September 2020: The Produce Moms Podcast Month in Review
Here’s a look back at The Produce Moms podcast episodes from September 2020.
The Produce Moms featured a range of informative guests in September, offering practical tips and thoughtful discussion for families focused on nutrition, food safety, sustainable living, and healthy habits. Topics ranged from school meal programs during the pandemic to chemical-free sanitization, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, local food businesses, living herbs that last, intuitive eating for kids, and industry advances in produce traceability.
Adam Russo, Director of School Food and Nutrition Services for Prince William County Public Schools, and Mollie Van Lieu, Senior Director of Nutrition Policy at United Fresh Produce Association, discussed how districts pivoted quickly to keep children fed during COVID-19. Their conversation covers grocery-style supplement boxes, solutions for families without conventional cooking facilities, and the dedication of school nutrition staff working to ensure kids receive nutritious meals.
Tim Busby, co-founder and managing partner of PurLite, and Kurt Wagaman, PurLite’s general manager, described a chemical-free sanitization solution that uses medical-grade UV-C light. Their device sanitizes common household items—phones, masks, keys, earbuds—in seconds, offering hospital-grade disinfection at home without harsh chemicals.
September also focused on promoting fruit and vegetable consumption. Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, President and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, spoke about National Fruits & Veggies Month and the Have A Plant® Nation campaign, which encourages daily produce consumption and opening up family conversations about healthy eating.
Bella Hughes, co-founder and president of Shaka Tea, shared her story of building a Hawaii-based beverage company that highlights native ingredients like Mamaki and supports local farmers. Shaka Tea uses monk fruit sweetener to keep products low in sugar and carbs while creating economic opportunity and environmental benefits for the islands.
Suzette Overgaag, Vice President of North Shore Living Herbs, discussed sustainable approaches to growing culinary herbs that stay fresh longer. The company’s clamshell “mini greenhouse” herbs and potted living herbs let families harvest fresh leaves for weeks, reducing waste. North Shore Living Herbs emphasizes sustainability—solar and geothermal energy use, employee-focused practices, and third-party certifications for responsible growing.
Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster, DO, MPH, MS, FAAP, founder of Veggie Fit Kids, joined to discuss intuitive eating and fostering a healthy body image in children. Drawing on both clinical experience and personal insights, Dr. Yami explains how honoring hunger and fullness and encouraging children’s natural eating cues can improve relationships with food and support healthier eating patterns.
Ralph Towell, Director of Analytics and Business Processes at Duda Farm Fresh Foods, closed the month with a discussion on the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI). He explained how industry-wide traceability systems and GS1 standards speed up identification of food safety events, reducing the time needed to find the source of contamination and helping prevent future incidents.
Below is a summary of each September episode with key takeaways and episode art.
September 2020 Podcast Episode 114: Creating the Future Health of Our Country Through School Meals
Keeping Children Fed Is Essential To Learning And Growth
Adam Russo shared how his district adapted meal service during the pandemic—moving to grocery-style supplement boxes, planning for families without conventional cooking, and maintaining fresh produce access for students. Mollie Van Lieu highlighted federal nutrition policy efforts and advocacy for broader access to school meals.
Listen to the full episode
September 2020 Podcast Episode 115: Sustainable Medical Grade Sanitization
Sunshine In A Box That Sanitizes In Seconds
Tim Busby and Kurt Wagaman explained PurLite’s UV-C sanitizing devices that deliver hospital-grade disinfection for household items without chemicals. The conversation covered the technology’s effectiveness against common pathogens and the convenience it offers for families seeking safer, chemical-free alternatives.
Listen to the full episode
September 2020 Podcast Episode 116: National Fruits and Veggie Month
Eating More Fruits And Vegetables For Our Physical, Societal And Economic Health
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak discussed the Have A Plant® Nation campaign and strategies to make fruits and vegetables a priority in daily life. The episode offers practical suggestions for families to incorporate more produce and encourages broader conversations about nutrition and community health.
Listen to the full episode
September 2020 Podcast Episode 117: The Abundance of Hawaii Creates a New Industry
Come home to health through the abundance of Hawaii
Bella Hughes described creating Shaka Tea from traditional Mamaki tea and native flavors, using monk fruit sweetener for low-sugar options. Her work supports local farmers, promotes authentic Hawaiian ingredients, and contributes to economic and environmental initiatives on the islands.
Listen to the full episode
September 2020 Podcast Episode 118: Fresh, Living Herbs That Last
Living herbs that add flavor, conversation and love to your home
Suzette Overgaag shared how North Shore Living Herbs developed clamshell-grown and potted herbs that stay fresh for weeks, reducing waste and bringing homegrown flavor to meals. The company prioritizes sustainable practices, renewable energy use, and third-party certifications for responsible growing.
Listen to the full episode
September 2020 Podcast Episode 119: Intuitive Eating and Healthy Body Image for Children
Help your kids maintain a healthy weight and relationship with their body
Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster discussed intuitive eating and strategies to foster a positive body image in children. She emphasizes honoring hunger and fullness, encouraging kids’ natural eating cues, and avoiding practices that can harm long-term relationships with food.
Listen to the full episode
September 2020 Podcast Episode 120: The Produce Traceability Initiative
Improving food safety and food traceability around the world
Ralph Towell outlined how the Produce Traceability Initiative and GS1 standards enable the produce industry to trace packages from field to shelf quickly, helping identify sources of food safety events faster and enabling targeted corrective actions to reduce future risk.
Listen to the full episode
For a complete list of past episodes, visit www.theproducemoms.com/podcast/
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Related:
August 2020: The Produce Moms Podcast Month in Review
July 2020: The Produce Moms Podcast Month in Review
June 2020: The Produce Moms Podcast Month in Review
May 2020: The Produce Moms Podcast Month in Review