When people are trying to eat more healthy, fruits and vegetables education and training is imperative to keep up with the changing face of healthy foods. Organic fruits and vegetables are just the start when it comes to learning everything you can in order to sell or serve your customers the healthiest fruits and vegetables possible.

Vegetable producers and fruit producers can help you with the education you need on fruits and vegetables information in order to prepare or sell quality food. Learn all that you can on the right way to prepare, store and utilize fruits and vegetables and how to make them a commodity in your storefront or restaurant. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Gather safe handling instructions about fresh fruits and vegetables from government health agencies.

2. Inquire with a fruits and vegetables business that has knowledge about what types of product is best for your consumer.

3. Get fresh fruits and vegetables training from a college of agriculture.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Obtain data from government agencies to help with fresh fruits and vegetables

Obtain education from government agencies because they have regulations and safe handling procedures that are important to any business. You can find information about fruits and veggies that will help your business in serving, preparing or selling.

I recommend: Ohio State University has a great guide to determining safe handling procedures of fruits and vegetables. Bnet also has handy tips in safe handling procedures.

Learn from product companies familiar with fruits and vegetables

Companies that specialize in fresh fruits and vegetables or are familiar with proper handling of fruits and veggies can provide a wealth of information since they are familiar with the items you need to handle correctly.

I recommend: Benton Harbor has an area showing their standards, a great tool to refer to when purchasing your own fresh fruits and vegetables. SeeMonkey has video training and educational information on fruits and vegetables and safety procedures.

Acquire fruits and vegetables education and training from a college of agriculture

Learn about the vast amount of tips and handling procedures from a college of agriculture that has a background that area. There are many colleges and universities with an agricultural background.

I recommend: The University of Illinois has a guide on preparing fresh fruit and vegetables for freezing. This can help you store fresh fruit and vegetables and keep them safe and fresh. University of Nebraska offers a guide on better tasting fruits and vegetables.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't be afraid to store fresh fruits and vegetables as long as you understand safe storing techniques.
• •  Learn all you can from fruit distributors and vegetable distributors who are familiar with the items you purchase.

An expansive category, fruits and vegetables top the list of must have ingredients for almost any food service establishment. The question is not whether to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables but to what extent. Market research shows that consumers are finicky when it comes to which fruits and vegetables they choose to consume. You, as a retailer or wholesaler, remain challenged to find better sources of vegetable producers and fruit producers in addition to tapping into reliable sources of information about fruits and vegetables.

First, carefully select the produce companies you do business with. Make sure the fruit distributors or vegetable distributors you choose maintain an experienced staff to help you select seasonable produce at competitive prices. Alternatively, choose a company whose website provides the most recent fruits and vegetables information and updates that information daily. As you begin your search for trustworthy fruits and vegetables suppliers, keep certain points in mind:

1. Consider your health-conscious patrons who favor organic fruits and vegetables.

2. Buy from local fruits and vegetable wholesalers who cater to small and medium sized food operations.

3. Establish accounts with the most recognized names in the business for the largest selection of fruits and vegetables.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Join the ever-growing trend to serve organic fruits and vegetables

Buy into the organic fruits and vegetables craze. Health conscious consumers want to minimize their exposure to chemical products used in farming, which they believe contain hidden dangers.

I recommend: CF Fresh distributes a wide selection of fresh organic fruits and vegetables from certified farms in the western United States. Check out their Fresh Fruit & Vegetable calendar so you can gauge product availability even though most of their produce is available year round. With more than 30 years in the business, Misionero Vegetables grows its organic produce on farms in the Salinas Valley in California. Muir Glen has become one of the most nationally recognized suppliers of organic tomato products.

Give local wholesale fruits and vegetables companies a try

You can support local farmers and at the same time get fresher ingredients faster by following the current trend for serving locally grown fruits and vegetables.

I recommend: Produce Express and Produce Plus are wholesale fruits and vegetables distributors in the California and Lake Tahoe areas. Family operated B.T. Produce is large-scale producer in the Northeast with five decades of experience under their belt. Heeren Brothers Produce operates out of Grand Rapids, Michigan and has been serving the mid western states since 1933. South Georgia Produce delivers locally grown produce to the southern states. Its website makes purchasing on line a snap with its always up to date price lists.

Guarantee large selection and superior service with national suppliers of fruits and vegetables

Large scale, national produce distributors offer an almost endless supply of high quality items. Most ship out of regional warehouses so no matter where you're located, you can get your delivery without too much delay.

I recommend: National Farm Produce, located at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market in New York, sells fruits and vegetables to supermarkets, food service operations and restaurants nationwide. Chiquita and Fresh Del Monte are two of the most highly esteemed national produce companies. Both sell millions of pounds of produce each week to customers in almost every state.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're a restaurant owner, your menu will dictate most of your fruits and vegetables purchases. However, make every effort to buy produce that is in season. Not only is it cheaper, but it will taste better than fruits and vegetables purchased out of season.

