Niki Mann, associate director of R&D for K-12 and commercial chains for Tyson Foods Inc. The challenge is compounded when a product’s serving size is so small that including a serving of vegetable might compromise or ruin the organoleptic characteristics of flavor, texture, and color. However, it’s challenging to put a full serving of complete produce into a single portion of many food items due to portion size limitations and costs. PHOTO COURTESY OF: Teton Waters Ranch, Inc./Jennifer Olson Photography ( Manufacturers always are striving to incorporate fruits and vegetables into items for the kid food space, as with veggie pasta and vegetable purées for babies. Home economics tricks such as using extenders for ground beef can be leveraged toward sneaking vegetables into food by incorporating flavor- and texture-enhancing mushrooms. “By introducing fruits and vegetables in or with meals we know they already eat, not only does it help them explore creativity and perhaps experience the true flavors fruits and veggies can provide, but it also creates lifelong habits,” she explains. Reinhardt-Kapsak notes that it’s more “fun” (thus more effective) to incorporate fruits and vegetables into foods that folks -especially kids - already love and enjoy. For decades, the group has been at the forefront of promoting increased produce consumption through its famous 5-A-Day program. “Studies show that six in 10 kids are not eating enough fruit, and nine in 10 kids are not eating enough vegetables,” says Wendy Reinhardt-Kapsak, MS, RDN, president and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation. Despite all the efforts of government agencies, including changes to the Food Pyramid and “My Plate,” as well as school nutrition initiatives and incentives, kids are still falling short of the daily recommended servings. The crisis is especially critical for children. Yet, according to the CDC, only one in 10 adult Americans (12.2%) are meeting daily fruit intake guidelines, with only 9.3% getting the recommended total of five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. But whether or not consumers truly are confused about how to attain their recommended daily requirement of vegetables, product makers have a great opportunity in providing flavorful and even indulgent products that can provide quantifiable amounts of produce in each serving. He further notes that the strategy also can be applied to reducing grain flours and adding legumes, such as garbanzo and black bean, as the fruit pastes and purées help with the texture in the final product of such formulations.Ĭonsumers often claim they are unsure about how to prepare vegetables and don’t know which ones give the best nutritional value per serving. “Apple and pear purées also provide some acidity and tartness, which can enhance flavor and allow for less sugar as well,” he says. Painter points out that these ingredients also contain fiber and nutrients. “And raisin and date pastes are also good alternatives to sugars.” “Apple or pear purée can be substituted at a one-to-one ratio for sugar in a pecan pie filling,” suggests Schuster. The duo has had success with such techniques as adding concentrated apple flakes to the crust of a pastry item, or raisin and date purée to compensate for reduced sugar in pies. James Painter, PhD, professor emeritus at Eastern Illinois University, and Maggie Schuster, MS, RD, have been assisting manufacturers with the changes. Fruit purées, flakes, pastes, and concentrates are being utilized in the fight for sugar reduction - but they also are a great way to bring more fruit into a food item.
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