* Celebrate February's American Heart Month by involving the whole family in healthy food prep
* Make eating healthy and involving kids easier with USDA MyPlate function featured on GE microwaves
* GE Advantium® Speedcook ovens cook kids' favorite foods up to eight times faster* than a conventional oven without sacrificing taste
LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- Feb. 21, 2012 --- (NYSE:GE) --- Forget the old adage about too many cooks in the kitchen when it comes to your family's health. Getting your kids more involved in food prep may be the answer to helping your family lead a healthy lifestyle, and this month may be just the time to start.
February is American Heart Month, and in a recent report, the American Heart Association® says teaching kids how to shop for nutritious foods, cook and plan meals leads to healthier food choices in and out of the home. In addition to the immediate benefits, kids who eat healthy at a young age also are more likely to carry healthy habits, better nutrition and a trimmer waistline into adulthood.
About one in three kids in the U.S. is overweight or nearly triple the rate from 1963, according to the American Heart Association. That's why nutritionists recommend a hands-on approach to getting kids to eat healthier.
"Encouraging children to be active participants in their diet is important to build healthy habits, whether it's comparing tastes and trying new foods, helping shop, growing vegetables and herbs, or cooking," says registered dietician and child nutrition expert Melissa Halas-Liang. "Children of all ages love exploring and experimenting with food. There's no substitute for that firsthand experience to create lifelong habits. Parents and kids who cook together tend to eat less junk food."
Cooking with Your Children - MyPlate Function on GE Microwaves
So, where do you start when planning healthy meals for your family? One option is the new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate guidelines and the MyPlate button on GE over-the-range microwaves.
The USDA's MyPlate icon illustrates a plate split into four sections, each representing recommended portions of basic food groups -- proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Next to the plate is a small circle, which represents dairy products. MyPlate offers a quick and easy-to-understand representation of a balanced meal: one-half fruits and vegetables; one-fourth whole grains; one-fourth lean protein; and small portions of low-fat dairy products.
To help consumers prepare healthier meals, GE introduced a MyPlate button on new over-the-range microwave ovens. The MyPlate feature allows users to easily cook foods found in the USDA recommended dietary guidelines. For example, consumers can use GE's MyPlate feature to select a preset for cooking specific vegetables, such as fresh asparagus, frozen green beans, or numerous options in each USDA MyPlate category.
GE's Advantium® Ovens Help Busy Parents and Kids Achieve Quality Results in Short Order
Preparing healthy meals doesn't have to be a day-long process. The award-winning GE Advantium oven uses a combination of intense halogen light, true European convection technology and microwave energy to cook food faster without compromising taste. The Advantium oven browns and crisps the top and bottom of food much like conventional radiant heat, while simultaneously cooking the inside in a fraction of the time. Users need not even wait for the oven to preheat. On a busy school night, Advantium can mean home-cooked meals instead of fast food.
GE offers Advantium ovens in 240-volt or 120-volt models. The 240-volt models can cook food up to eight times faster than conventional ovens. The 120-volt version can cook food up to four times faster. For added versatility, the Advantium can be used as a traditional oven or fully functional microwave at the press of a button.
The Advantium comes with 175 preprogrammed recipes and the capability for parents and children to enter 30 of their favorite custom recipes. Recipe settings are easy to use and include a wide range of meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables, grains, breads, desserts and packaged foods. The Advantium 240-volt model can grill one-inch steaks in less than 15 minutes or roast a five-pound chicken in approximately 30 minutes while maintaining a crispy outside and moist, nicely textured inside.
*240-volt Advantium models cook foods up to eight times faster. The 120-volt model cooks foods up to four times faster.
About Melissa Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE is a Registered Dietician, Certified Diabetes Educator, Certified Trainer for Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management, Certified Nutrition Support Dietician and holds a master's degree in Nutrition Education. She is a former clinical nutrition manager in a teaching hospital and provides online nutrition education and community lectures at universities and colleges to health professionals, fitness professionals, registered dieticians and the general public. Her publications include Super Baby Abigail's Lunch Time Adventure; Havoc at the Hillside Market; and numerous articles and nutrition textbooks.
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Kim Freeman
GE Consumer & Industrial - Americas
[email protected]
502-452-7819