Make it a Happy New School Year!

GLENDALE, Calif., Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The transition from summer to school signals the start of busier schedules, which can make it challenging for families to stay connected and maintain healthy eating habits. To help everyone stay on track, Nestle once again celebrates the new school year with an exciting back-to-school program featuring helpful tips, nutritious meal ideas and family-fun activities.

"The new school year [has] started and our schedules [have] gone from busy to crazy," said Christina H. from Wisconsin, a member of Nestle's online Mom Community. "I am having a hard time finding a common meal time and time to prepare a good meal in the evening."

Nestle understands the joys and challenges of the school year transition. With its unique back-to-school resource at NestleFamily.com/backtoschool, Nestle provides simple and easy ideas to help families stay connected and well-nourished throughout the school year including the following:

• Staying connected made easy: Sharing fresh-baked cookies as an after-school snack is a terrific way to catch up on their busy day. And, packing homemade cookies in a lunchbox, along with a small note, can show your love even while the kids are away. Find a fun selection of kid-friendly recipes using NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® at VeryBestBaking.com/kids. Dinner can be a great family affair too. From "Conversation Starter Placemats" to a weekly "Mac and Cheese Bar," a variety of great family mealtime ideas and activities await at LetsFixDinner.com from STOUFFER'S®. For even more dinner inspiration, check out Meals.com for a delicious selection of easy-to-make recipes.
• Making healthy fun: Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring. Believe it or not, it can be delicious, nutritious and fun! Pack juice boxes (without added sugars) in kids' lunchboxes, make juice smoothies or prepare juice snacks made from 100% fruit juice like JUICY JUICE®. JuicyJuice.com offers a tasty selection of recipe ideas with 100% juice. Also jazz up a batch of trail mix or granola with fun better-for-you treat ingredients like NESTLE® RAISINETS®.

In addition to staying connected and eating well, Nestle is excited to help make the back-to-school transition easier on the family wallet with this year's "Happy New School Year" Sweepstakes, which provides families the chance to win the grand prize of $5,000 to help with back-to-school essentials, plus a $2,000 Nestle literacy grant to support their school. By entering every day, parents can increase their chances to win the grand prize, and enter for a chance to win a daily prize of a Crayola® Dry-Erase Family Creativity Pack. For official sweepstakes rules, prize details and to enter, visit NestleFamily.com/backtoschool*.

"We know family health and happiness is a parent's top priority and the busy back-to-school season can be a difficult time to manage it all," said Becky Chao, Mom Insights Director, Nestle. "Whether it's ideas for a nutritious family-style meal or other family-fun activities, we're pleased to offer our support through a variety of helpful back-to-school resources parents can use to meet their goals throughout the school year."

For more new school year inspirations and ideas, and information on how you can enter for a chance to win the "Happy New School Year" Sweepstakes, visit NestleFamily.com/backtoschool.

*SWEEPSTAKES: No purchase necessary. Sweepstakes ends 10/15/2010. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & DC, 18 or older. Void where prohibited. Subject to full rules and prize details at NestleFamily.com/backtoschool.

About Nestle Family  

Big or small, each day's events write your family's unique story. That's why Nestle created Nestle Family — to offer inspiration and ideas that help foster the moments that nurture your family's health and happiness. Designed for families with kids age 3-12, Nestle Family provides inspiration including everyday and seasonal family fun activities and healthy meal ideas. Nestle is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world's largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with sales of $101 billion.  Nestle makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that enrich life's experiences including the following: NESTLE® JUICY JUICE®, STOUFFER'S®, NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE®, NESTLE® CRUNCH®, WONKA®, NESTLE® RAISINETS®, OVALTINE®, NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk, CARNATION® Instant Breakfast EssentialsTM , BOOST® KID ESSENTIALS(TM), LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin, NESTLE® PURE LIFE® Purified Water, NESTLE® DRUMSTICK®, DREYER'S/EDY'S®, NESTLE® NESQUIK® and NESTLE® COFFEE-MATE®. Nestle. Good Food, Good Life. Visit NestleFamily.com.

All trademarks are owned by Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Vevey, Switzerland or are used with permission.

SOURCE Nestle Family