Week in Review: Embrace clean eating

SAN ANTONIO, TX – I’m attending the annual Viva Fresh conference in Texas this week, and I continue to be inspired by its Clean Eating Challenge.

Those of us in the produce industry are proud to work in the selling and promotion of a fresh, wholesome food product.

If we want others to consume more fruits and vegetables, what better way than to model it ourselves?

The Texas International Produce Association BB #:162361, which hosts Viva Fresh every year, started the Clean Eating Challenge back in 2019 as a rather simple idea of following four TIPA members who wanted to change their lifestyle toward better eating, exercise, and wellness.

Of course, a big component is consuming more fruits and vegetables. And now the program has inspired hundreds of industry members to “walk the walk.”

TIPA is careful to say the program is not a diet or about food shaming or eliminating foods.

It’s about changing your lifestyle for better, healthier choices. It’s eating whole, real foods, cooking at home more with healthy ingredients, avoiding processed foods, and avoiding sugar.

In fact, it was ahead of its time as the national dietary guidelines which came out earlier this year have the same approach or promoting real food.

I’d much prefer to trust a group like TIPA than the federal government, but I’m glad they’re aligned.

This year at Viva Fresh, we will hear from Clean Eating Challenge participants, mentors, and former participants.

Everyone has a different journey toward a healthier lifestyle, and we should listen to their inspiration and challenges and come up with our own journey.

The people in our industry have important things to say, but more importantly, people will notice what we do more than what we say.

We all have to inspire others by “walking the walk.”