VT Fresh
VT Fresh is inspired by the incredible diversity and beauty of fruits and vegetables that grow locally in Vermont. The aim of the program is that everyone in Vermont has access to these nourishing foods. We love to share recipes that are simple to prepare and delicious, using just one fruit or vegetable as the primary ingredient.
![20230825_vtFresh Photo of VT Fresh team member speaking with an older woman at a VT Fresh cooking demonstration.](https://www.vtfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20230825_vtFresh.jpg)
![20230825_vtFresh Photo of VT Fresh team member speaking with an older woman at a VT Fresh cooking demonstration.](https://www.vtfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20230825_vtFresh.jpg)
Cooking with fresh produce is fun, easy, and saves money! Each recipe highlights a delicious fruit or vegetable grown in Vermont, along with simple ingredients. Here you’ll find seasonal recipes, including many kid-approved dishes! Start cooking now!
Is It Just Recipes?
Not at all! The VT Fresh program works with community partners throughout the state to transform how fruits and vegetables are displayed and distributed at food shelves and meals sites. We also offer resources about cooking and nutrition, including in-person cooking demonstrations throughout the year. Visit the pages below to find and test recipes, access resources, and learn more.
![iStock-520284846 Photo of broccoli in steamer. VT Fresh provides cooking demonstrations throughout the state to familiarize people with produce.](https://www.vtfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/iStock-520284846.jpg)
Check out these resources for quick access to recipes and tips for preparing, storing, and choosing fruits and vegetables. We’ve compiled this list to help make eating nutritious foods more time- and budget-friendly. Dive in, have a look, and let’s get cooking!
![iStock-1207271995 Photo of vegetables being sauteed in a skillet. VT Fresh provides cooking demonstrations throughout the state to familiarize people with produce.](https://www.vtfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/iStock-1207271995.jpg)
VT Fresh supports food distribution sites to incorporate strategies for improving the food environment with displays, messaging tools, simple taste tests, storage and other systems that help make it easier for food shelf visitors to access and choose fruits and vegetables.
![20230726__DSF0613-Enhanced-NR Photo of a woman carrying two boxes of food into a food pantry with bright vegetable related signs on the walls.](https://www.vtfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20230726__DSF0613-Enhanced-NR.jpg)
This Foodbank program increases access to, and the availability and consumption of, fruits and vegetables. The program is motivated by behavioral economics research which has found that modifying the food environment can have a significant impact on food-related behaviors.
Testing recipes is simple, just like the recipes we offer. And each time you test a recipe, you’ll be entered to win a $100 gift card! Here’s how it works:
- 1
Choose recipe from our Cooking With VT Fresh collection.
- 2
Cook the recipe and try it.
- 3
Fill out the quick survey found at the bottom of any recipe on the site, and you’re done!
Have you already cooked and tried a recipe? Head straight to the survey!
![Woman shopping Photo of a woman shopping for produce. VT Fresh provides cooking demonstrations throughout the state to familiarize people with produce.](https://www.vtfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/iStock-871227828.jpg)
“I love to feed my family fresh veggies, and when I get a recipe that offers a new way for them to eat them it is even a bigger win!”
~ Gwen, in Brandon, VT
VT Fresh is funded in part by the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. In Vermont, SNAP is called 3SquaresVT. It can help low-income people buy foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact Vermont Foodbank toll-free at 1-800-585-2265.