Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program

Overview

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides all children in participating schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snacks options. This program is seen as an important catalyst for change in efforts to combat childhood obesity by helping children learn more healthful eating habits and expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience and as a result increase their fruit and vegetable consumption.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the FFVP at the federal level and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Office of Nutrition awards the grants to eligible schools and provides oversight to the operation of the FFVP on the state level. Elementary schools in Ohio on the National School Lunch Program are eligible to apply for the FFVP if at least 50 percent of the student enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price school meal benefits. Schools complete an annual application that is made available in Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System (CRRS). According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy, elementary schools with the highest percentage of students receiving free and reduced-price school meal benefits receive the highest priority consideration for funding.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Hannah Hart at (614) 965-3742.

Resources

Classroom Materials for FFVP

The FFVP is a great opportunity for educators who deliver the program in the classroom to provide accompanying nutrition education with the fresh fruit or vegetable being served.

INFOhio has curated a collection of instructional materials for educators to support the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program in the classroom. Ohio's K-6 educators can use these materials to teach their students about the fruits and vegetables they sample. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Classroom Materials package includes a variety of resources for a list of 12 fruits and vegetables and three health-related topics. Each section includes a combination of eBooks, videos, articles, and activities from INFOhio resources.  
 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Non-Discrimination Statement

Last Modified: 10/8/2025 8:20:35 AM