The folks behind 5 A Day are bringing Curious George to 2,000 Wal-Mart stores next month.

The Produce for Better Health Foundation teams with Wal-Mart Stores for an in-store promotion pegged to the Feb. 10 premiere of Universal Studios' animated film Curious George. The partners expect to reach 10 million shoppers.

The event, themed Get Curious About Good Health, will give away an activity book to kids two to eight, and a recipe book to parents. The checkbook-styled booklet has 14 recipes, one from each participating vendor, including Birds Eye Foods; Chiquita Brands; Cott Beverages; Del Monte Foods; DiMare Fresh; Dole Fresh Co.; Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and Noble Juices; The Hidden Valley Food Products Co.; Ocean Spray International; Seald Sweet Growers; Sunkist Growers; Tropicana Products; and Ventura Foods.

Displays, branded P-O-P and sampling drive traffic to Wal-Mart's produce department. The effort is part of 5 A Day's "Color Way" campaign that encourages consumers to eat one serving of fruit or vegetables from five different colors each day. Mars Advertising, Southfield, MI, handles.

This is the eighth flight in the 17-month-old collaboration between Washington-based Produce for Better Health Foundation and Wal-Mart on 5 A Day promotions. Past efforts tapped other cartoon characters, including Shrek, Charlie Brown and the Fantastic Four (Xtra June 22).

"This award-winning series of events demonstrates how a motivated retailer and suppliers can touch customers at a personal level with a fun and positive health message, while boosting sales of healthy foods in the process," said the foundation's VP-Partner Marketing Bob Gregg in a statement.