Survey reveals cereal tops the list of prefered ways to serve a quick and nutritious breakfast

Kix, the “Kid-Tested Mother-Approved” favorite, helps parents ease back to routine with the nutrition kids need and taste they love.

A recent Kix® survey shows 79 percent of parents eat breakfast with their children, and the majority (96 percent) agrees it’s essential to pass along healthy habits and good nutrition. As parents shift back to routine, busier schedules leave many looking for simple solutions to meet the nutritional and developmental needs of their “big kids’” growing bodies. Data published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows frequent cereal eaters, including kids, tend to have healthier body weights, making cereal an important part of the busy morning ritual for many families.

With the same great taste kids have loved for more than 70 years, Kix introduces a new look for Original Kix and Honey Kix. Now with only eight ingredients – each of them all-natural – the “Kid-Tested Mother-Approved®” cereal has no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, or no artificial preservatives. Kix has whole grain corn and is an excellent source of iron and a good source of calcium, fiber, and vitamins C and D.

The Kix survey highlights parents’ discoveries and experiences as they search for simple and nutritional solutions for their families, including:

* Start the day on the right foot: As busy as today’s parent is, it is no surprise many parents turn to cereal with milk (84 percent) to serve a quick and nutritious breakfast. Other popular choices include fruit (82 percent) and eggs (80 percent).

* Breakfast with a smile: Parents find simplicity and positive role modeling helpful in encouraging children to eat healthy breakfasts.

o Eighty-one percent encourage healthy eating by giving children uncomplicated foods that are nutritious and taste good.

o Seventy-nine percent eat breakfast with their children. Younger parents, ages 18-34, (85 percent) are most likely to eat breakfast with their children.

* Savvy Secrets: Survey findings reveal two-thirds of parents (63 percent) admit to secretly adding healthy ingredients to their children’s meals as a way to help even finicky eaters get the nutrients they need. Moms (70 percent) are more likely to add a secret ingredient than dads (55 percent).

“The choices parents make today influence their children tomorrow, so it is essential to start healthy habits early and find simple ways to meet kids’ nutritional and developmental needs,” said Carla Vernón, General Mills Marketing Director for Big G Cereals. “As a busy mother of two young children, Kix helps me feel confident my kids are starting the day off right.”

Cereal is one of the healthiest breakfast choices parents can make. Ready-to-eat cereal has fewer calories than almost any other breakfast option, while also being nutrient-dense and low in fat. In addition, cereal eaters consume less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters. To learn more about the benefits of cereal, visit www.GeneralMills.com.

Kix also recently launched www.KixCereal.com, a website featuring background on the history of Kix, nutritional content, and special offers.

About General Mills
One of the world’s leading food companies, General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Yoplait, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2010 global net sales of US$16 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales.

Survey Methodology
The Kix Survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corp. between March 25-29, 2010 using Random Digit Dialing of listed and unlisted numbers. The survey was fielded to 755 nationally representative Americans 18 years and older, and consisted of 338 men and 417 women.