FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER 916.263.3560 commngr(###)dairycouncilofca.org

Sacramento, CA - Oct. 4, 2004 - Dairy Council of California expands its family of nutrition education programs with the introduction of Deal Me In…Food and Fitness, which targets kindergarten through sixth-grade students at after-school programs.

Educators estimate one-half of all students attend after-school programs - also known as extended-day programs - at some point during the school year.

"The after-school environment is a perfect setting for a Dairy Council nutrition education program," said Peggy Biltz, Dairy Council of California CEO. "Staff has less of the pressures of standards in performance in the classroom and our testing shows they are interested in using the more relaxed setting to teach children about the importance of nutrition and exercise."

To complement the relaxed setting of after-school programs, Dairy Council of California designed Deal Me In to be more recreational than traditional school nutrition programs.

"Deal Me In is like playing a game," said Tammy Anderson-Wise, Dairy Council of California director, program services. "These children are in school all day, so the last thing they want is more academics. We created a program that doesn't feel academic but still teaches healthy eating habits."

DAIRY COUNCIL

The program's key elements are based on popular card games such as "Go Fish," "Concentration" and "Memory". But instead of "Go Fish," for example, Deal Me In offers "Fishing for a Food Group" in which the cards show pictures of dairy products, fruits, vegetables and other selections from the food guide pyramid.

Deal Me In also reaches another major audience because it includes a booklet designed just for parents so that the healthy eating skills children learn at the after-school setting can be reinforced and expanded at home.

The Deal Me In program is provided free of charge for all school and community based after-school programs in California and are available at a low-cost for out-of-state customers. Program directors can order the program by logging on to www.dairycouncilofca.org or calling 1-888-868-3133.

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Dairy Council of California has been providing nutrition education programs to schools and health professionals for 85 years. Available in both Spanish and English, Dairy Council's programs encourage healthy food choices from all food groups and daily physical activity. For more information, visit www.dairycouncilofca.org.

Editor's note: For electronic images of Deal Me In, contact Kristy Babb at 916.263.3560 or kbabb(###)dairycouncilofca.org.

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