M&M Meat Shops Inspires Canadians to Bring Back Traditional Family Mealtimes

Celebrate the Eighth Annual M&M Meat Shops National Family Dinner Night on September 20, 2012

TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2012 /CNW/ - On Thursday, September 20, 2012, M&M Meat Shops will once again step up to the plate and encourage Canadians to enjoy the tradition of the family dinner. Canadians' lives have never been busier; setting aside quality time for family is a challenge, however, the importance of family dinners reaches far beyond simply sharing a meal together. Gathering together around the dinner table presents a valuable opportunity to interact, strengthen relationships and affirm the value of each family member.

M&M Meat Shops' National Family Dinner Night has been bringing Canadian families closer together for the past seven years by recognizing the importance of sharing a meal with family and friends. This annual event has gained tremendous support from families, community leaders and dignitaries across the country, and has contributed to the more than 23.1 million dollars M&M Meat Shops has raised for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC).

Register Your Participation For a Chance to Win Big!

Each year M&M Meat Shops urges every person in Canada sitting down to dinner on Thursday, September 20, to register their participation online to demonstrate the significance of getting together with family and friends.

And new this year, everyone who registers their family meal will be automatically entered for a chance to win $500 in M&M Meat Shops Gift Cards! To enter, visit www.nationalfamilydinnernight.com between September 4^th - September 20^th, for your chance to win big. The website will also feature a link for supporters to make a personal donation to our friends at the CCFC.

Canada has among the highest incidence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis— two similar yet distinct conditions also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—in the world. There is no known cause or cure and the number of cases continues to grow.

"Sitting down for a meal together can have a lasting, positive effect on open communication between children and parents," says Mac Voisin, founder of M&M Meat Shops. "National Family Dinner Night encourages busy families to reconnect by spending quality time together, talking and sharing with each other around the dinner table."

Family Meal Planning Made Easy
Imagine serving mouth-watering dishes from stove to table-top, ready in less-than-an-hour. M&M Meat Shops offers countless convenient menu ideas that your whole family will love—guaranteed. Here are some easy and delicious meal ideas that can be squeezed into even the tightest family schedule:

• Place a spoonful of warmed-up M&M Meat Shops Lumberjack® Chili inside a pita pocket. Top with grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, diced green onions and sour cream.

• Ring that supper bell, because dinner will be ready in no time! Simply put an M&M Meat Shops Fully Cooked Beef Pot Roast in a roasting pan, surround it with potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms and squash and bake until the meat is done. It's a delicious meal, with only one pan to clean.

• Lay a loaf of M&M Meat Shops Garlic Bread on a cookie sheet and spread with pizza sauce, grated mozzarella cheese and your favourite pizza toppings. Pop it in the oven until warm and the cheese is melted. Serve with a bowl of your favourite M&M Meat Shops Gourmet Soup.

• Try adding M&M Meat Shops Cooked Shrimp or Grilled Chicken Breast Slices to M&M Meat Shops Fettuccine Alfredo for a delicious pasta dish that will please everyone around the dinner table.

We understand how busy life can be these days. That's why M&M Meat Shops is about making things easier. Whether it's the standard family dinner or something a little more elaborate, you'll find everything you need to create delicious, easy-to-prepare meals in one convenient aisle.

Brining Families Together for More Than 30 Years
A Kitchener-based business, M&M Meat Shops opened its first store in 1980. Over the past 30 years, the chain has grown to more than 450 locations across Canada.  M&M Meat Shops offers hundreds of meal ideas for today's busy families in just one aisle, with products ranging from succulent steaks to delicious desserts and convenient meal ideas.  For more information on M&M Meat Shops or for tips on hundreds of meal ideas visit www.mmmeatshops.com.

SOURCE: M&M Meat Shops

Ive Balins or Aidan Nguyen at Strategic Objectives:
Tel:  [phone]; Fax: [phone];
Email: [email protected]