Barilla Launches Barilla Piccolini - First Line of Miniature Pasta for Kids

25/04/08 With more parents working longer hours and balancing their children's sports and music lessons, family dinner can be a scheduling nightmare. In fact, only one out of four families eats together every night. To help bring families back to the table, Barilla -- the world's number one pasta maker -- introduces Barilla Piccolini, the first line of miniature classic Italian pasta shapes.

Bite-sized Piccolini, which means "little ones" in Italian, are perfect for the whole family. Kids love the "just for me" size, while parents enjoy the traditional shapes and great Barilla taste. With a quick cook time of seven minutes, Piccolini keeps its "al dente" texture and is ideal for any pasta dish. Piccolini is available in four classic shapes -- Mini Farfalle, Mini Penne, Mini Wheels and Mini Fusilli -- and in grocery stores nationwide for the same suggested retail price as traditional Barilla pasta.

"Family meals provide a wonderful opportunity to connect and share the events of the day, but as a busy mother, I understand the challenge of finding time to sit down and enjoy a homemade meal that satisfies everyone's tastes," said actress Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, mother of two. "Piccolini is a great solution because it has a quick cook time and its bite-sized shapes add more excitement to family favorites like pasta with fresh vegetables, chicken or fish."