Last updated on September 19th, 2022 at 10:02 am
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Dole Food Co. is seeking to take the scare out of specialty fruits and veggies with a unique summer initiative designed to widen the public’s produce horizons to create new family favorites.
The company has collaborated with Pixar film and characters to launch original recipes, serving suggestions, digital and social activations, family-friendly activities, fun trivia and influencer partnerships that celebrate the not-so-scary realm of the world’s more unusual fresh produce options.
“Dole’s passion for produce includes not only America’s favorites – bananas, apples, lettuces, celery, carrots and broccoli – but dozens of more diverse and exotic fruits and vegetables liked horned melon, dragonfruit and artichokes,” said William Goldfield, Dole’s director of communications. “Whether it’s their angry names and thorny exteriors, or simply a misperception about taste and preparation, produce paranoia has become a very real phenomenon. Even the beloved pineapple, the fruit at the very heart of Dole and the universal symbol for aloha and hospitality, can strike fear in those tasked with having to cut and serve one.”
Monstrous recipes
According to Goldfield, Dole worked closely with the team at Pixar and Disney to create 10 original “Monsters in the Kitchen” recipes inspired by Sulley, Mike, Roz, Boo and other Monstropolis residents from Monsters Inc. The first five dishes created by Melanie Marcus, MA, RD, Dole’s health and nutrition communications manager, are now available in the Dole recipe library:
- Chicken Stuffed Roz Heads: Create the face of the iconic Monsters Inc. receptionist by topping Dole avocado halves stuffed with lean chicken breast, Dole green grapes, Dole celery and nonfat Greek yogurt with pretzel twists and sticks, and Dole strawberry and blueberry slices.
- Monster Mash: This simple side dish is made with Dole plantains and spinach, potatoes and a drizzle of olive oil and maple syrup.
- Green Slime Nacho Cups: Dole plantains, avocados and purple cabbage come alive in this snack.
- Slippery Slimy Smoothie: The whole family will love this concoction of Dole spinach, bananas, green grapes and cucumbers blended with almond milk and nonfat Greek yogurt.
- Green Slimesicles: Dessert time takes a turn with these healthy frozen popsicles made from Dole spinach, bananas and pineapples.
For most North Americans, the first sign of Dole’s monstrous alliance came in May when images of Sulley and Mike started appearing on millions of Dole bananas and pineapples in U.S. and Canadian supermarkets. 
Produce fans can go to the Dole At-Home Resource Page to download a series of activity sheets including Dole Banana Sticker Peel-and-Play collectors’ sheets, a Monsters produce-matching game, and DIY monster masks and crafty ways to turn fruit and veggies into friendly kitchen monsters.
Dole social activations, produce trivia and blogger- and influencer-hosted promotions, plus five additional character-inspired recipes and several DIY recipe videos, will be revealed later this summer.
Year-long celebration
The in-store and at-home adventures are part of Dole’s year-long celebration of Pixar Animation Studios and a larger, long-term nutritional alliance with The Walt Disney Co. designed to make healthy eating and a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables more fun and accessible to busy parents.
“In addition to introducing (or reintroducing) families to forgotten fruits and veggies, we’re out to correct some everyday produce myths ranging from brussels sprouts will always taste bitter to there is no good use for overripe bananas. Plus, we’ll lay to rest forever the misconception that only perfectly ripe, unblemished produce is worthy of our recipes and attention,” Goldfield said. “That’s because, like the characters in a Disney or Pixar feature, you can’t judge a fruit or vegetable by its appearance; nature’s true beauty often lies within.
“And yes, we’ll remove the anxiety and show you how to cut a Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple once and for all.”
For original recipes, nutritional insights and other information, go to dole.com or follow Dole’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest pages.
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