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DUBLIN, Ohio– October 19, 2006 – Busy parents constantly seek reliable information and practical tips on how best to feed their families. That’s why Wendy’s® has paired with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) to create Mom-RD – a program that connects parents directly with registered dietitians (RDs), respected food and nutrition experts who are certified by the ADA – for information and advice on family nutrition.

To develop the program, Wendy’s commissioned a national survey* of 500 moms to determine their top family nutrition challenges and questions. Overall, nearly half of moms say nutrition information seems to change from day to day, and 30 percent find the conflicting advice confusing. Because moms make most family nutrition decisions, they want to feel confident they are making smart choices in the foods they feed their families.

Wendy’s latest step in supporting families includes a new Web site. The site offers free information on family nutrition from three registered dietitians who are moms: Rachel Brandeis, MS, RD; Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD; and Victoria Shanta Retelny, RD, LD. Their personal and professional experience enables them to provide real-life insights and tips that range from how to please picky eaters to how to eat well on-the-go.

“Mom-RD.com breaks down nutrition information in ways that are easy to understand,” says McIndoo. “As a parent, I consider the site a valuable tool that can help moms gain confidence in choosing fresh, quality food in restaurants and at home.”

Mom-RD.com also features interactive elements such as weekly polls where parents can see what other parents are dealing with (“Do your kids ask you to buy unhealthy foods that they’ve tried and “loved” at friends’ houses?”) and an “Ask Mom-RD” section where parents can submit questions and get responses from the three RD experts. Short feature articles written by RDs also educate parents on how best to address such issues as how to deal with what kids might be eating on their own at school, or how to get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Other Nutrition News at Wendy’s
Wendy’s commits to making it easy for anyone to make food choices at its restaurants that meet personal needs. In addition to the Mom-RD program, Wendy’s is unveiling nutrition posters in its stores this month. The posters, displayed for easy reference, feature details on nutritional and allergen content of menu items. The information also is available here.

In addition, Wendy’s bags and food cartons will include messages about reduced trans fatty acid (TFA) levels in its French fries and chicken items. When it switched to zero-grams TFA cooking oil in August (the first major quick-service restaurant to do so), Wendy’s was able to cut TFA across its menu by 95 percent

Earlier this year, Wendy’s introduced its Frescata line of deli sandwiches on fresh-baked, artisan bread. The Company also rolled out new entrée salads and expanded its popular combo choices program, providing customers with seven different side options when ordering a combo meal. In addition, Kids’ Meal choices now include both turkey and ham sandwiches, as well as mandarin oranges and low-fat yogurt with granola as side options. Milk can be substituted for soft drinks at no extra charge.

* Survey conducted in July 2006, by Braun Research. Sample: 501 moms under age 50 with kids between ages 2 and 12. Margin of error is =/- 4.4 percentage points.

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