Foster Farms' New Lower-Sodium, 100 Percent Whole Grain Chicken Corn Dog Looks for a Good (W)rap

New Chicken Corn Dog with Lower-Fat, Lower-Sodium and Improved Nutrition Profile Meets Demand for Healthier School Lunch Options That Kids Still Want to Eat

News provided by

Foster Farms

Feb 07, 2012, 09:03 ET

LIVINGSTON, Calif., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Much to the dismay of American schoolchildren, the corn dog is threatened to become an endangered lunch option in public schools.

To meet the needs of kids, parents and school districts alike, Foster Farms introduces the new 100% Whole Grain, Lower-Fat, Lower-Sodium Chicken Corn Dog for foodservice customers, with a full serving of whole grain, 47 percent less fat, further reduced sodium, higher fiber, zero trans fat and fewer calories, providing all the taste and quality of the original.

Corn dogs have been prominently featured in the news as the scapegoat for unhealthy lunches. First Lady Michelle Obama called for healthier school lunch options[1] and several school districts have complied by banning corn dogs from their menus[2]. Kids are fighting back by skipping the new school lunches entirely, leaving half-eaten lunches to waste and at one school, petitioning for the foods they love and will consume.[3]

"We are filling the lunchtime need with a happy medium," said Greta Janz, Foster Farms vice president of frozen and prepared foods. "With the added nutritional value of whole grains, lower fat of chicken corn dogs and now, further reduced sodium levels, we're able to offer a school lunch solution that satisfies kids' taste and parents' desire for healthier choices."

U.S.D.A. Dietary Guidelines recommend at least three one-ounce (or 16 grams) servings of whole grains per day. Foster Farms 100% Whole Grain products provide one of those servings. As the leading supplier of corn dogs to the foodservice industry and producer of the best-selling corn dog in the country, Foster Farms has for years provided delicious, nutrition-focused options that kids enjoy, while also meeting the stringent nutritional guidelines of the USDA and the high quality standards of parents.

Visit www.fosterfarmsfoodservice.com or call 1-800-255-7227, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST, for more information on products, preparation and menu ideas.

Nutrition Profiles of Common School Lunch Items (based on nutrition data from sampling of school lunch menus)

	Foster Farms 100% Whole Grain, Lower-Fat, Lower- Sodium Corn Dog	Cheese Pizza	Whole Wheat Bean Burrito	Cheeseburger on Whole Wheat Bun	Chicken Teriyaki with Rice	Peanut Butter and Jelly Pocket
Total Calories	240	580	409	331	326	580
Sodium (mg)	390	320	558	752	1059	540
Carbohydrates (g)	30	34	57.5	30.1	41.05	55
Total Fat (g)	8	13	13.67	13.7	8.5	32
Fiber (g)	5	3	8.4	3.3	0.76	5
Protein (g)	9	14	17.38	2.3	21.42	18

About Foster Farms

Family-owned and operated, Foster Farms continues its legacy of excellence and commitment to quality established by its founders, Max and Verda Foster. The company specializes in fresh, all natural chicken products free of preservatives, additives or injected sodium enhancers. Based in California's Central Valley, with ranches also in the Pacific Northwest, Foster Farms' fresh chicken is produced in or near each region served. Foster Farms also produces delicious pre-marinated, ready-to-cook and fully cooked products that meet the quality and convenience needs of today's home cooks, retailers, warehouse clubs and foodservice customers. Visit www.fosterfarms.com to learn more.

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/us/politics/new-school-lunch-rules-aimed-at-reducing-obesity.html?_r=1
[2] http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57368008/some-call-healthy-l.a-school-lunches-inedible/
[3] http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/28/state/n080112S84.DTL

SOURCE Foster Farms