Our Team
The people behind every bag.
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Houston, we have a POMEGRANATE! ππ
This week's program highlight goes to...Houston ππ€
Here are a few facts about what is happening in Houston this school year:
πWe are in 48 sites across the city
π½οΈ~10,900 families and teachers are enrolled
π€© We have exciting partnerships: @houstonfoodbank, @SweetGreen, @UrbanHarvestHouston, @CommonMarketSE, @StuNursing
πWe have distributed 1,154,108 POUNDS of fresh fruits and veggies this school year.
π₯Some of our most unique items of produce have included: Mexican Hawthorn Apples, Tejocote, Black Jalapenos, Mini Mexican mangos, Lychee
@brighterbiteshou
#HealthyEating #HealthyCooking #BrighterBitesInvolved #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #BrighterBitesImpact
Happy Day of the Mushroom! π
Today we share our delicious Turkey Mushroom Burgers, perfect to try this weekend! ππAdding mushrooms to the ground turkey adds a ton of flavor and nutrition....and the best part is that your kids will never know you snuck in a veggie! Make dinner fun and let each family member pick a topping! Our favorite toppings are tomatoes, shredded lettuce, grilled onions, and avocado!
Find this recipe along with other delicious recipes on our website β‘οΈhttps://brighterbites.org/recipe/turkey-mushroom-burgers/
#DayOfTheMushroom #HealthyEating #HealthyCooking #BrighterBitesImpact #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #BrighterBitesInvolved
πGoing BANANAS for #NationalBananaDay!π
We've got a PEELING that you'll like our Banana Ice Cream recipe! π
Get the whole family involved and have everyone pick their toppings! Here is the recipeβ‘οΈ
INGREDIENTS:
10 very ripe bananas
Β½ cup low-fat milk
ΒΌ cup honey
Β½ tsp vanilla extract
β
tsp ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
Peel bananas and freeze overnight in a freezer bag. Remove the bananas from the freezer and blend in blender or food processor until smooth. Slowly add the remaining ingredients and blend until the bananas have a βfrozen yogurtβ consistency. (If you have an ice cream maker, pour mixture into maker and churn until there is an βice creamβ texture.) Serve immediately or store in the freezer for up to one week.
#NationalBananaDay #BananaIcecream #Fruit #EatHealthy #HealthyDessert
Eat well & keep moving! π₯π΄ββοΈ
While eating lots of fruits and vegetables is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, being physically active is important too!π
@who recommends that all healthy adults do 30 minutes/day of physical activity, and children should be physically active for 1 hour/day.
Here are some fun ideas to move around:
πHave a friendly competition of jumping rope.
πHave a dance party to your favorite music. πΊ
πΆββοΈPlay backyard games like tag or frisbee. πΆββοΈ
#WellnessWednesday #HealthyAtHome #BeActive #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #CATCH
Brighter Bites is creating demand for fresh produceπππ
π₯π
Each week of programming, Brighter Bites sends home ~50 servings of fruits and veggies to the families we serve. We could not do this without the produce industryβs expertise, logistical know-how, and fresh product!
Have the produce expertise and want to be a part of our mission? We'd love to see how we can partner!β‘οΈ https://brighterbites.org/produce-partners/
#BrighterBitesInvolved #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #BrighterBitesVolunteer
JUST TWO DAYS βοΈUNTIL OUR BIG EVENT! π
Have you registered yet? Not only will we be cooking up a delicious menu prepared by @smartinthekitchen, but we will also be talking about how you can get involved with Brighter Bites! And SURPRISE! We have two giveaways that we will raffle off to those attending- a $250 gift card to @heb and dinner at local Houston restaurant @kpskitchen024! We cannot wait to get cooking with YOU this Sunday at 5:00PM CST!
Tickets start at $50! Register TODAY here! β‘οΈ www.brighterbites.org/smartinthekitchen
Meet THREE amazing volunteers who have made an impact in the Austin community by volunteering with Brighter Bites!π€©
π₯¦ Judith has been volunteering with Brighter Bites since January 2021. She volunteers at 2 of our Austin school communities, she discovered us through Austin Acts of Kindness. Judith's favorite part of participating with Brighter Bites is seeing the smiling faces when she helps load cars with boxes of fresh produce.π
π Rogelio has been volunteering with Brighter Bites for the past 8 weeks! He loves the feeling of being helpful through volunteering for Brighter Bites. His favorite fruits are pineapples and avocados. π₯
π₯ Julie has been volunteering with Brighter Bites since Summer 2020. She helps us by making it easier to transport our fruits and vegetables for our walking families by putting their produce in bags. Her favorite part about volunteering with Brighter Bites is being able to interact with families during distribution. π
We are so grateful for these volunteers and more! Thank you for all that you do!
