Birds Eye® + Nickelodeon + Kid "Chefs" = Out Of This World Veggie Creations

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Yakimaniac Veggie Martians. Taste Tester Corn Jalapeno Dip. These are just two of the sixteen thousand wacky, out of this world recipe ideas gleaned from a virtual kitchen (crammed with kids) as part of the "iCarly iCook with Birds Eye" initiative.

Pinnacle Foods' Birds Eye brand teamed up with Nickelodeon's hit live-action series iCarly to embark on a mission to be the first company to go straight to kids for veggie inspiration. The initiative asked kids to share ideas and recipes for a fun and silly veggie dish and the response was a resounding success. Now, to honor kids' creativity, one of the top recipe ideas, Yakimaniac Veggie Martians, will be featured on an upcoming episode of Nickelodeon's iCarly in November.

Jennette McCurdy, star of Nickelodeon's iCarly and Birds Eye's veggie-loving ambassador led the initiative. "The awesome thing about the Birds Eye campaign is that it's all about kids talking to kids to get each other excited about veggies," said McCurdy. "Veggies have always been cool, but now there's proof!"

The recipe ideas revealed that kids have their own idea about what makes veggies enticing and exciting. The number one finding that sparked the most veggie-creativity was mixing and matching different vegetables and ingredients, with the majority of entries including a medley of colorful vegetable blends. A second finding showed more than half of submissions included bite-sized ingredients that are on-the-go, easy to enjoy and allows kids to eat with their hands.

In the Birds Eye Test Kitchen, Executive Chef Michael Christiansen took cues from the recipe concepts to create a special collection of kid-friendly recipes.  From martians to cupcakes, vegetables are the star of these recipes inspired by Birds Eye's virtual kitchen:

• Yakimaniac Veggie Martians – Martian-ize dinnertime by letting kids add personality to these delights with edible glitter, pretzel antennas, and veggie faces.
• Veggie Cupcakes – Let them eat cake (as long as it's loaded with veggies). Parents can feel great about this savory, veggie-licious spin on a classic, favorite treat: the cupcake.
• iTasty Corn Pizza with Pumpkin – Not your standard slice of pie, this pizza packs a punch of pumpkin and veggie-rich layers in every bite.
• Taste Tester Corn Jalapeno Dip – This zesty dip deserves a fiesta. With individual tortilla bowls, kids will love this vibrant blend of colorful vegetables.
• Veggie Smoothie – Scrumptious. Sippable. Simple. This brilliant orange smoothie will leave the kids begging for more veggies… to sip.

All of these recipes feature Birds Eye Steamfresh® products, which are perfect for kids because no knives or hot stoves are required. Kids can help their mom simply by pressing the buttons on the microwave.

"We're excited to share the creative process with kids and inspire them to get involved in meal planning – it's like having our own team of junior 'chefs'," said Brandi Unchester, Senior Brand Manager, Birds Eye Steamfresh. "Kids across America have told us what they want from their vegetables, and now we're working to ensure that they get just that." The brand is looking to these kid-inspired creations for future product innovations.  This initiative is part of a three -year commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), for which First Lady Michelle Obama has lauded Birds Eye's innovative approach to inspiring kids and helping support moms.

With more than 40 unique vegetables offered and countless ways to enjoy them, from pure and simple vegetable favorites to sauced and seasoned sides or steamed varieties, Birds Eye gives consumers limitless possibilities to complete the meal with vegetables every day. Visit www.birdseye.com/kids for more kid-friendly recipes, serving ideas, tips and tools.

About Birds Eye
Birds Eye® unlocks the wonder of vegetables and makes them accessible and enjoyable to everyone, everyday. Using vegetables picked and frozen at their peak of freshness, Birds Eye® helps Americans make vegetables a meaningful part of everyday life. Providing a range of tasty and exciting solutions that make eating vegetables a memorable taste experience, Birds Eye® has something for everyone: with pure and simple vegetables under the Birds Eye®, C&W®, Freshlike® and McKenzie's® brand names; Birds Eye Steamfresh® vegetables and vegetable rich blends; and Birds Eye Voila!® complete frozen meals. For more information on Birds Eye® visit www.birdseye.com or www.facebook.com/BirdsEyeVegetables

About Pinnacle Foods Group LLC
Millions of times a day in more than 85% of American households, consumers reach for Pinnacle Foods brands. Pinnacle Foods is a Top 1000 Company ranked on Fortune Magazine's 2011 Top 1000 companies list. We are a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, which have been trusted household names for decades. Headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, our business employs an average of 4,300 employees. We are a leader in the shelf stable and frozen foods segments and our brands hold the #1 or #2 market position in 8 out of 12 major category segments in which they compete. Our Duncan Hines Grocery Division manages Leadership brands such as Duncan Hines® baking mixes and frostings, Vlasic® shelf-stable pickles and Mrs. Butterworth's® and Log Cabin® table syrups and Foundation brands such as Armour® canned meats, Brooks® and Nalley® chili and chili ingredients, Comstock® and Wilderness® pie and pastry fillings and Open Pit® barbecue sauces. Our Birds Eye Frozen Division manages Leadership brands such as Birds Eye®, Birds Eye Steamfresh®, C&W®, McKenzie's®, and Fresh like® vegetables, Birds Eye Voila!® complete bagged meals and Van de Kamp's® and Mrs. Paul's® seafood and Foundation brands such as Lender's® bagels, Celeste® pizza, Hungry-Man® dinners and entrées and Aunt Jemima® frozen breakfasts. Our Specialty Foods Division manages Tim's Cascade Snacks®, Hawaiian® Kettle Style Potato Chips, Erin's® Popcorn, Snyder of Berlin® and Husman's® in addition to our food service and private label businesses. Further information is available at http://www.pinnaclefoods.com.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

SOURCE Birds Eye

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