You may have read back in 2015 how Nugget Markets started partnering with UC Davis to help reduce food waste and provide college students with fresh fruits and veggies through their Fruit & Veggie Up program. Nearly one full year later, we’re proud to say the program is still going strong and have some exciting updates to prove it!

Since the program went live in September 2015, our Davis store on Mace Boulevard has given more than 5,200 pounds of quality produce to Fruit & Veggie Up! This store regularly donates an average of 75 pounds of produce every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and has helped a total of 1,412 students get access to healthy produce they might not have been able to afford otherwise.

When school is in session, students receive regular reminders on Instagram and Facebook that produce is available through Fruit and Veggie Up. UC Davis is also holding instructional seminars on helpful food topics like meal planning, seasonal ingredients, one-pot meals and food storage and leftovers.

So what do we donate to help students reach their daily fruit and veggie quota? Here’s a taste of what makes its way to campus: asparagus, apples, avocados, bananas, bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries, carrots, clementines, cucumbers, grapes, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwis, lemons, lettuce, limes, mangos, melons, onions, oranges, pears, pineapple, plums, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, yams and zucchini… just to name a few!

Nugget Markets’ involvement with UC Davis has become something of a model for how universities can partner with local markets to help meet the needs of students who otherwise would not have access to fresh, nutritious produce. So far, this partnership has been a huge success story and we’re proud to be a part of it!

To see how it all got started, check out the original article: “Fruit and Veggie Up” Program with UC Davis!