Moms Score an 'A' on Their Nutrition Report Card

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Practice what you preach. U.S. moms say that's easier said than done, especially when it comes to nutrition. According to a recent poll of 1,000 U.S. moms sponsored by Ragu(R) pasta sauce, 94 percent of moms say they know the nutritional needs of their kids. However, 80 percent find it difficult to deliver that nutrition. Moms say fussy eaters and busy schedules (47 percent and 38 percent, respectively) are the biggest challenges. In fact, an overwhelming 100% of moms admit they use one or more sneaky ways to get their kids to eat veggies, such as offering rewards or hiding veggies in other food.

The survey revealed that more than 60 percent of moms would like two to four more hours each day to accomplish everything they need to do while the other third need six to eight hours to get it all done. Sixty-five percent of those surveyed said they would welcome shortcuts on how to prepare nutritious meals their kids will eat.

With moms so pressed for time, nutrition and fitness seem to suffer the most. But, they don't have to. That's why Ragu has teamed up with NBC Today show fitness correspondent, author of "Fit and Sexy for Life," and mother of three Kathy Kaehler to offer some much needed help to moms everywhere. Kathy says, "With so little time between work and school and after-school activities, it's about smart, simple solutions that allow you to still give your family the very best you can."

Following are some of Kathy's favorite tricks to help mom incorporate nutrition into their daily lives:

* If getting your kids to eat veggies is sometimes challenging, look for new and interesting ways to serve those vegetables you know they'll eat. If broccoli is the only vegetable your child likes, figuring out more ways to serve it will help keep them from getting bored of it! And here's something moms may not know -- one-half cup of Ragu pasta sauce equals a full serving of vegetables...and what kid doesn't like pasta sauce? So find ways to get it into their diet instead of just adding it to spaghetti (even though they probably wouldn't mind having spaghetti every night!) -- You can serve it over shaped pasta, use it as a dip for string cheese (a great snack!) or mix it with ground turkey or beef for a quick sloppy joe. * Encourage balanced meals by making your child "Chef for a Day" by letting them help make dinner. They choose the menu, help shop for the ingredients and help with the preparation. For menu ideas check out the Ragu Soccer Mom's Shortcuts Book available on http://www.ragu.com/. It offers simple recipe and snack ideas your family can cook together with items every mom has in their pantry or refrigerator. * Getting your children to enjoy fruits and vegetables is easy when you play "The Colors Game." Challenge your kids to eat two of each color -- green, red, yellow, orange, and purple -- throughout the day. Make sure to go over all the different fruits and vegetables in each color category and, at meal times, ask them "how many colors have you had today?" They'll love reviewing their menus with you and hearing your praise when they've completed the rainbow. Exercise Takes a Back Seat in Mom's Car

Among those moms surveyed, exercising and playing outside with their kids were the last two items on the list of priorities (16 percent and 25 percent, respectively). Helping their kids with homework topped the list at 80 percent, followed by cleaning the house (42 percent).

Kathy says, "It's a balance of nutrition and exercise. Families need to be more active and can do so together. If you're always on the couch, your kids will follow suit."

  Some interesting ways to get your kids excited about exercise:

  * Keep a Family Fitness Chart in a high traffic area of your home, and
    have everyone check off activities as they are completed (such as one
    minute of jump rope, 25 jumping jacks, running around the house two
    times).  Challenge family members to complete the most activities at
    the end of one week or one month and offer rewards.

  * Don't forget to keep your kids (and yourself) active, even when the
    weather prevents you from going outdoors.  Some fun ideas for indoor
    activities include tumbling with summersaults, hand stands and
    cartwheels or a scavenger hunt with active clues like crawling or
    skipping to the next location.

  * Rushing to the car and then racing to the school can really send your
    blood pressure up. I found a way to keep my entire family calm -- the
    "Walk or Bike to School" policy. We organize everything the night
    before and get up a little earlier to allow time to walk or ride our
    bikes to school. "Walk or Bike" days are a time to share stories,
    review for the big test, or just be active as a family. Be consistent.
    Plan ahead and tell your kids what days you will walk or bike to
    school. Pretty soon they will be asking to do it.

  About Ragu

Ragu Pasta Sauces are available in the pasta sauce aisle at all major grocery stores. For varieties, recipes and other exciting ways to use Ragu, visit http://www.ragu.com/.

About Unilever

Unilever (NYSE: UL) , one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs approximately 15,000 people in 66 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating more than $9 billion in sales in 2005. For more information visit http://www.unileverusa.com/.

The survey of 1,016 parents of children ages six through 14 was conducted online by Impulse Research Corporation in January of 2007. The random sample closely matches the U.S. population demographics. The sampling error is +/- 3% at the 95% level of confidence.

  CONTACT:  Lauren Kinelski/Stacy DeFino
            212-445-8149/8454
            Lkinelski/sdefino@webershandwick.com