Monkeys, Millipedes and Little Bears on the New Healthy Children's Menu at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts

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Nov 15, 2011, 05:46 ET

DUBAI, UAE, November 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

New 'Power Bites' menu makes eating out child's play in over 30 hotels across the Middle East and Asia

In the kitchens of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, strange and wonderful things are happening.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20111115/494294 )

A tiny farm girl is raking spaghetti from a tube; a small bear is peeking from a mug; a mini hard-hat workman is installing tomato into a burger and a little girl is struggling to keep the monkeys away from the cake pops.

Monkeys, workmen, farm girls and little bears? In a kitchen? Just what's going on?

"We're having fun launching our new children's menu," laughs Peter Drescher Vice President of Food & Beverage, Middle East and Asia. "These days children have constant sources of entertainment in the form of iPads, phones and games. So, we have to be equally entertaining with our food."

But of course, like all great fun, the new children's 'Power Bites' menu has a serious point. "Childhood obesity and heart disease are modern concerns so all our ingredients are low fat, use low sodium salt and lean meat. We use lots of fruit and vegetables and don't use saturated fats."

And the results are wonderful. Scuba toys prepare to dive into a bowl of mixed fruit; monkeys race up leaves to fresh banana smoothies; a workman examines tomato sauce for organic sausages; a mini shopping trolley carries rice cakes and a tomato-headed millipede crawls across a plate on cucumber feet.

"Food should be fun and if it's nutritious so much the better," says Drescher. "We invite children to eat with their fingers, paint carrots, arrange little characters. It's important that restaurants become welcoming places for children and that they enjoy themselves. After all families go out to eat to have fun. We're just here to help."

The 'Power Bites' menu is available now at selected restaurants within Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts across the Middle East and Asia.

In addition, to celebrate the launch of the menu, a special Power Bites offer is available for families staying at the participating hotels. For further information visit http://www.moevenpick-hotels.com

Notes to the editor:

We invite you to take few seconds to watch our Power Bites video which provides a glimpse of this innovative concept.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XsLgB7hF6k&feature=player_detailpage

Further images can be downloaded by clicking this link:

http://mhr.ncag.ch/frame_lightbox.asp?id=xlomHVoHNZn7pauaJpOl4qdM

About Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts:

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international upscale hotel management company with over 14'000 employees, is represented in 25 countries with 71 hotels and resorts currently in operation. A further 30 properties are planned or already under construction in Ankara, (Turkey), Dubai (four projects - United Arab Emirates); Abu Dhabi (three projects - United Arab Emirates), Shanghai (China), Dharamshala (India).

Focusing on expansion in its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities. Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in Zurich, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is passionate about delivering premium service, culinary enjoyment and sustainable environments - all with a personal touch.

The hotel company is owned by the Mövenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%). For more information please visit http://www.moevenpick-hotels.com .

For further information:

Laura Perez Diaz
Director of Communications -
Middle East
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts
Shatha Tower, Office 3903
P.O.Box 500590, Dubai, UAE
Phone +971-4-367-1927
Fax +971-4-367-2688
[email protected]
http://www.moevenpick-hotels.com