Spokesperson/Resource Availability Alert - Looking for a health and nutrition or lifestyle resource for Nutrition Month content? The Blue Menu™ panel of specialists are here to help

BRAMPTON, ON, Feb. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - (TSX:L) - Introducing the Blue Menu™ panel of specialists - a  team brought together to help Canadians make healthier choices. From shopping and eating smart, to busting nutrition myths and coping with busy lifestyles, our panel is here to help support your readers in their journey towards achieving healthier lifestyles. These Blue Menu™ panel members, featuring chefs, dietitians, mommy bloggers and a medical specialist, as well as Loblaw's in-house team, are available for interviews and can provide insight into Loblaw banner store products and services. Visit pc.ca/bluemenu to learn more about the panel.

Meet the Blue Menu™ Panel of Specialists!

Laura Keogh and Ceri Marsh, Busy Mom Bloggers, Sweet Potato Chronicles

Busy moms, Laura Keogh and Ceri Marsh, are the creators of the popular blog Sweet Potato Chronicles. Described as the never ending story of the well-fed family, the insightful blog delivers recipes, health and nutrition information and parenting tips. Laura and Ceri will be sharing their creative and healthy food ideas on pc.ca/bluemenu.

Therese DeGrace, Chef

Therese DeGrace is an award-winning, internationally trained chef with a passion for healthy home cooked food and owner of consulting company, Kitchen Culture. She has been featured by several media outlets such as Breakfast Television, Canada AM and Entertainment Tonight, and was named one of L'Oreal's Mille Femme Magnifique.

Dr. Ali Zentner, Internal Medicine and Obesity Specialist

Dr. Ali Zentner is a specialist in Internal Medicine and Obesity in Vancouver and is a strong advocate for lifestyle intervention in the treatment of diabetes and hypertension. Dr. Zentner was an expert on CBC's hit television series Village on a Diet and is a consultant and regular contributor for CBC's LIVE RIGHT NOW campaign. Dr. Zentner can offer helpful lifestyle information for disease management and prevention.

Maria Thomas, Registered Dietitian

Registered Dietitian and owner of Urban Nutrition, Vancouver-based Maria Thomas creates and oversees the nutrition regimens for the hit television show The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp and was the Nutrition Expert on CBC's Village on a Diet. An expert in weight and cholesterol management, and overall healthy eating, Maria will share her best tips for eating right.

Nathalie Regimbal, Mommy Blogger and Dietitian

A Montreal mom of three, Nathalie is a dietitian/nutritionist, writer for MamanPourLaVie.com and published author of multiple cookbooks. Nathalie offers great healthy meal ideas that are easy to prepare and tips on how to teach kids about making healthy food choices.

Chef Caroline Dumas

Quebec's Caroline Dumas, a well-known chef, TV personality and restaurateur of six establishments has been cooking up a storm all over Quebec airwaves. Caroline is a regular guest on both TV and radio programming and has participated in televised segments for the President's Choice^® line of products. She's eager to share her quick and delicious healthy recipes for today's busy families.

Loblaw Companies Limited also employs a variety of dedicated specialists available for interviews:

Chefs

Tom Filippou, Executive Chef and National Director, President's Choice Cooking Schools

Tom Filippou is responsible for more than 200 President's Choice Cooking Schools across the country. He can provide a variety of healthy recipe ideas and can demonstrate easy ways to create tasty and nutritious meals.

Dana Speers, Executive Chef, Test Kitchen

Her Gemini award-winning experiences on the Food Network have taken chef Dana Speers on some pretty exciting culinary adventures. But this busy mom is equally excited to be a chef in the inspiring Test Kitchen for the development of President's Choice^® brand products. Dana is eager to share simple, healthy and kid-friendly recipes and cooking tips that are perfect for the busy Canadian family.

Martin Patenaude, Chef, President's Choice Cooking Schools

As a chef with the President's Choice Cooking School based in Québec, Martin is just the person to give advice to home cooks on how to impress families and guests with brag-worthy meals, proving that sticking to your health goals does not mean compromising flavour.

Dietitians

Alexis Williams, Health and Wellness Director, Loblaw Companies Limited

Alexis Williams is a registered dietitian who develops health and wellness services and programs for Loblaw, including the in-store dietitians program offered at selected Loblaw banner stores. With experience as a fitness instructor, personal trainer, and nutrition counsellor, Alexis has a wealth of advice to offer on healthy living.

Tina Stewart, Registered Dietitian

Tina Stewart is a registered dietitian for the President's Choice^® product development team. As a busy Toronto mom of two, Tina has a number of tips to offer for choosing healthier foods and filling your grocery cart with them.

Anne-Marie Armstrong, Registered Dietitian

Anne-Marie is a Halifax-based mom who can provide nutritional tips such as how to introduce your child to new foods and ensure that picky eaters get all the nutrients they need. Plus, as a registered dietitian for the President's Choice® product development team, Anne-Marie can suggest healthy and easy weeknight meal ideas that the whole family will love.

Pharmacist

Bobbi Reinholdt, Senior Vice President, Pharmacy, Loblaw Companies Limited

Bobbi Reinholdt is a pharmacist and leader of the Pharmacy team and nearly 500 pharmacy locations in Loblaw banner stores. She is committed to providing consumers with a pharmacy experience that focuses on food and nutrition as a complimentary solution to health. Bobbi is available to discuss how Canadians can build a trusting relationship with their pharmacists and how they can look to them for support on their journey towards a healthier lifestyle.

Our specialists can speak to a variety of topics that meet your editorial needs for Nutrition Month in March or anytime at all, such as:

• How to choose healthier foods - eating better means shopping better
• Easy ways to increase fibre and omega-3 intake and decrease sodium, fat and sugar in your daily meals
• How to manage food allergies in your family
• Expert fitness and nutrition advice
• Diabetes awareness and meal plans
• How to pack more nutrition into school lunches and snacks
• Healthy alternatives to classic favourites
• Making the most out of your relationship with grocery store pharmacists and dietitians

As part of the Live Life Well™ program, the President's Choice^® Insiders Report^® will be in stores on February 23, 2012.

About Loblaw Companies Limited

Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is Canada's largest food retailer and a leading provider of drugstore, general merchandise and financial products and services. Loblaw is one of the largest private sector employers in Canada. With more than 1,000 corporate and franchised stores from coast to coast, Loblaw and its franchisees employ more than 136,000 full-time and part-time employees. Through its portfolio of store formats, Loblaw is committed to providing Canadians with a wide, growing and successful range of products and services to meet the everyday household demands of Canadian consumers. Loblaw is known for the quality, innovation and value of its food offering. It offers Canada's strongest control (private) label program, including the unique President's Choice^®, no name^® and Joe Fresh^® brands. In addition, the Company makes available to consumers President's Choice Financial® services and offers the PC^® points loyalty program. 

For more information or to arrange an interview with one of our Live Life Well™ or Loblaw spokespeople, please contact:

Michelle Dias
Hill+ Knowlton Strategies
[email protected]
416-413-4635

[email protected]
Loblaw Companies Limited
905-459-2500

Product samples and high-resolution images are available upon request.