SnackTime Explorers is an educational toolkit designed to…
Expand the possibilities of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
Want to become a SnackTime Explorer educator? Sign up here!
SnackTime Explorers is a 15-week educational program made to compliment the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and it’s changing the way elementary students consume fresh produce. This program is empowering the next generation to make informed food choices and creating a lasting impact on their well-being by…
Integrating Food Education into FFVP Snack Time
SnackTime Explorers transforms the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) tastings into engaging, multisensory learning experiences. Each grade-appropriate lesson is developed by the Food Education nonprofit Pilot Light and is rooted in one of Pilot Light’s 7 Food Education Standards. By incorporating immersive activities such as palette profiles, descriptive language exercises, and conversations about culture and environment, the program not only educates students about nutrition but also fosters curiosity and social connection within the classroom.
This program nurtures a positive classroom food culture where students are encouraged to try new fruits and vegetables and discuss them in a respectful, open-minded way. DNO Produce’s extensive and unique selection of fresh-cut produce options and Pilot Light’s classroom tools, like the “Produce Passport,” empower students to learn how to express themselves, appropriately aligned to their developmental stages.
Encouraging Respectful Exploration of New Foods
Empowering Educators to Lead Food Education
SnackTime Explorers offers a framework and resources for teachers, including training, mini-lessons, Produce Posters, monthly calendars, and stipends for Lead Teachers to build confidence and consistency in delivering Food Education. Our resources are designed to be flexible and easily integrate into existing classroom structures. Teachers are in contact with SnackTime Explorers alumni, who are eager to answer questions and provide support.
Pilot Light’s grade-specific, plug-and-play lessons are customizable to the produce item of the day and are designed for year-round use. Each grade band is equipped with developmentally appropriate materials, videos, and additional resources encouraging student engagement with fresh produce.
Our SnackTime Explorers program has two teacher cohorts: a Fall Cohort and a Spring Cohort. Each cohort is 15 weeks long and includes lesson implementation, FFVP logistics training, along with ongoing support and weekly communications featuring upcoming produce items and other programmatic updates. Participating teachers receive a stipend for attending training outside of the school day.
Here’s an overview.
Alex DiNovo, President of DNO Produce and its sister company, FRESHEALTH, and Alex DeSorbo Quinn from the Food Education non-profit, Pilot Light, share about their organizations and their combined vision for this program.
Fall Cohort 2025 Important Dates
Monday, May 19
Fall lead teacher applications open.
Friday, September 26
Lead teacher applications for Fall Cohort close.
Wednesday, October 8th
Fall cohort welcome!
Placing Your Produce Order
FRESHEALTH makes curated FFVP calendars with a kid-friendly tone and activity suggestions. We suggest you follow our monthly FFVP calendars because the items are strategically selected using five years of historical data to align with seasonality and market availability. This approach ensures predictable and controllable pricing.
FRESHEALTH ensures that every week offers something fresh and exciting, so your class doesn’t have repeat items. DNO is always on the lookout for innovative and standout additions.
You can always get in contact with our sales team and ask for alterations at sales@dnoproduce.com.
Our Alumni Program
Our SnackTime Explorers Alumni Network (STEAN) keeps SnackTime Explorers teachers engaged, even after their semester ends, by offering mentoring positions, ambassador roles, and furthering their Food Education journey.
When joining our alumni network, teachers get access to new resources, exclusive opportunities, and continued support from Pilot Light. Additionally, teachers assist new cohort members in our growing teacher community by sharing their experience being a Snack Time Explorers teacher and offering helpful tips and ways to engage students.
The real success of SnackTime Explorers comes from more than just one year—it’s about paying it forward, empowering school leaders to champion Food Education in their classrooms, community, and beyond!
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is a USDA program providing fresh fruits and vegetables to elementary children at eligible schools during the school day and outside of designated lunch time.
The goal of the FFVP is to introduce children to fresh fruits and vegetables, to include new and different varieties, and to increase overall acceptance and consumption of fresh produce.
SnackTime Explorers enhances this experience by bridging essential gaps in the program, including the disconnect between school food service and the classroom, the lack of teacher resources, and the time and food waste.
In order for your school to receive SnackTime Explorers, you must be enrolled in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
FFVP FAQs
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Elementary schools in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are eligible to participate. Schools must operate the National School Lunch Program in order to operate the FFVP. Importantly, the FFVP prioritizes schools with the highest percentage of children certified as eligible for free and reduced price meals. This is because children from low-income families generally have fewer opportunities to consume fresh produce on a regular basis.
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The staff at FRESHEALTH is happy to assist you with the FFVP application! Eligible elementary schools must submit an FFVP application that includes:
a.) The total number of enrolled children
b.) The percentage of children certified as eligible for free and reduced-price meals
c.) A certification of support for participation of the FFVP signed by the school food service manager, school principal, and the district superintendent (or equivalent positions, as determined by the school) and
d.) A Program implementation plan, including efforts to integrate the FFVP with other efforts to promote childhood health and nutrition.
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FFVP is provided to over 16,500 school districts nationwide and is prioritized in areas with a high percentage of students who receive free or reduced lunch. FFVP schools receive a box of fresh fruit and vegetables twice a week through their district’s distributor. FFVP snacks are cut into samples and individually packaged for easy classroom distribution. To find out if your school receives these produce boxes and to coordinate distribution to your SnackTime Explorers classroom, please contact your district’s school nutrition and cafeteria managers.
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First, your district signs on to the program for the school year. This includes a commitment to following the FRESHEALTH FFVP calendar or committing to creating a custom calendar in advance.
Then, the district shares all promotional materials to school staff to recruit teachers for the program. We ask for connections with leaders at two target schools.
Once the District has signed the agreement and is onboarded, the program will launch.
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We know that making produce fun and accessible is key to getting kids excited about healthy eating. Our range offers countless varieties, cuts, and pack sizes—ensuring there's a favorite for every kiddo. Little ones might love the bite-sized pineapple tidbits, while "big kids" can enjoy pineapple spears. And if diced bell peppers didn't win them over initially, why not re-introduce them as crinkle-cut strips?
To help you make the most of what nature offers, we recommend FRESHEALTH's monthly curated Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Calendar. We closely monitor the weather and market conditions to help ensure your program's success. You can subscribe to the calendar here.
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These plug-and-play lessons are designed to complement all curriculum areas by featuring CASEL skills and real-time applications in other subjects. Teachers are encouraged to customize SnackTime Explorers lessons and connect tasting experiences to their classrooms’ individual needs. SnackTime Explorers lessons can be utilized in conjunction with vocabulary, math, social sciences, and more.
*Even more information can be found on the United States Department of Agriculture’s website.
“Setting up the FFVP program in a large district takes time, attention to detail, creativity, and methodical planning; all of which their top-notch team exceeded our expectations in.
Their produce is pre-cut, delicious, educational, and convenient, and I highly recommend!”
“DNO has been a great partner with Wegmans for The Fruit and Vegetable Program. Always reliable and offer a great variety of products for elementary children to try and enjoy.”