National Fruits & Veggies Month

National Fruits & Veggies Month is a national observance and awareness campaign held in the United States during the month of September to educate about the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables and to celebrate in song and culture how they are grown, distributed, and consumed.[1] The awareness campaign consists of outreach to grocery stores and retailers and to schools and public organizations, outreach to nutritionists and other health professionals, weekly online contests with prizes, social media campaigns and logowear, and other special events during September to celebrate National Fruits & Veggies Month and inspire people to regularly consume fruits and vegetables and to create a more balanced lifestyle.[2][3] The Take the Have A Plant pledge is to "add one more fruit or vegetable to your routine, everyday this month."[4] The year-long campaign surrounding 'Have a Plant' has monthly educational themes to be implemented by their Fruit and Vegetable Ambassadors in Action (FVAA) network.[5]

The event is sponsored by the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) as part of the PBH Have A Plant Movement, which "Aims to Transform the Way Millennials and Gen Z Approach Fruits and Vegetables, to Change Behaviors and Boost Consumption" (according to its website).[2] The PBH Have A Plant consumer movement replaces their previous Fruits & Veggies-More Matters public education program.[6] The 2019 NFVM theme is "Have A Plant – Food Rooted In A Better Mood" and is supported with printed and downloadable literature.