GIRL SCOUTS AND KRAFT FOODS COOK UP NUTRITIOUS RECIPES AT LET'S MOVE! TOWN HALL

NORTHFIELD, Ill., Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Kraft Foods teamed up with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the Girl Scouts of the USA to highlight the importance of healthful eating habits and active lifestyles at a Town Hall in Washington D.C. Building upon the action steps outlined in First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative, celebrating its one year anniversary, the Town Hall harnessed the resources of both the private and public sectors to help educate and empower young women to make healthy food choices and to be more physically active.  Additionally, Kraft Foods announced a donation will be made each time parents or troop leaders view the recipe -- the Turkey, Pear and Cheese Melt – that the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana chose as their favorite during the Town Hall.  The donation (up to $20,000) will support the Girl Scouts' healthy living initiatives across the U.S. in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.

"Healthy eating and physical activity habits that girls learn at an early age can last a lifetime," said Rhonda Jordan, President, Global Health & Wellness and Sustainability, Kraft Foods.  "As the nation's largest food company, we know we have a role to play in helping people make good choices, whether it's providing nutritious food options or offering healthy living recipes.  We're delighted to join the Girl Scouts and Secretary Sebelius today to encourage healthy diets and lifestyles."

During the town hall, the Girl Scouts engaged in an exchange of ideas on how to lead healthy lives through exercise, good snack choices and even fitness-friendly hobbies like Zumba and hydroponic gardening.  The event, featuring Girl Scouts across the country, was simulcast via satellite in Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta.  Using strategies outlined in the Let's Move! initiative, the Town Hall issued a healthy lifestyles challenge to parents, schools, local officials, community leaders, chefs and kids.

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In addition, the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana prepared nutritious after-school snack recipes with Robin Ross, Associate Director of the Kraft Kitchens. After the girls taste-tested each creation, they voted and selected their favorite – the Turkey, Pear and Cheese Melt.

"We wanted to show after-school snacks can be nutritious and offer an opportunity for girls to take control and make smart choices," said Sandy Morreale, Registered Dietitian and Associate Director of Nutrition Communications, Kraft Foods.  "This recipe is made with better choices from 4 food groups - grains, fruit, dairy and meat – and is a nutritious way to keep kids fueled until dinnertime.  Of course, it tastes great too - we at Kraft Foods understand that a recipe has to be delicious to appeal to kids."

For every parent or troop leader that views the Girl Scouts' favorite recipe at kraftrecipes.com between now and March 11, 2011, Kraft Foods will donate one-dollar (up to $20,000) to be shared by the Girl Scouts councils of Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. to support healthy living initiatives. The donation is limited to $1 per person.

Continued Commitment to Health and Wellness

The joint event with Girl Scouts comes at a time when the nation is focused on the release of the federal government's new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which call for making better choices to promote weight management and nutritionally sound diets.  The recommendations to reduce sodium and eat more whole grains are changes that Kraft Foods already has underway in many of its best-selling products.    

Sodium Reduction

Last year, Kraft Foods announced plans to reduce sodium in its North American products by an average of 10 percent by 2012.  To date, plans are on track to meet that goal and almost 350 SKUs have already been reduced.  These include some flavors of Kraft Microwavable Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Cups, which were reduced by at least 30 percent and Breakstone's 2% cottage cheese, which was reduced by 10 percent.

In 2011, Kraft Foods' plans call for reducing sodium in hundreds more products, including Planters cocktail peanuts and deluxe mixed nuts, some flavors of Kraft Barbecue Sauce and Premium crackers.

Increase Whole Grain

In 2010, the company announced plans to more than double the amount of whole grain used across the Nabisco cracker portfolio.  More than 100 SKUs will offer more whole grain by the end of 2012.  Consumer favorites such as Wheat Thins Toasted Chips have already hit store shelves with at least 16g of whole grain per serving and, later this year, Wheat Thins Original crackers will increase from 11g of whole grain to 22g per serving.

Reduced Sugar

Over the past five years, the company has reformulated approximately 25% of its portfolio in the United States.  Consumers are already enjoying reduced-sugar Capri Sun juice drinks, a reformulation that removes 100 billion calories from kids' diets each year, and Lunchables Lunch Combinations, which now have an average of 14 percent fewer calories, 10 percent less fat and 10 percent less sodium, compared with Lunchables Lunch Combinations from three years ago.

About Kraft Foods

Kraft Foods is building a global snacks powerhouse and an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. With annual revenues of approximately $48 billion, the company is the world's second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in approximately 170 countries. The portfolio includes 11 iconic brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion – Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gums; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats. Another 70 brands generate annual revenues of more than $100 million. Kraft Foods (www.kraftfoodscompany.com; NYSE: KFT) is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index. 

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SOURCE Kraft Foods