Ore-Ida® Bagel Bites® Brand Encourages Families to ‘Snack Simply’ This Summer with Charitable Pledge

This summer, Ore-Ida Bagel Bites brand of frozen pizza snacks is asking parents and kids to make snack time more meaningful with an online "Pledge to Snack Simply” that reinforces the importance of simple, wholesome goodness at snack time, while also raising charitable dollars to promote wholesome nutrition in youth programs across America.

Bagel Bites "Pledge to Snack Simply" encourages simple, wholesome choices at snack time this summer. For each person who takes the pledge at www.snacksimplypledge.com, Bagel Bites Brand will donate $1 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. (Photo: Business Wire)

By taking the online pledge at www.snacksimplypledge.com, parents commit to a few small steps that have a big impact on a child’s daily snack-time nutrition. For each person who takes the pledge, Bagel Bites snacks will donate $1 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, up to $50,000.

"When kids are on summer break, normal schedules fade away and it’s important to have a structured daily routine that keeps kids feeling energized and at their best throughout the day with simple, wholesome snacks,” said Connie Evers, a registered dietitian, founder of NutritionForKids.com and author of several books on related topics, including How to Teach Nutrition to Kids.

The Bagel Bites Snack Simply Pledge asks parents to adhere to three guiding principles for snacking this summer, which include:

1. Keep it Simple – Choose simple, easy-to-prepare snacks with wholesome ingredients.
2. Keep it Tasty – Serve snacks kids will love to encourage lots of smiles around the table.
3. Keep it Fun – Take the time to connect with your child and incorporate some simple, family-friendly activities during the daily snack-time routine.

In addition to raising money for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, people who take the pledge also will receive a $1 coupon good for their next purchase of Bagel Bites pizza snacks.

"The Snack Simply Pledge is a great way for parents to set an example for youth in America and show they’re committed to making wholesome nutrition an important part of everyday life for themselves and their kids,” said Cyndi Court, Executive Vice President of Resource Development and Marketing for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "By encouraging families to choose simple, wholesome options at snack time, the pledge reinforces our efforts to teach health and life skills that develop young people’s capacity to engage in positive behaviors, nurture their own well-being, set personal goals and live successfully as self-sufficient adults.”

Bagel Bites brand is committed to providing wholesome choices that kids will love. The line of frozen pizza snacks are made with simple, recognizable ingredients like toasted bagels, tomato sauce and real mozzarella cheese. Most recently, the brand incorporated whole grain into its entire line of frozen pizza snacks, offering eight grams of whole grain per serving and giving parents one more reason to feel good about serving them.

"When choosing snacks for kids, it’s best to look for wholesome snack options that have simple, recognizable ingredients and offer the added benefits of whole grain,” said Evers. "It’s also important to make choices you know your kids will love and you can feel good about serving.”

Bagel Bites snacks are available at major grocery and chain retailers nationwide in the frozen food section. For more information about Bagel Bites, visit www.bagelbites.com. For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of America, visit www.bgca.org.

ABOUT HEINZ

H.J. Heinz Company, offering "Good Food Every Day,”™ is one of the world’s leading marketers and producers of healthy, convenient and affordable foods specializing in ketchup, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant nutrition. Heinz provides superior quality, taste and nutrition for all eating occasions whether in the home, restaurants, the office or "on-the-go.” Heinz is a global family of leading branded products, including Heinz® Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representing over one third of Heinz’s total sales), Ore-Ida® potato products, Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® entrees, T.G.I. Friday’s® snacks, and Plasmon infant nutrition. Heinz is famous for its iconic brands on six continents, showcased by Heinz® Ketchup, The World’s Favorite Ketchup®.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS of AMERICA

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has changed and saved lives, enabling young people to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, nearly 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs serve some 4 million children and teens through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in neighborhoods throughout the country and on U.S. military installations worldwide, providing an extensive array of youth development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Key programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6758162&lang=en