May 28, 2013 – ARLINGTON, VA – The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) will announce the winners of its Gold Plate Award at Health and Wellness @ Retail conference in San Antonio on Friday, May 31. The award was created through the work of FMI’s foundation, along with partner and founding supporter Nestlé USA, to highlight the outstanding programs FMI retailer and wholesaler members have implemented to encourage family meals. 

Cathy Polley, RPh, vice president of health and wellness at FMI and executive director of its foundation, said, “Food retailers are bringing back family dinnertime. Supermarkets are the center of their communities; they are the places where people search for ingredients to prepare their favorite dishes, make healthy choices for their families and are reminded of the value and benefit of family meals.

“The Let’s Put Our Plates Together campaign and the Gold Plate Award inspire, inform and motivate the food retail industry to create family meal solutions. Through the continued support of the FMI Foundation, this program brings to life FMI’s mission of feeding families and enriching lives.” 

The Gold Plate Award submissions were judged on level of corporate participation; reach and length of program; ability to replicate; and originality. 

View the Family Meals matter video and learn more about the program: http://www.fmifamilymeals.com/