CAG ConAgra Brands Inc

OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey recently conducted by Orville Redenbacher's® Gourmet® Popping Corn found that, even though more than half of Americans make resolutions to eat healthier snacks, one-third give up on their resolution within one month.(i) In celebration of National Popcorn Day on January 19, Orville Redenbacher's is encouraging Americans to snack on SmartPop!® microwave popcorn as a way to keep their resolutions going. Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop! has been shown to be a part of a healthy diet, as a daily snack of low-fat popcorn can help people stick with their weight loss diets.(ii)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120110/CG32360)

"As someone who struggled to eat healthily, I know having the right snack on-hand, like SmartPop! popcorn, made a big difference because I could still satisfy my salty cravings without the guilt," said Bernie Salazar, fan favorite and at-home winner on "The Biggest Loser." "People are always surprised when I tell them that you can eat six cups of Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop! for just 100 calories. To me, that's more satisfying than eating a 'healthy snack' like almonds, where only 14 pieces add up to 100 calories."

As the original super snack, popcorn provides three times more fiber per 1-ounce serving than other snack foods, such as pretzels or potato chips. Additionally, as a 100 percent whole grain food, 6 cups (100 calories) of Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop! has two full servings of whole grains and – like other Orville Redenbacher's popcorn – SmartPop! has zero grams of trans fat per serving. It's a filling and well-balanced option snackers can feel good about enjoying at any time of day.

A LOOK INSIDE THE AMERICAN SNACKER

Findings from the survey also discovered that snacking is as ingrained in the fabric of America as popping a bag of popcorn. In fact:

• More than one-third of survey respondents said they would rather receive daily visits from their in-law or relatives (39 percent) or have weekly visits to the dentist (33 percent) than give up snacking.
• Of important characteristics in snack foods, 69 percent of people surveyed said they like snacks salty versus sweet (63 percent), crunchy (50 percent), healthy (40 percent) or savory (31 percent).
• Thirty-six percent of those surveyed said backstage passes to their favorite performer would motivate them to stick to their New Year's resolutions, while 28 percent said it would take sideline seats to the biggest sporting event of the year as effective motivation.

Learning more about smart snacking can be fun, too, thanks to Orville Redenbacher's new Pop Cam virtual game on Facebook. Using your webcam, you can see if you have the skills to become a munch master as you snack on virtual popcorn. And for more information on making your New Year's resolutions easier to keep with the "original super snack," visit orville.com.  

About ConAgra Foods

ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG), is one of North America's leading food companies.  With brands in 97 percent of American households, ConAgra Foods provides some of America's long-time favorites. Consumers can find Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Hebrew National, Hunt's Tomato Sauces and Ketchup, Marie Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim Meat Sticks and Beef Jerky and many other ConAgra Foods brands in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise and club stores. ConAgra Foods operates ReadySetEat.com, an interactive recipe website that provides consumers with Easy Dinner Recipes and more. ConAgra Foods also has a strong business-to-business presence, supplying frozen potato and sweet potato products as well as other vegetable, spice and grain products to a variety of well-known restaurants, foodservice operators and commercial customers. For more information, please visit us at http://www.conagrafoods.com.

Joel Hattis

Edelman

(312) 240-3131

Joel.Hattis@edelman.com

(i) Impulse Research for Orville Redenbacher. Survey conducted online with random sample of 1,035 total individuals: 567 women and 468 men. Research was conducted in December 2011. Overall sampling error for survey is +/- 3% at the 95% level of confidence.

(ii) Kawiecki D, et al. Effect of popcorn or potato chips on hunger and satisfaction. Rippe Lifestyle Institute 2011.

SOURCE Orville Redenbacher