)
A resource for medical professionals who are committed to working with families and caregivers to raise a generation of veggies lovers.
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Resource
Raising Adventurous Eaters with First Foods (English & Spanish)
Patient education handouts that offer stage-by-stage guidance on nutrition and infant feeding during pregnancy and from 0-24 months of age.
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Resource
Veggies Early & Often Resource List for Early Childhood Educators
A resource for child care centers that provides easy steps to develop an organizational commitment to ‘veggies early & often’ during and outside of mealtime.
