In 2015, Hurley Children’s Center, a large pediatric clinic in Flint, relocated to the second floor of the Flint Farmers’ Market. Recognizing the opportunity to link child health care and healthy, locally grown food, the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program, Michigan’s first fruit and vegetable prescription program for kids, was introduced at Hurley Children’s Center in February 2016.

The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program encouraged families to purchase more fresh produce, but families shared that their children often did not have the culinary knowledge or skills to prepare and eat the fruits and vegetables. In response, the PPHI Nutrition Team developed and launched Flint Kids Cook, a free cooking and nutrition class for kids, in October 2017. PPHI Nutrition Director Dr. Amy Saxe-Custack partnered with Chef Sean Gartland to create a class curriculum with simple, kid-friendly recipes that featured a variety of fruits and vegetables and nutrition education that focused on the importance of eating healthy food.

The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program expanded to Akpinar Children’s Clinic in 2018. In addition to introducing the program to new children, the expansion to a second clinic allowed the PPHI Nutrition team to study the impacts of the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program on child dietary habits, food access, and food security.

The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program expanded to Mott Children’s Health Center, Flint’s largest pediatric clinic, in February 2021.

The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program partnered with Meijer grocery stores in February 2024. In response to requests from program participants, fruit and vegetable prescriptions could now be filled while grocery shopping at Meijer. After expanding to Meijer, prescription redemption rates increased, indicating that more people are able to use their prescriptions with the addition of a grocery store vendor.