Whether you run a restaurant, food-service company or food-related store, knowing key industry terms relating to fruits and vegetables is vital to ensure you’re on the same page as your product vendors, local produce sources and customers. In addition to brushing up on the names of less-common fruits or vegetables that your customers may request for their meals or your menu, knowledge of additional terms and phrases like “flash frozen,” “sustainable,” and “organic” will indicate you know the type of produce you’re ordering and what you’re offering to your clientele.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Fruit and vegetable calendar

To ensure you order the freshest produce, you'll need to rely on a fruit and vegetable calendar to determine the availability of products from season to season. Although most vegetables and fruits are available all year long, the schedule will help you get them when they look and taste their best.

I recommend: Check out the fruit and vegetable calendar at CF Fresh to determine when seasonal fruits will be available from the United States, Canada, Chile and Argentina.

Grade

To determine the level of produce that vendors are offering, study each seller's quality-control guidelines. Most offer grade products based on such factors as mechanical or insect damage, size or shipping quality.

I recommend: Benton Harbor Fruit Market discusses what qualifications fruit and vegetables must meet to receive its Grade 1 and Grade 2 designations.

Flash frozen

If you're unable to obtain fruits or vegetables during their peak season, consider ordering flash frozen. The freezing process claims to maintain freshness and nutritional value by freezing the produce immediately after the harvest.

I recommend: Coming Alongside provides articles and guides on organic, fresh produce. The site discusses flash-frozen produce as a way to avoid imported produce and pesticides.

Organic produce

Stock a selection of organic produce for customers concerned about pesticides. Farms participating in organic food production typically avoid pesticides and herbicides, as well as the genetic modification of fruits or vegetables.

I recommend: Organic.org discusses organic produce and related topics like reasons to buy and eat organic produce and myths surrounding it.

Sustainable agriculture

Consider buying produce offered by farms that use sustainable agriculture practices if you're concerned about the ecosystem. Some growers use special farming methods that minimize damage to natural resources like soil or water sources.

I recommend: The UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program has articles discussing the practice and benefits of sustainable agriculture.

Climate-controlled warehouse

Consider ordering produce from vendors that make use of a climate-controlled warehouse and delivery vehicles to keep fruits and vegetables at the proper temperature from harvest to delivery.

I recommend: Consumers Produce discusses the benefits and practices of using a climate-controlled warehouse and maintaining different temperature zones for specific types of fruits and vegetables.

Deciding to incorporate fresh fruits and veggies into various aspects of your company can add a 'green' element to your business and encourage employees to get healthy. However, implementing a plan like that does affect the budget.

Numerous factors affect the price you will pay to implement your plan. The type of fruits and veggies you choose is one such example. In order to fully prepare your budget to absorb fruits and vegetables pricing and costs, consider the following points:

1. Decide if fruit and vegetable seeds are a viable option for your company.

2. Save on prep time by purchasing canned and/or frozen fruits and veggies.

3. Use fresh fruits and veggies to advertise your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase fruit and vegetable seeds and plants

Fruit and vegetable seeds and seedlings are cost effective. Generally, seeds are less expensive than seedlings and smaller seedlings are less expensive than larger ones.

I recommend: Gurney's Seed and Nursery sells a varied selection of fruit and vegetable plants and seeds for vegetable and fruit producers. For fruit bushes, you can expect to pay at least $10. Burpee sells vegetable seeds. Prices vary according to the vegetable type. For example, Giant Pink Belgium tomato seeds are priced under $5 per packet, while a packet of Yellow Pear tomato seeds are priced under $3. This company offers detailed fruits and vegetables information. Trade Winds Fruit Store sells fruit and vegetable seeds priced from $2 to $5 per packet.

Buy canned and frozen fruits and veggies

Canned and frozen fruits and veggies are ideal for businesses, such as restaurants that want to serve healthy food while minimizing the preparation time. Generally, the price you pay for canned fruits and veggies depends mostly on the weight of the fruits and veggies. The season in which you purchase these items can also affect the price.

I recommend: You can find wholesale fruits and vegetables at Food Service Direct. Organic fruits and vegetables from this company start at around $30 per case, while Oriental vegetables start at around $15 per case. Sturm's Berry Farm sells frozen fruits starting at around $80 for five pounds of berries. Aviglatt sells frozen vegetables from Kosher vegetable producers. Prices start at around $2 per bag and go up to around $7 per bag.

Make a statement with gift baskets featuring fresh fruits and veggies

If you want to send a healthy snack to your business contacts, consider sending fresh fruits and/or veggies in a gift basket for special occasions. The price you pay for these gift baskets depends upon the contents you choose, the size of the basket and the season in which you order.

I recommend: Edible Arrangements sells gift baskets of fresh fruits starting at around $25; however, some arrangements are priced as high as $250. You can find gift baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables at Harry & David priced from around $50 to $125.