MONTEREY, CA — A unique, year-long partnership between DOLE® Salads and EatingWell Magazine seeks to inspire Americans to eat more salads, fruits and vegetables in 2013 — and ultimately live happier, healthier lives.
This partnership represents the first time the world's largest provider of fresh fruits and vegetables has teamed up with a major media brand. The year-long alliance between Dole and EatingWell print and online properties includes a host of initiatives designed to demonstrate just how easy and delicious a balanced diet rich in leafy greens and fresh produce can be.
Elements include delectable new recipes and serving suggestions from the kitchens of Dole and EatingWell, educational outreach, a spring blogger and media summit and a consumer sweepstakes that will reward one lucky salad fan with a $25,000 customized health and wellness prize package.
"Eating well is the foundation for living well — and we're out to give Americans the recipes, serving suggestions and inspiration they need to make 2013 their healthiest and happiest year yet," said Chris Mayhew, VP of marketing for Dole Fresh Vegetables. "More than just providing resources, our goal is to work with the experts at EatingWell to offer very tangible ways for families to eat more wholesome, nutritious meals that are flavorful and satisfying. Ultimately, both brands have come together to redefine what healthy eating looks — and tastes — like."
The partnership is part of Dole's larger mission of increasing America's nutritional wellness and reducing a number of negative health trends through greater consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. This long-term goal is also what attracted EatingWell to Dole.
"One of our goals is to help Americans learn to love healthier foods through delicious, healthy recipes," says Lisa Gosselin, editorial director for EatingWell. "Right now, only one in three Americans is getting the servings of fruits and vegetables he or she needs to stay healthy. We're excited to work with Dole to share some easy, amazing recipes and new ways to enjoy fresh produce."
Recipes that Go Beyond the Bowl
As part of the collaboration, chefs, nutrition and test kitchen experts at the EatingWell headquarters in Vermont have worked with Dole to provide consumers with salad and vegetable-based recipes, serving, pairing and meal-planning suggestions that highlight salads, fruits and vegetables, and are suitable for Americans at every stage of their lives.
Examples range from inspired new takes on salad classics — like Chopped Tandoori Chicken Salad, Taco Salad and Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries — to beyond-the-bowl creations such as Green Pizza, Inside-Out Lasagna, Good Green Tea Smoothie and Ravioli with Arugula & Pecorino.
Other new salads seek to introduce Americans to new ingredients becoming mainstream like quinoa (Quinoa Salad with Dried Apricots & Baby Spinach), lentils (Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage & Apple), tarragon (Tomato, Tuna & Tarragon Salad) and tempeh (Grilled Tempeh Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing).
The recipe collaboration kicks off this month with a focus on winter pears — Crunchy Pear & Celery Salad and Pear-Hazelnut Dressing — and includes a full calendar of seasonal ideas suitable for parties and entertaining.
For all downloadable recipes and serving suggestions, go to www.dole.com/salads. New Dole/EatingWell recipes will be added to Dole's existing online recipe database throughout the year.
Live Well Love Life Sweepstakes
A highlight of the initiative is an opportunity for consumers to join Dole and the EatingWell experts for eight weeks of recipes, tips and encouragement to inspire a healthier, happier you — and qualify to win a $25,000 customized health and wellness prize package.
Consumers who answer one of many salad-related questions on the DOLE Salads website — such as "How will eating salads help you feel better and more vibrant about life this year?" — are automatically entered into the Live Well Love Life Sweepstakes to become eligible for the grand prize plus EatingWell magazine subscriptions, cookbooks and DOLE Salads. No purchase is required to enter.
The grand prize includes a five-day trip to Vermont to visit the EatingWell test kitchen and enjoy private cooking lessons with an EatingWell chef, meal-planning with an EatingWell dietician, personal fitness training with a local instructor, and more. For complete details on the sweepstakes and all other elements of the partnership, go to www.dole.com/salads.
About EatingWell
Launched in 2002, EatingWell (whose motto is "Where Good Taste Meets Good Health") is the multi-platform publisher of healthy recipes, nutrition advice, cooking tips and research-based articles about food and its origins. The brand has rapidly diversified from producing its award-winning flagship EatingWell Magazine (which now reaches more than 11 million readers) to multiple formats, including a content-rich website www.eatingwell.com which reaches more than 5 million unique visitors a month, and its vibrant custom publishing and licensing programs bring its unique content and recipes to partners worldwide. EatingWell is published 6 times a year by Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP).
About DOLE® Salads
DOLE Salads is one of the world's largest lines of packaged salads, with 47 unique salad blends and all-natural salad kits. The line is supported by a comprehensive online library of salad and salad-based recipes, as well as various consumer-friendly tools like the on-pack DOLE® Salad Guide, Taste and Texture scales, and "Pairs well with" feature, as well as the Dole Salad Circle online community of salad lovers. For details, go to www.salads.dole.com or the DOLE Salads Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DOLESaladGuide.
About Dole Food Company, Inc.
Dole, with 2011 net revenues of $7.2 billion, is the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and is the leading producer of organic bananas. Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen fruit and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research.
Source: Dole Food Company, Inc.
