Last week’s Your Produce Man’s ProducePuzzler dealt with fruit:  Some fruits are best ripened after it has been picked.  What fruit cannot be picked from the tree when it is ripe?  It must be picked green. Actually, this fruit, if left on the plant to ripen, will rot before it ripens. This fruit is the most handled fruit in the world, yet, still is one of the cheapest fruits to buy. It's loaded with potassium, too. That's right, the Banana is picked dead green from the plant, and then is allowed to ripen.  This week’s Your Produce Man’s ProducePuzzler deals with produce names:  What US city got its name from Garlic?  See next week’s Fresh Tips for the answer.

LONG PROMO:   Oh, all next week, I’ve got Mom with me.  No, not my Mom.  America’s Mom.  She’s Elizabeth Pivonka and she’s joining me all next week to talk about eating our fresh fruits and vegetables.  More Matters, so you better stay with me.  Mom’s going to be with me, and you’ve got to listen to Mom…next week with me, Michael Marks, Your Produce Man.

SHORT PROMO:  Mom is going to be with me, America’s Mom, Elizabeth Pivonka…next week with me, Michael Marks, Your Produce Man.
                                                                                                         
MORE MATTERS I (Monday, April 30):  Heh Spidey.  Spider Man opens in theaters this week.  Spider Man 3, and I bet virtually everyone knows about it.  It’s opening this week in theaters around the country.  You know there has been a lot of money spent on getting us to eat our fruits and vegetables, but do many people know about it?  Not really.  Not like we should.  It used to be called “5-A-Day,” but now it’s called “More Matters.”  We’re going to be talking with Elizabeth Pivonka the rest of this week.  But you know, one of things I have been telling you for the past…how many years, you’ve gotta eat your fresh fruits and vegetables.  All of the different colors of the rainbow can be found in the produce department, and you need to be eating…Look at my shirt.  Just look at my colorful shirt.  You need to be eating all of the different colors, the reds, the  blues, the greens, the yellows, the whites, the browns, all of them are really healthy for us.  You don’t believe me?  I’ve got Mom with me coming up tomorrow and the rest of the week.  Mom will be here and she’s going to be telling us that More Matters, so you better join me.  I’m Michael Marks…Your Produce Man.

TEASE:  Heh, in my next Produce Man report, you know Spider Man is opening this week, but do you know to eat your fruits and vegetables?

MORE MATTERS II (Tuesday, May 1):  So, what is easier than just peeling a Banana?  A cool little Banana.  Elizabeth, that’s yours.  I’m with Elizabeth Pivonka.  She’s in charge of the Produce for Better Health Foundation.  She’s America’s Mom, trying to get us to eat our fruits and veggies.  Now that’s a tough job, isn’t it?  Now, why aren’t we eating our fruits and veggies?  ELIZABETH:  Well, time is a big factor.  A lot of folks just don’t think about it.  They’ve done away with the “side dish” and that’s where a lot of vegetables are.  When in reality, there isn’t anything that’s really more convenient than a piece of fruit or frozen items in the freezer.  And that’s another thing people tend to forget about.  It doesn’t have to be fresh.  It can be canned, frozen, dried, or 100% juiced.  They all count.  YPM:  So if people aren’t accustomed with a knife and chopping things up, they can get the fresh-cut, the canned or the frozen, right?  ELIZABETH:  It all counts.  It all works.  YPM:  Listen to Mom.  She was right.  Eat your fruits and veggies.  I’m Michael Marks, Your Produce Man.  

TEASE: Heh, in my next Produce Man report, America’s Mom is trying to get us to eat more fruits and veggies.

MORE MATTERS III (Wednesday, May 2):  Let’s see, one, two, three, four and five.  I just got used to this five-a-day thing.  Basically, whatever you can fit into your hand, that was a serving.  Eat five of those a day, and you’d be OK.  Then they went to this 5 – 9 a day.  Elizabeth Pivonka, you’re confusing me.  Here is America’s Mom, trying to get us to eat more fruits and veggies.  You’re in charge of the Produce for Better Health Foundation.  You’re blowing up 5-a-Day…so to speak, and you’re going to what?  ELIZABETH:  We’re going to Fruits and Veggies, More Matters.  That’s because you’re actually suppose to eat up to 13 a day, and we thought that would just be too overwhelming and turn people off.  YPM:  Wait a second.  I’d have to get my toes out to count that high.  ELIZABETH:  That would be a problem, so basically, we simplified the message.  It’s simply Fruits and Veggies, More Matters.  It doesn’t matter how much you eat.  Just eat more.  YPM:  That is great.  So if you want to weigh less, just eat more.  What an ironic thing.  Oh by the way, does my Captain Crunch Berries count as a serving of fruit?   ELIZABETH:  No.  No, no.  They don’t count.  YPM:  Oh, bummer.  I’m Michael Marks, Your Produce Man.  

TEASE: Heh, in my next Produce Man report, heh, we’re going from five-a-day to…fruits and veggies, More Matters.

MORE MATTERS IV (Thursday, May 3):  I am here today with Elizabeth Pivonka.  She’s been joining us all this week.  America’s Mom has been joining us.  I’m so grateful you could spend some time with us.  She is in charge of the Produce for Better Health Foundation.  Now, I’m a Dad.  I have a family.  Four children.  And we’re fighting billions of dollars of advertising for junk food and bad food.  What can a family do?  ELIZABETH:  Turn the TV off so kids don’t see it all.  And just say, “No.”  Parents have a veto power.  YPM:  Wait a second.  What do you mean, “just say No?” ELIZABETH:  Just don’t have it in the house and don’t have it available.  YPM:  So the kids are crying for the candy bar instead of the broccoli?  ELIZABETH:  Yeah, you know a lot of people assume that kids don’t like fruits and vegetables.  You’d be amazed that if you just put it on the table, they will eat it.  YPM:  Oh, and I remember you saying once before that you take the Cantaloupe, you get it home and then cut it up right away so that when the kids want a snack, after school, it’s right there.  Great idea.  I’m Michael Marks, Your Produce Man.

TEASE:  Heh, in my next Produce Man report, America’s Mom says, ELIZABETH:  “Just say no.”  YPM:…to junk food. 
   
MORE MATTERS V (Friday, May 4):  Oh I love Strawberries.  My Mom was right.  Eat more fruits and vegetables.  I’m here with America’s Mom, Elizabeth Pivonka.  You are in charge of the Produce for Better Health Foundation.  Fruits and Veggies, More Matters.  But what can we as families, what can families do better…me as a dad, what can I do better?  ELIZABETH:  Well, actually setting a good example for your kids is one thing, one way to getting them to eat more fruits and vegetables.  YPM:  So instead of the candy, have my Strawberry?  ELIZABETH:  Exactly.  YPM:  OK, I’ve got that.  ELIZABETH:  Make sure you try it several times.  Sometimes, it takes kids a while before they get accustomed to a new flavor.  YPM:  OK, don’t give up.  ELIZABETH:  Try it raw.  Sometimes kids will like things raw when they don’t like it cooked.  So try it raw…and try it with a dip.  All of those things.  YPM:  How about taking your kids to the store with you?  ELIZABETH:  Take them to the store.  Have them pick out the “color of the day” or the apple of the week.  They don’t have a choice of eating fruits and vegetables but they do have a choice of which ones.  YPM:  What about restaurants.  We eat out a lot.  ELIZABETH:  There are a lot of restaurants now that have a lot of fruits and vegetable options for kids.  YPM:  Go to those restaurants.  ELIZABETH:  Go to those restaurants.  YPM:  I like that.  I’m Michael Marks, Your Produce Man. 

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