@brighterbitesaustin
#BrighterBitesImpact #BrighterBites #BrighterBitesHouston #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #BrighterBitesVolunteer
What do you get when you have kids' imaginations, fruits & veggies, and some art supplies? ... some BERRY impressive and creative artworkβοΈπ¨π
This semester we had our first-ever ART-ichoke Contest where we encouraged our Brighter Bites teachers and their students to submit artwork inspired by Brighter Bites fruits and veggies. The art ranged from colored pencil drawings to paintings to 3D designs to science projects to digital art and more! Here is a look at some of the healthy-inspired artwork we received! πβοΈπ
We hadΒ a total of 632 submissions from 94 classrooms! We received submissions from every cityΒ as well as every grade level- PK-6th grade!
Our winner (selected by random drawing) was Valerie Brooks, first grade teacher, in Washington, D.C. who has participated in the Brighter Bites program for three years! Every child that submitted artwork received a pARTipcation Award for their creativity. We are so proud of our teachers and students for the creativity and excitement for healthy eating that we saw through this artwork! π€©π¨
#BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience
I don't know about you, but I love fruits and vegetables from my head TO-MA-TOESπ
!
This #NationalFreshTomatoDay, we are sharing our Black Bean & Corn Salsa. It's a salsa the whole family will enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 (15oz) can corn (no salt added)
1 (15oz) can black beans (no salt added)
6 Tomatoes π
1 Bunch cilantro
4 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
Β½ tsp salt
2 Avocados
DIRECTIONS:
Drain corn and black beans and place in a bowl. Chop tomatoes and cilantro, then add to the beans and corn. Add lime juice, salt, and olive oil and mix. Lastly, cube and add avocados. Enjoy!
Download the recipe on our website β‘οΈ https://brighterbites.org/recipe/black-bean-corn-salsa/
#NationalFreshTomatoDay #HealthyEating #HealthyCooking #VegetarianRecipe #BrighterBitesImpact #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy
Got what it takes to be a Brighter Bites volunteer?
We have βοΈtwo ways that you can get involved!
Interested in getting your hands dirty and packing our boxes full of produce? Join us for a Produce Boxing! π¦π½π₯π
Interested in helping us distribute produce boxes full of fresh fruits and vegetables to our families? Help us at a Produce Distribution! ππΆββοΈπ₯¦
Visit our website to find the right volunteer shift for YOU!β‘οΈ https://brighterbites.org/volunteer/
#BrighterBitesInvolved #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #BrighterBitesVolunteer
We are thanking our lucky star(fruit)s for our Dallas team!βοΈ
Here is a look at our Dallas program this year!
π€ 23 sites
π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦ 12,158 families served
π 306,305 pounds of fruits and veggies distributed
π€ Our partners: @freshpoint_dallas @northtexasfoodbank @yourtaylorfarms
π A few stand out items of produce distributed: Asian pears, baby sour mangos, snap peas, watercress, tomatillos, English cucumber, kale π₯π₯
@BrighterBitesDallas
#BrighterBitesInvolved #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #BrighterBitesVolunteer
Brighter Bites is creating communities of health through fresh food, and you can be a part of it! π₯¦πππ₯π½π
Looking to learn more, support our work, AND get cooking? Join us for our upcoming event!
It's a virtual, family-friendly culinary experience with Marcia Smart of @SmartintheKitchen and hosted by Brighter Bitesβ Founder Lisa Helfman, Board Member Scott McClelland, and Houston Life Co-Host Courtney Zavala
What's on the menu? π
Strawberry Mojito (cocktail)
Spring Pea and Leek Tartine
Mixed Greens with Homemade Salad Dressing
Rigatoni Kale Pasta
Chocolate and Berry Board
This hands-on, stay-at-home event will benefit Brighter Bitesβ critical work of providing fresh produce and nutrition education to nearly 30,000 families nationwide. There are a few ticket levels π, so please visit our website and see how you'd like to join in on the fun! β‘οΈ
www.brighterbites.org/smartinthekitchen
We can't wait to spend the evening with you! π
ORANGE you glad to know that today is National Oranges and Lemons Day!? π It's the Zestiest day of the week! π
We are sharing a few of our yummy orange and lemon recipes.
- X-Ray Vision Smoothie
- Brighter Bites Smoothie
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Fun facts:
π Both Lemons and Oranges are high in Vitamin C.
