Jennie-O Turkey Store Helps Families Bike to Better Health
May 21, 2007
Offers Free Bikes and Tips on Benefits of Biking, Bike Safety and Healthy Eating
WILLMAR, MINN — Bike riding is a favorite summer activity for young and old alike. From a quick trip down the block to a family outing at the park, biking burns calories, helps heart health and, most importantly, is tons of fun. To help families reap the benefits of biking this summer, Jennie-O Turkey Store is giving away bikes and providing useful biking tips through its summer-long Pedal Power! promotion.
Research shows the health benefits of bike riding are far-reaching: reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases; and improved quality of life for people of all ages. Yet even with these health benefits, American children are spending less time biking these days than in the ’90s, and kids who bike ride infrequently grow to be adults who bicycle less, if at all, which means they miss the fun and positive effects of biking.
In an effort to encourage more families to ride bikes, Jennie-O Turkey Store is giving away 40 Schwinn® bicycles through its Pedal Power! instant-win sweepstakes from June 1 through Aug. 31, 2007. In September, Jennie-O Turkey Store will draw one lucky grand prize winner who will receive a family bike package valued at more than $2,500. The package includes four Schwinn® bikes, a bike carrier, bike trailer, helmets and other safety accessories. Families can enter by visiting www.jotspedalpower.com.
“At least 30 percent of children don’t get the daily exercise they need, so it’s important to get outside and active with your children whenever possible,” said Dr. Laura Laskonis, pediatrician affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “Bike riding, which burns 300 to 400 calories per hour, is an excellent way to have fun and be active outdoors in the summer.”
While a family bike outing is a great way to get active and have fun, it’s important not to forget safety. In fact, kids ages 5 to 14 get hurt more often than bikers of any other age . Jennie-O Turkey Store offers simple tips to ensure families have fun, eat healthy and stay safe the next time they hit the trail:
- Wear helmets. All riders, even moms and dads, should wear properly fitting helmets that sit evenly between their ears and low on their forehead.
- Dress for safety. Dress in reflective, brightly-colored clothing so drivers can easily spot riders.
- Practice. To help new riders master turning and breaking, set up an obstacle course in the driveway with obstructions likes cones or boxes.
- Pack a picnic. Take along a protein-filled picnic, like a turkey wrap made with fresh veggies and Jennie-O Turkey Store® Turkey Breast, to fuel the ride home.
- Ride in style. Tie short ribbons to the handlebars, place sparkly stickers on the frame or attach a vanity bike plate under the seat. The bike will be the envy of the neighborhood!
“We want to help families get on their bikes, get active and fuel up with nutritious, great tasting meals,” said Jennifer Templer, associate product manager, Jennie-O Turkey Store. “Plus, with more and more families striving to be ‘green’ through the products they buy and their lifestyle choices, biking is a healthy, environmentally-friendly alternative to driving.”
For creative, protein-rich recipes to fuel families as they hit the road, tricks to improve biking skills and additional bike safety tips, visit www.jotspedalpower.com.
About Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc.
Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc., based in Willmar, Minn., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) and one of the largest turkey processors and marketers in the world. Jennie-O Foods, Inc., acquired by Hormel Foods in 1986, was united with The Turkey Store Company in 2001 to create the industry-leading processor and marketer of traditional and value-added turkey products for the retail, foodservice and deli markets.
Offering an array of high quality fresh, frozen, refrigerated and deli turkey products, Jennie-O Turkey Store produces more than 1,300 items, distributing its products throughout the United States and 26 countries. With corporate offices in Willmar, Jennie-O Turkey Store currently employs 7,000 people throughout the United States. For additional information, visit the Jennie-O Turkey Store Web site at www.jennieo.com.