"Shrimp & Pasta Party!" Hosted on Facebook by The Shrimp Council and Dreamfields Healthy Pasta

MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Just like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair, shrimp and pasta make a delicious and perfectly paired duo!  Beginning Feb. 22, The Shrimp Council and Dreamfields Healthy Pasta will launch of the first "Shrimp & Pasta Party!" on Facebook. The party spotlights the great nutritional pair through an interactive recipe contest, a shrimp and pasta personality quiz, a place for fans to share their favorite shrimp attributes, and more.

During the 40 days and 40 nights of the season of Lent, the engaging promotion will be housed on the Eat Shrimp Facebook page, managed by The Shrimp Council. A customized Facebook tab has been designed to encourage fans to try different pasta and shrimp combinations, allowing visitors to twirl up dozens of nutritious and delicious meal options.

"This partnership is really fun and unique," said Liz Housman of Dreamfields Pasta. "Our pasta has twice the fiber and fewer digestible carbs than traditional pasta, and combining it with a healthy protein such as shrimp is a perfect meal solution. It's hard to imagine a more compelling combo."

Consumers are invited to join the party by "liking" Eat Shrimp on Facebook and visiting the Shrimp & Pasta Party tab. The interactive recipe contest invites fans to create their own shrimp and pasta recipe with preselected ingredients from six categories including: pasta, protein, sauce, veggies, cheese, and herbs and seasonings. Each selected ingredient will automatically populate on a plate, ultimately displaying a "dish" that the contestant will then submit for judging. The contest will be available during the seven weeks of Lent, and five winners will be announced on April 30, 2012. One grand prize winner will be awarded with a $200 gift certificate to the grocery store of their choice, while the four runners-up will receive $50 gift cards.

Besides being just plain fun, the purpose of the contest, which goes hand in hand with the mission of The Shrimp Council, is to educate consumers and provide helpful tools that make it easy and fun to incorporate shrimp into a healthy and well-balanced diet.

"The Shrimp Council's goal is to promote shrimp as a nutritious and delicious protein," said Judy Dashiell, senior vice president at the National Fisheries Institute.  "Through this promotion we're demonstrating that shrimp and pasta is the perfect weeknight duet – easy, nutritious and delicious. And, by offering the chance to win a grocery store gift certificate, we hope to make feeding the family a bit more affordable this Lent for a handful of our fans."

Visit facebook.com/eatshrimp for more information.

About The Shrimp Council
The Shrimp Council's mission is to promote shrimp as a nutritious and delicious protein.  Council members source sustainable shrimp from around the globe for Americans to enjoy at home and in restaurants.

Shrimp Council Members
Tampa Maid, King & Prince, Mazzetta Co, CenSea, Inc, Eastern Fish Co, Sea Port Products, Harbor Seafoods, Expack Seafood, Darden, Rich Products Corporation, H & N, Morey's, Highliner, Quirch Foods.

Associate Members
A&B Chemical Company, Joseph C. Murray, LA Cold Storage, Nekkanti Sea Foods Limited, Preferred Freezer Services, Pyramid Transportation, SGS, Hub Folding Box Company

About Dreamfields Healthy Pasta
Dreamfields is a premium pasta with twice the fiber, fewer digestible carbohydrates and a lower glycemic index than traditional pasta.  With its delicious taste and nutritional benefits, Dreamfields is a flavorful, nourishing pasta for the entire family.  www.dreamfieldfoods.com 

SOURCE The Shrimp Council