Half Your Plate program launches to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables
Half Your Plate program launches to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association and its partners launched Half Your Plate, a new healthy eating initiative, across Canada. Half Your Plate empowers Canadians of all ages to eat more fruits and veggies to improve their health while providing simple and practical ways to add a variety of produce to every meal and snack.
After a successful launch on social media this summer, Half Your Plate is now making its way onto produce packaging and into retail stores across Canada.
“We are hosting four events across Canada this week, including a Twitter Party to introduce Canadians more broadly to Half Your Plate," Sam Silvestro, chair of the CPMA marketing and promotions committee, said in a press release. "It’s a great opportunity to get out there and really show people how easy it is to fill half their plate with fruits and veggies at every meal and snack. Now is the perfect time to introduce consumers to Half Your Plate — It’s a new year and a great time to start eating healthier, especially when it’s this easy.”
“Rather than having people count servings or worry about serving size, our messaging is that at every meal, make half your plate fruit and vegetables," Ron Lemaire, president of CPMA, said in the release. "By the end of the day, you’ll have your recommended number of servings. That also translates when you’re at the grocery store. Half your cart should be fruit and veggies, and having retailers promote the campaign re-emphasizes the importance of making healthier choices at the store.”
Although Canadians are becoming more conscious of what they eat, studies show that the average person only consumes 3.5 to 4.5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Yet Canada’s Food Guide recommends that adults get seven to 10 servings per day, depending on gender. Half Your Plate encourages people to take it one meal at a time, analyzing the makeup of their plate rather than specific servings that can be confusing to many.
The Half Your Plate campaign was developed in collaboration with health partners the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Public Health Association, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Twitter Party details are available at www.halfyourplate.ca.