π A few health benefits:
β’ Immune-boosting
β’ Good for your heart, vision, skin, and bone health
β’ May lower risk of cancer
#NationalOrangesAndLemonsDay #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy
Who says healthy eating can't be fun? π
Here at Brighter Bites, we believe that healthy eating should be fun! Our DC team is taking our distributions to whole new level of healthy and fun engagement. Here is a peek at some of the healthy characters that are popping up at our DC distributions!...Now that is what we call fun AND healthy!! π
π₯Our #TuesdayTip today is make healthy food fun! Kids eat with their eyes first, so make the plate colorful and fun, and don't be afraid to play with your food! The more engaged kids are with healthy foods, the more likely they are to try new things. π₯
@BrighterBitesDC
#BrighterBites #BrighterBitesDC #TuesdayTip #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy
We can't talk about our impact without talking about volunteers- that's a fact!
πβΊοΈ
Our volunteers help get our fruits and veggies packed and stacked π¦π¦
And make sure we keep our drive-thru and walk-up lines on track! πππΆββοΈπΆββοΈ
Although out traditional volunteer model has shifted this year, there is still plenty of work to do to get fruits from farms to families! πππ½We've got shifts available in all of our cities, and we'd love to have you!
Sign up today and be part of our impact in your community! πhttps://brighterbites.org/volunteer/
#BrighterBitesImpact #BrighterBites #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy
This just in! π°π
We've just released our produce-forward menu for our upcoming event! Strawberries and peas and berries, O MY! The menu line up for the event is as tasty as it sounds, and our hosts for the evening have so much fun in store for us. We cannot wait to get cooking with YOU!
Have you registered for the virtual cooking class yet? It's not too late! Register today at www.brighterbites.org/smartinthekitchen
We cannot wait to spend an evening cooking with you!
Keep Austin...HEALTHY! (Part 2)
It takes a village to serve a Texas-sized city, and we could not be more honored to partner with so many great companies to help us bring healthy foods to our community. Let's introduce you to some of the people that help make it happen π
πWe started new partnership with @mrgreensproduce in January for storage, boxing, and delivery of produce to schools
π₯@sweetgreen chose us as their social impact partner this year and donated 315 fresh salads to our families
βοΈAfter the Feb '21 winter storm, we joined Austin's recovery efforts received so much volunteer support from city council members @GregCasar of D4 and @mpt_harpermadison of D1. Many of these volunteers continue to come out to our distributions!
Talk about produce! π
π₯¬Bok Choy donated by local Austin farm @urbanrootsatx
πRockit Apples donated by @ChelanFresh @rockitappleusa
π₯Avocados donated by @delreyavocadoco
π₯¬Spring Mix and Arugula donated by The Salad Farm
ππPineapples and bananas donated by Dole
π₯60,000+ pounds of potatoes donated by Skyline Potato Co
@brighterbitesaustin
#BrighterBitesImpact #BrighterBites #BrighterBitesAustin #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy
Keep Austin...HEALTHY! (Part 1) ππΆπ½π₯ππ
π
We've been keeping Austin healthy since 2015, and we are excited to share some of our highlights from this year! Here are the quick facts:
π18 sites in the Eastern crescent served
π½~2500 families fed!
π€Four school district partnerships: @austinisd @kipp_austin_comunidad @austinachievees @child_inc_travis_county
π₯¦514,953 POUNDS of fresh fruits and vegetables distributed since programming began in September 2020
@brighterbitesaustin
#BrighterBitesImpact #BrighterBites #BrighterBitesAustin #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy
Have you registered for our event yet? π₯³
Join us for an evening of cooking together while supporting our mission. We have a fantastic produce-forward menu planned for you with recipes the whole family will love! This hands-on, stay-at-home event will benefit Brighter Bitesβ critical work of providing fresh produce and nutrition education to nearly 30,000 families nationwide. π³ππ₯π₯
We have a full line up for you including Marcia Smart of @smartinthekitchen, Brighter Bitesβ Founder Lisa Helfman, President of H-E-B Food/Drug Stores Scott McClelland, and Houston Life Co-Host @courtneyzavala.
Register at the link in our bio to gain access to the exclusive event! We can't wait to spend an evening cooking with YOU! π
Meet Lilian Shieh. π
Lilian is one of our Houston volunteers. Here you can see her volunteering at our produce boxing at the Houston Food Bank! π¦
Eating is one of her favorite things to do, and she wants all families to have that experience with food. ππ
Thank you, Lilian, and all of our volunteers for supporting our mission! Through your support, we are able to bring healthy foods to so many families in the Houston community! π₯¦π₯ππ
@brighterbiteshou
#ThankfulThursday #BrighterBitesImpact #BrighterBites #BrighterBitesHouston #WeAreBrighterBites #FreshProduce #fruits #vegetables #Nonprofit #NutritionEducation #FunFoodExperience #JoyOfFresh #EatHealthy #BrighterBitesVolunteer