How about a $5 pledge for better health? Think farmers markets

Turns out little things do mean a lot.

Last summer, I wrote about a new Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota program that offered SNAP (food stamp) recipients a carrot to shop at Minneapolis' Midtown Farmers Market. For up to $5 a day in SNAP purchases, shoppers got a $5 match in "Market Bucks" vouchers.

If you're thinking, "Five bucks? Big deal," you'd be right. It was a big deal, according to results.

Increased awareness of being able to spend SNAP dollars doubled the number of SNAP customers heading to the Midtown Market at 2225 E. Lake St. But Market Bucks made it an even more welcoming attraction that kept them coming back. In fact, the dollar amount of purchases more than tripled, from about $3,000 in SNAP sales in 2009 to $9,638 in 2010.

SNAP customers also were much more likely to use Market Bucks to buy fresh fruits and vegetables (87 percent) than other foods, such as meats, cheese, eggs and bread.

"That extra five dollars gets you a lot of produce, plenty of tomatoes, really good quality apples," said a pleased Migdalia Loyola-Meléndez, Blue Cross' community prevention consultant.

"We've heard from customers who are canning, freezing and dehydrating to make their fruits and vegetables last longer," she said. "We were able to dispel the myth that buying from a farmers market is more expensive."

The Market Bucks pilot, funded with proceeds from the 1998 Big Tobacco settlement, is one more example of how Minnesota leads the nation in removing barriers to healthy eating among lower-income Minnesotans.

Another of my favorites is the Healthy Corner Store Program, part of the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP). Six months ago, SHIP transformed many corner grocery stores in high-poverty pockets of Minneapolis by adding well-stocked produce and meat departments, appealing signs and recipe ideas. Junk food? In the back of the store.

Blue Cross will expand its Market Bucks match to several other markets this summer. I can't help thinking, though, that the explosion of farmers markets (go to www.minnesotagrown.com) is sweet incentive for all of us.

Nearly 38 percent of Minnesotans are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One-fourth of the state's adults are obese. The CDC predicts that, by 2020, only 23 percent of Minnesotans will be at a healthy weight.

Only about 15 percent of Minnesotans get the recommended number of fruits and vegetables daily.

"It's going to take a lot of different things" to combat obesity, said Manley, Blue Cross chief prevention officer. "We have to eat better, move more. We've got to work with employers to promote health at the work site, make communities more bike-able," as well as improve what's on cafeteria trays in schools.

So maybe we agree that this is the summer of small change. Five bucks' worth. Let's each commit to spending five bucks a week at a farmers market, filling our bags from now through October with sweet corn, honey and jams, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, eggs, lamb, melon, squash and Honeycrisp apples.

"Our eating habits really are habits," Manley said. "If you're used to having fresh produce, you will keep trying to find it."