Frito-Lay Helps Consumers Navigate The Snack Food Aisle

October 27, 2008

Snack chip leader teams up with the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals to teach consumers healthier snacking habits


PLANO, Texas – Today Frito-Lay North America announces the launch of License to Snack (www.licensetosnack.com), a Web-based tool for information and resources about healthier snacking. Developed in collaboration with the American Dietetic Association, License to Snack is an interactive, educational Web site designed to enhance understanding of how to incorporate snacks into a healthier diet.

“People typically don’t consider snacking to be a traditional eating occasion the same way they think about breakfast, lunch and dinner, but eating between meals has an impact on the diet that can be positive,” said Lisa Dorfman, a registered dietitian and adjunct professor at the University of Miami. “License to Snack teaches people how snacking can provide structure to a daily eating plan, help pre-empt hunger, prevent overeating at meals and present an opportunity to include important nutrients in the diet.”

License to Snack is also a partner of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) MyPyramid Corporate Challenge, a program that recognizes corporations’ efforts to promote improved nutrition and fight obesity.

"The purpose of the 'Partnering with MyPyramid: Corporate Challenge' is to equip consumers with the information that they need to make smart decisions about eating more healthfully and being more physically active. The License to Snack Web site, plays an important part in bringing that vision to reality,” said Dr. Brian Wansink, Executive Director for USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

The site has components for registered dietitians (RDs) and other health professionals, as well as consumers, and plays off a “driving theme.” RDs and health professionals are introduced as the key “drivers” in nutrition education, helping consumers navigate the “roadways.” Consumers earn their “license to snack” by learning how to make healthier snack choices through learning the right portion sizes for snacks and counting them into the daily caloric intake.”

With input from the American Dietetic Association, the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, the tools were designed to help nutrition educators teach consumers how to snack better.

Tools for nutrition educators include:

  • Instructor’s Manual - “Science in the Drivers Seat” is an overview of scientific research supporting the role snacking plays in a healthier diet.
  • Maps and Directions - “Supermarket Tour” is a downloadable presentation to help guide people in making healthier snacking choices.
  • Drivers’ Ed - “Roadmap to Snacking” is an interactive game that educators can use with consumers to help them navigate through the questions they should ask themselves before reaching for a snack.

The tools developed with a general consumer audience in mind include:

  • Drivers’ Ed - “Proceed with Caution” is an interactive manual about portion control.
  • Maps and Guides - “Snack the Pyramid” is a guide to choosing snacks consistent featuring MyPyramid guidelines.
  • Your Personal Dashboard – Contains personalized calculators, such as Body Mass Index (BMI) and calorie needs, to help consumers stay in good energy balance.
  • Take a Test Drive – The “Road Test” quizzes visitors on the information they learned on the site, rewarding passing scores with a downloadable “license to snack” tip sheet.

Visit the site at http://www.licensetosnack.com/.

Frito-Lay offers consumers a wide variety of products that can fit into a healthier lifestyle. Through its commitment to well-being and by maintaining its tradition of providing great tasting snacks, Frito-Lay is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of its consumers. For more information, please visit http://www.fritolay.com/.

Frito-Lay North America is the $11 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana.