For Immediate Release:                                                  
Lori McIlwain, National Autism Association, 1-877-NAA-AUTISM

PRODUCT LINE FOR PICKY EATERS DONATED
TO AUTISM NON-PROFIT

March 29, 2004//- An innovative product line geared towards helping picky eaters and those with eating disorders has been donated to The National Autism Association (NAA), a non-profit organization designed to help children and families affected by autism.

Healthy Sprinkles, created by parents of an autistic child and featured on the front page of the ANDI Newsletter last year, mainly consists of raw green vegetables that have been freeze-dried, ground into a fine powder, and bottled into small shakers. The all-natural powdered veggies are then sprinkled into children’s preferred food or drink. “So many of our children have eating disorders, swallowing difficulties, texture sensitivities, and narrow food preferences,” says NAA President Jo Pike. “These products help parents incorporate raw green veggies into their child’s diet without the extra work of grinding or liquefying for easy mixing or hiding.”

Items range from Green Bean Sprinkles to Pineapple Sprinkles and are all 100% real fruits and vegetables with no additives, preservatives, etc. “They have the same nutritional value as fresh vegetables, but they’re non-perishable,” says Pike.

So far, parents have reported great success hiding veggies in just about any meal or snack. With recipes like “Lime-a-Bean Jello,” (gelatin with Green Bean sprinkles mixed in) almost any health-food-fearing child will happily gobble up green veggies. Pineapple Sprinkles are a nice no-sugar-added alternative to any sugary topper such as jellies, jams and syrups.

Because NAA is a not-for-salary organization, all proceeds from the sale of Healthy Sprinkles will go directly to funding autism research and projects designed to help those affected by autism. Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before the age of three and impacts social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism often suffer from numerous physical ailments such as allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, feeding disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, and more.

For more information on Healthy Sprinkles, or to make a purchase, visit www.HealthySprinkles.com or www.NationalAutism.org.