August 07, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2007

Toronto, Ontario - Back to school brings challenges in the home of getting everyone well fed and out the door on time, packing a healthy lunch and having dinner ready for hungry mouths. Dietitians of Canada (DC) can help. Their fifth best selling cookbook, Simply Great Food , offers 250 delicious and simple recipes that are perfect for helping the entire family manage the back-to-school culinary challenge. “This unique book offers 'one-stop shopping' for families. It provides no-nonsense, accurate nutrition information on a wide variety of topics, fabulous, simple, tasty recipes and best of all, food solutions for families” says Mary Sue Waisman, co-author of Simply Great Food.

Canadian families know it's important to eat healthy, but continue to find it difficult. According to a 2006 Ipsos Reid poll, “Finding the time to prepare and eat healthy meals is a priority for 82% of Canadians; half agree that they know it's important to make healthy choices, but find it difficult to do so”. And when it comes to sources of healthy eating information, Canadians trust dietitians. In a national telephone survey conducted in April 2007, 92% of responding Canadians rated dietitians as the source of nutrition advice that they trust most. What better resource to consult for ideas on taste-tempting, healthy foods for the family than Simply Great Food, written by Dietitians of Canada.

Here's a sample of a delicious lunch recipe and some time saving tips taken from DC’s latest cookbook.

BBQ Chicken Salad Sandwiches (Simply Great Food, p. 69)

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp no-salt-added Italian seasoning, divided
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 each yellow and red bell pepper, diced
½ cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
12 slices multigrain bread (or 6 whole wheat pitas)

1. Season chicken breasts with 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning. Place on preheated barbecue and cook, turning once, for 8 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink inside and has reached an internal temperature of 170°F (77°C).
2. Cool chicken and coarsely chop. In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, yellow and red pepper, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, and the remaining Italian seasoning. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, make up to 6 sandwiches for a tasty lunch.

Tip 1: To save time, grill the chicken and make the chicken salad the night before and you're ready to pack it up quickly in the morning.

Tip 2: To keep food safe, freeze a juice box the night before. It will act as 'ice' to keep the sandwich cool and safe and you can drink the juice with your lunch.

Tip 3: For good nutrition, balance the meal with a glass of milk or fruit-flavoured yogurt and some fresh veggies and dip.

You'll find more delicious recipes and plenty of solutions for back to school days in Simply Great Food.

Dietitians of Canada represents more than 5,600 dietitians across Canada and is committed to promoting the health and well-being of consumers through food and nutrition. For trusted information on nutrition and healthy eating and to register to receive DC’s regular nutrition updates, visit Dietitians of Canada award-winning website at www.dietitians.ca.

You can find Simply Great Food in all major bookstores in Canada. For an interview with a Dietitians of Canada spokesperson, contact:

English – Contact:
Mary Sue Waisman – if you are in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
902-576-5025

Patricia Chuey – British Columbia
604-899-1178

Lynn Weaver – Ontario
416-218-3030 x 4713

French – Contact:
Caroline Dubeau
905-787-0426

-30-