Gluten Free Doesn't Have to Mean Enjoyment Free

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For many with Celiac Disease or a gluten intolerance, foods like crunchy chicken tenders and even deli meats are often off-limits, but thanks to Applegate, the leading producer of natural and organic meats and cheeses, those living with gluten sensitivity can enjoy those foods without the gluten – or the guilt of high calories, salt and fat.

Applegate's new Natural, Gluten-Free Chicken Breast Tenders have debuted just in time for Celiac Awareness Day (Sept. 13), and to honor the day, the company will give away a refrigerator/freezer full of Gluten-Free Applegate products (valued at $500) including the Chicken Tenders, hot dogs, bacon, deli meat, sausages, burgers and cheese to an Applegate Facebook page visitor who posts the best tip on how to enjoy life and thrive with a gluten intolerance on Sept 13.  The posts will be judged by Applegate employees and Silvana Nardone and Amie Valpone, the editor-in-chief and publisher respectively of a new online magazine dedicated to gluten-free living, www.EasyEats.com, which debuted on Sept. 1.

"Living gluten-free doesn't mean having to give up taking pleasure in food, and that's a big reason why we started Easy Eats magazine," said Nardone, former editor-in-chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine. Valpone said the online magazine will challenge traditional ideas of what it means to live gluten free. "We want people to live life through a positive lens and show that a gluten-free life can be a happy one that includes eating all kinds of delicious foods."

The new gluten-free Applegate Chicken Tenders are made with hand cut antibiotic-free chicken battered in a mixture of rice flour, tapioca, corn starch and a blend of spices. And with only 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat and 350 mg of sodium per serving, a much healthier option than traditional chicken tenders, which have almost twice as many calories, three times the fat and 30 percent more sodium.

"Many people living with gluten intolerance have probably given up chicken tenders – not only because of the breading, but because it's become a poster child for unhealthy processed food," said Chris Ely, Applegate co-founder and farmer liaison.  "With these new gluten-free tenders, families can enjoy the great taste and satisfying crunch of a chicken strip without feeling guilty."

The tenders hit freezer cases across the country in August 2011.  The suggested retail price is $5.99.

About Easy Eats magazine

Easy Eats is a new all-digital, gluten-free lifestyle magazine that fills a growing niche, creating a new conversational, positive voice and proving that it's good to be gluten free. Our community of passionate readers looks to us for inspiration and resources on all things gluten free. Our practical and authoritative, yet accessible recipes and advice generate word-of-mouth social sharing.

About Applegate

For more than 20 years, Applegate has been producing high-quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products.  Natural can mean many things, but when Applegate says their products are natural, consumers are guaranteed that the meat inside is:

• Raised without antibiotics or hormones
• From animals fed a vegetarian or 100% grass diet and treated with humane animal standards
• Free of added chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates
• Free of artificial ingredients or preservatives

For more information about our products, visit www.applegate.com

SOURCE Applegate