National Turkey Federation Unveils "New Math of the Lean Lunchbox"

Nutrition guidelines, sample menus make packing healthy school lunches as easy as 1-2-3

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 30, 2004 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Sherrie Rosenblatt, National Turkey Federation
202-898-0100 ext. 227, srosenblatt@turkeyfed.org
or Kathleen Donlin, Devine & Pearson
617-472-2700 ext. 107 kdonlin@devine-pearson.com

In an effort to help curb the growing problem of childhood obesity, the National Turkey Federation today introduced its "New Math of the Lean Lunchbox - Easy as 1-2-3" program to help parents pack healthy school lunches for their children.

The program offers an easy-to-remember formula for packing a lean lunchbox, five sample lean-protein lunch menus for parents to choose from, and additional kid-friendly recipes. The information is available on the federation's web site, www.eatturkey.com. Click on the consumer page icon, then click on "healthy eating trends." www.eatturkey.com/consumer/healthyeating.html

"With one in every three children now overweight and an estimated 11 percent considered obese, we want to help parents help their children eat healthy, nutritious meals during the school day, when kids are apt to load up on fatty, high-calorie foods with little nutritional value," said Sherrie Rosenblatt, the federation's senior director of marketing and communications. "Lean protein is an important part of a healthy school lunch, and independent studies show that turkey has less fat and more protein than beef and chicken."

The "New Math of the Lean Lunchbox" program encourages parents to remember a simple 1-2-3 formula when packing school lunches:

Lunch can be rounded out with healthy sides, such as: To make the task even easier, the NTF is offering sample healthy lunch menus, prepared by a registered dietitian, which follow the 1-2-3 formula. The NTF is also offering parents other kid-friendly recipes such as Kid's Turkey Wraps, Sloppy Toms or Honey Nut Turkey Roll-Ups, to name a few.

The New Math of the Lean Lunchbox program is part of the NTF's ongoing campaign to educate consumers about the healthy attributes of turkey. Previously, the "Turkey. The Perfect Protein™" campaign has informed consumers about how turkey's low cholesterol counts can support a heart-healthy diet, offered consumers access to the federation's 1,500-recipe database, enabled them to receive a new recipe every month by E-mail, and suggested seasonal turkey dishes.

"Turkey is a great-tasting, low-fat, high-protein mealtime option, and the variety of new cuts and recipes make it easy and fun to prepare," said Rosenblatt. "Turkey can help adults and children lead healthier lifestyles, and is an especially good choice for parents who want to help their kids avoid weight problems."

Note to editors: Recipes, "Turkey. The Perfect Protein™" logo and press kit are available for download from the pressroom at www.eatturkey.com.


The National Turkey Federation is the advocate for all segments of the U.S. turkey industry. It's award winning web site www.eatturkey.com offers successful on-line professional chef cooking demonstrations and a searchable database of more than 300 recipes that exhibit turkey's versatility as a profit-building item, which enhances menus in all meal occasions during every season of the year. Operators can also go to www.eatturkey.com to sign up for the RecipE-mail program to register and receive unique recipe ideas that add flair to holiday and special occasion menus year-round.

National Cholesterol Education Program
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) launched the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) in November 1985. The goal of the NCEP is to contribute to reducing illness and death from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States by reducing the percent of Americans with high blood cholesterol. Through educational efforts directed at health professionals and the public, the NCEP aims to raise awareness and understanding about high blood cholesterol as a risk factor for CHD and the benefits of lowering cholesterol levels as a means of preventing CHD. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/ncep/index.htm