I received this press release from PBS Kids regarding an initiative to help kids with healthy eating and exercise as they go back to school. Many of the PBS Kids programs will feature some helpful tips and positive reinforcement for kids and their families to eat healthier.

PBS KIDS ENCOURAGES HEALTHY EATING AND EXERCISE WITH BACK-TO-SCHOOL RESOURCES

Arlington, VA, August 18, 2011 – As children head back to school, PBS KIDS makes it easy for families to stay healthy and active with the PBS KIDS Eat Smart for a Great Start initiative.  Studies have shown that poor nutrition and lack of exercise can negatively impact children’s academic performance. To help start the school year off right, PBS KIDS has developed themed television programming, online content, and partnerships with Allrecipes.com and Produce for Kids® — to provide kids and parents with resources that support health and physical activity. These resources are available on PBSPARENTS.org/eatsmart.

“Our mission is to nurture the whole child – helping kids learn and grow,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS.  “Research shows that eating nutritious foods and staying active are critical for school success, so we’ve developed resources to help make these healthy lifestyle habits easy for families to integrate into their daily lives.”

On-air Programming
PBS KIDS will also support healthy living with food- and exercise-themed episodes on-air throughout the fall (check local listings). Popular series, including THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!, CURIOUS GEORGE, SID THE SCIENCE KID, SESAME STREET and ARTHUR will encourage kids to get moving and to learn about healthy eating.  These episodes explore health and nutrition, demonstrating the importance of healthy choices, and modeling activities and behaviors to that will help kids eat smart and get off to a great start.  Episode descriptions and episodic images are available on PBS PressRoom.

Online Resources for Families
PBS KIDS and PBS Parents have developed online resources to support health and nutrition.  Kids will be able to play educational games and watch related clips and episodes on PBSKIDS.org/eatsmart starting in September.  And the PBSPARENTS.org/eatsmart site offers printable activity sheets, such as recipe templates and placemats, featuring PBS KIDS characters. On PBSPARENTS.org/eatsmart parents can also sign up for a four-week free program to receive a daily tip, Monday through Friday, starting on September 5. Each day, parents will be invited to stop by the PBS Parents site to find new ideas and advice to promote health and nutrition for families. Tips will be provided by healthy cooking experts from PBS Parents blog Kitchen Explorers, PBS KIDS GO! character Professor Fizzy, of FIZZY’S LUNCH LAB, as well as from partners Allrecipes.com and Produce for Kids.

Partnership Activities
In addition to contributing to the daily tips program, Allrecipes.com and Produce for Kids have partnered with PBS KIDS to support Eat Smart for a Great Start.

Beginning August 17, Allrecipes.com will feature PBS KIDS characters on their site, including PBS KIDS GO! web-original series FIZZY’S LUNCH LAB, to help promote healthy and nutritious kid-pleasing foods for the back to school season.

For the fifth year in a row, Produce for Kids is featuring the PBS KIDS Eat Smart for a Great Start campaign in more than 1,000 grocery stores nationwide.  The campaign runs from August through October, and offers a consumer and educator sweepstakes, the Play with Your Produce Challenge, and awards prizing including PBS KIDS merchandise, grocery gift cards and cash rewards for winning classrooms.  In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of participating fresh produce products are donated to PBS KIDS.  More information is available online at produceforkids.org. 

The campaign will be featured in grocery retailers such as Stop & Shop (New England), GIANT and MARTIN’s Food Stores (Northeast), Giant Landover (Baltimore/D.C area), United Texas and Meijer stores (mid-west).

PBS KIDS is committed to providing kids ages 2 to 8, as well as their parents and caregivers, with content to prepare them for success in school and in life.  With a transmedia approach, PBS KIDS is increasingly serving children wherever they live, learn, and play – on TV, online, through mobile devices, in the classroom, and through a new line of educational toys.

Curious George is a production of Imagine, WGBH and Universal. Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H.A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company and used under license.  Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP.  Television Series:  © 2011. Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for children, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs.  For more information visit PBS.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.

About Allrecipes
Allrecipes, the world’s largest digital food brand, receives 535 million annual visits from home cooks who discover and share food experiences through recipes, reviews, photos, profiles, and blog posts. For 14 years, the Seattle-based site has served as a dynamic, indispensable resource for cooks of all skill levels seeking everyday and holiday meal solutions, plus practical cooking information. Allrecipes’ global, multiplatform brand provides insights into the kitchens and cooking passions of home cooks everywhere with 17 websites, 9 mobile apps, and 13 eBooks serving cooks in 23 countries and 11 languages. Allrecipes is part of Lifestyle Communities @ RDA, a division of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. For additional information regarding Allrecipes, please visit www.allrecipes.com.

About Produce for Kids
Produce for Kids® promotes healthy lifestyles for children by educating kids and parents about the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables while also supporting worthy children’s causes.  Since its creation in 2002 by Shuman Produce Inc., Produce for Kids has raised more than $3.1 million for children’s hospitals across the country and PBS KIDS® to educate kids, parents and teachers about healthy eating.

Sponsored products for each supermarket can be found on materials in the grocery stores’ fresh produce departments and online at www.produceforkids.org.