LOS ALAMITOS, CA - I am (sadly) not in school anymore, but that doesn’t mean this trade news writer isn’t scouring the back-to-school sets in the produce aisle. On my latest trip to the store, I came across Frieda’s clamshell of fresh rambutans and quickly saw how perfect they are for parents seeking unique lunch box ideas. I’ll be the first to say that these enticing fruits taste like candy, so even the pickiest little eaters will be hooked once you land them in their parents’ shopping carts. And Frieda’s has plenty more tropical treasure troves lying in wait.
“With a kindergartner and third-grader at home, we know all about back-to-school. It’s the perfect time to press the reset button on healthy lunches and encourage even your pickiest eaters to try something new,” says Cindy Sherman, mother of two and Frieda’s Director of Marketing and Innovation.
A press release from the company explained that merchandising new favorites next to traditional standbys is a great way to shake up shoppers’ daily routines with fruits that have familiar flavor profiles. Placing Rambas™ rambutans next to grapes, for example, can highlight their grape-like interior and catch the eyes of passersbys—parents and kids alike. Use signage to point out that rambutans provide an abundant amount of Vitamin C as well.
Another option suggested by Frieda’s is to create displays with Honey Dragons® dragon fruit next to pineapple, making the yellow-skinned dragon fruit a fan favorite for shoppers looking for a hint of sweet, honey-like juiciness. Or, cross merchandise dragon fruit with other tropical staples like kiwi and jackfruit and round out the display with Frieda’s jackfruit, dragon fruit, and kiwi salad recipe card.
Watermelon radishes can also bring a pop of color and crunch to kid-friendly lunches, and Frieda's Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes are sure to be a hit, too.
“In our house, Stokes Purple Sweet Potato Power Bites are an easy lunchbox recipe must-have,” Sherman says. “It’s so delicious, the kids don’t even realize we’ve snuck in another serving of vegetables!”
There’s plenty more where these merchandising insights came from, so don’t hesitate to link up with Frieda’s this back-to-school season.
