Everybody Wins at Lunch with New Lunchables Fun Fuel; Kid and Mom-Pleasing Lunches Strike a...

Business Editors

MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 25, 2003

Satisfying kids with nutritious food choices has just become a little easier for moms. To help please picky eaters while providing a great balance of taste and fun, Oscar Mayer introduces LUNCHABLES(R) Fun Fuel(TM)

With only 2 percent of children meeting Food Guide Pyramid recommendations for all five major food groups(1), LUNCHABLES(R) Fun Fuel(TM) lunch combinations help fill the "gaps" in kids' diets with portion sizes that deliver 1/2 to 1 servings from the grain, fruit, milk and meat groups as suggested by the Food Guide Pyramid.

LUNCHABLES(R) Fun Fuel(TM) lunch combinations include four varieties: Chicken Wraps, Ham Wraps, Turkey Bagels and Ham Bagels. Every variety includes reduced fat foods, including 2% milk natural reduced-fat cheese, lean meats and light mayonnaise for the sandwiches. Each lunch combination provides servings from four of the five food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid:

-- Grain Group (1 serving) - Mini bagels or tortillas

-- Fruit Group (1 serving) - 100% fruit juice

-- Milk Group (1/2 serving) - 2% milk natural reduced-fat cheese and lowfat yogurt

-- Meat Group (1/2 serving) - White meat chicken, lean turkey breast or lean ham

The four varieties are a good source of calcium and protein, and provide 100% of the Daily Value for vitamin C from the 100% fruit juice. Additionally, each lunch combination supplies about 20% of daily calories for a 2,000 calorie diet - with less than 30% of those calories from fat.

"As a dietitian and mother of three grade school-age kids, I know first-hand about finding a winning combination with your children when it comes to food and healthy eating," says Jodie Shield, M.Ed., R.D., co-author of the new book American Dietetic Association Guide to Healthy Eating for Kids: How Your Children Can Eat Smart from 5 to 12. "LUNCHABLES(R) Fun Fuel(TM) has the nutritional content that I as a mom approve and the flavors and fun that I know my kids love - all rolled up into one fun, convenient package."

Children can improve their health and well-being and have fun by including physical activity in their daily lives, according to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans(2). To help encourage kids to get active, each package of LUNCHABLES(R) Fun Fuel(TM) features tips and strategies for playing soccer and basketball, as well as other fun games and riddles.

"Growing bodies need energy to keep active - and I've seen so many students trade or simply throw away their lunches once they're in the cafeteria," says Shield. "Fun Fuel provides an option for moms to help beat brown-bag boredom with an exciting and nutritious variety of foods so that kids can fuel up during the school day," says Shield.

LUNCHABLES(R) Fun Fuel(TM) lunch combinations will be available in supermarkets nationwide in March with a suggested retail price of $3.19. For more information on Lunchables(R) Fun Fuel(TM) and for tips, tricks and games for kids, visit www.lunchables.com.

(1)USDA/FNS. Children's Diets in the Mid-1990's: Dietary Intake

and Its Relationship with School Meal Participation. 2001. http://www.fns.usda.gov/oane/MENU/Published/CNP/FILEA/ChilDietsum.htm.

(2)USDA/HHS. Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for

Americans. 2000.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2000/DIETGD.PDF