''Celebrate Empty Nester Month'' Reveals Survey Results, Resources and Recipes; Pillsbury's ''Cooking for Two'' Serves as Cornerstone of Empty Nester Program.

MINNEAPOLIS -- With half of all Boomers expected to turn 50 or older by 2006, Pillsbury is helping to ease the transition from full house to empty nest with a new survey and Cooking for Two initiative focused on managing a suddenly-smaller household. Pillsbury has proclaimed November as "Celebrate Empty Nester Month" and is offering empty nesters information about cooking, buying and organizing meals for two-person households. "Cooking for Two," recipes, tips, new product information and a monthly e-newsletter are available to consumers at www.pillsbury.com.

And the Survey Says...

"Research is an important component of understanding the changing lifestyle needs of empty nesters," said Pillsbury Marketing Manager, Mark Toth. "In preparation for Celebrate Empty Nester Month, we fielded a new survey(1) offering insight into the both the practical and emotional adjustments empty nesters make in downsizing to a smaller household."

Quoting from Pillsbury's Empty Nester Survey, Toth outlined the survey highlights:

--Empty nest adjustment varies. Nearly half (47 percent) of empty nesters were able to adjust to an "empty nest" within three months or less. However, 41 percent of empty nesters took four months or longer to adjust, and 11 percent still haven't adjusted yet.

--New cooking opportunities prevail. 79 percent of empty nesters said they like to experiment with new meals and dishes that their kids would never have eaten.

--Cooking time is together time. Meal time is together time, according to 71 percent of empty nesters who enjoy connecting with their partners over meals or while cooking together.

--Portion control and serving size rein supreme. 84 percent of empty nesters said that the ability to reseal the food packaging was important in purchasing a food product. Similarly, 83 percent said that the ability to control the number of servings per meal was important.

Commenting on the research, Toth said, "Being an empty nester allows consumers to celebrate their newfound freedom by experimenting with new food products, trying new cooking ingredients and - importantly - reconnecting with their spouse. Cooking for Two is all about maximizing mealtime enjoyment, without spending all day in the kitchen."

Empty Nester Ads Don't Add Up...

Another finding of Pillsbury's Empty Nester Survey determined that empty nesters do not agree with how their generation is portrayed in ads. When asked if advertising accurately portrays the empty nester lifestyle, 48 percent of respondents believed it did not, while only 12 percent believed it did. Conversely, 60 percent of empty nesters believe that advertisers ignore their group; just 12 percent disagreed.

Products for a Powerful Generation...

Along with research and resources aimed at helping empty nesters, Pillsbury is capping off Celebrate Empty Nester Month by expanding its line of Oven Baked frozen biscuits and dinner rolls, which have found an enthusiastic audience among smaller families.

Two new varieties - Garlic Dinner Rolls and Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls - are now available. The products offer fresh-baked flavor in less than 10 minutes, and are packaged in convenient, resealable bags for the ultimate in portion control. The suggested retail price is $3.29.

"Pillsbury is pleased to celebrate the most influential generation of our time with the resources they need to enjoy their empty nester lifestyle," concluded Toth.

About Pillsbury

Part of the General Mills portfolio of brands, the Pillsbury brand is a leader in refrigerated and frozen baked goods and breakfast products. General Mills, with annual net sales of $12.3 billion, is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products. Its global brand portfolio includes Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Haagen-Dazs, Old El Paso and more. It also has more than 100 U.S. consumer brands, more than 30 of which generate annual retail sales in excess of $100 million.

(1) Source: Pillsbury Empty Nester Survey fielded on-line by Consumer Research Services July 2005. Results are based on responses from 870 empty nesters age 45-64 living as married couples.