Media advisory/Interview opportunity - Canadians' most asked question moving<br>from what's for dinner to what's in dinner: 85 per cent want real ingredients

Family meal experts gather 'round the kitchen table to dish on what's on the back of the box, on plates and how to make positive changes

TORONTO, Jan. 13 /CNW/ - "What's for dinner?" is one of the most frequently asked questions. Now Canadians are asking the question "what's in dinner?" McCain Foods Canada is bringing together five leading experts in the fields of children's nutrition, parenting and family meals to participate in a "kitchen round table" and discuss the changing needs of the Canadian family dinner. The company is kicking off a journey, called It's all good(TM), that will see it change its frozen convenience food products to be made of simple ingredients like people would use if they made them from scratch.

Topics to be covered include an examination of the current consumption and purchasing habits of Canadians, the demand for "real" ingredients in foods, deciphering food labels and solutions for preparing wholesome and convenient family meals without the "mommy guilt". As moms themselves, the panel experts share unique perspectives on the challenges parents face every day when it's time to put dinner on the table.

    
    WHY:      80 per cent of Canadians are avoiding foods that have excessive
              ingredients that look more like chemical names than real food.
              71 per cent regularly purchase frozen convenience foods with
              20 per cent claiming to purchase at least once a week or more
              and 85 per cent look for prepared foods that are made with
              "real" ingredients that they recognize(1)

    WHO:      Daina Kalnins, Registered Dietitian specializing in children's
              nutrition, author of YUM (Your Ultimate Manual to Good
              Nutrition)
              Alyson Schafer, psychotherapist, expert on parenting and
              communication
              Theresa Albert, Food Network chef, author, nutritionist and mom
              Sharon Vinderine, family product expert and founder of Parent
              Tested Parent Approved
              Vicky Sunohara, Olympian gold medalist, new mom of twins
              Heather Crees, mom, champion of McCain It's all good(TM), Vice
              President of Marketing McCain Foods (Canada)

    WHEN:     Wednesday, January 13, 2010
              10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Spokespeople and visuals available
              11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - PANTRY PANEL DISCUSSION
              11:30 a.m. - noon - Open discussion and Q&A
              Noon - 12:30 - Spokespeople and visuals available
              Visuals to include: Moms speaking one-on-one with Panel
              experts, simple meal solutions and quick demos, ingredient
              comparisons, etc.

    WHERE:    Dish Cooking Studio
              390 Dupont St. (located in the Creed's Dry Cleaning building)
              Toronto


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    (1) A November 2009 TNS Canadian Facts survey commissioned by McCain
        Foods (Canada)
    

For further information: Laurie Weir - Veritas Communications, Direct: [phone], Cell: [phone], email: [email protected]