The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides all children in participating schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snacks options. This program is seen as an important catalyst for change in efforts to combat childhood obesity by helping children learn more healthful eating habits and expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience, and as a result, increase their fruit and vegetable consumption. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers this program at the federal level. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's Office of Nutrition awards grants to eligible schools and oversees the program in Ohio. Visit the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program on the Office of Nutrition's website to learn more about this program.

Classroom Materials for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)

The Office of Nutrition partnered with INFOhio to curate a collection of instructional materials for educators to support the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Ohio's K-6 educators can use these materials to teach their students about the fruits and vegetables they sample in the classroom. 

Click to open the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Classroom Materials package. This package includes teaching and learning materials selected by educators for educators. Click the down arrow to select a section for the fruit, vegetable, or health topic you are teaching.

From the drop-down menu, click Table of Contents. This section includes a list of 12 fruits and vegetables and three health-related topics. Click an icon to go directly to the resources for that topic. 

Each section includes a combination of eBooks, videos, articles, and activities from INFOhio resources. These materials were selected to use with students as they sample the fruit or vegetable in the classroom. 

Ideas for the Classroom

Combine lesson plans, eBooks, videos, articles, and activities, with the suggestions below to bring fruit, vegetable, and health topics into your classroom.

• Play a video about the fruit or vegetable as they taste the sample.
• Project an eBook so all students can see the text. Read the eBook as students sample the fruit or vegetable.
• Project an infographic so all students can see the images, text, and numbers. Once students have finished their samples, ask them what they learned about the fruit or vegetable from the infographic.
• Print copies of puzzles and activity sheets. Students can complete these activities as they sample the fruit or vegetable.

Learn More About the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

If you have questions about bringing the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to your school, contact Hannah Hart at the Office of Nutrition at (614) 965-3742 or Hannah.Hart@education.ohio.gov.