The fast-food chain will launch a kids’ meal with extra produce and fewer fries starting in September.
The golden arches are about to undergo a healthy makeover.
Beginning in September, McDonald’s will begin rolling out a new, more nutritious Happy Meal. All kids’ combos will automatically include 1/4 cup of apples (half a serving) and a smaller serving of french fries—reduced from 2.4 ounces to 1.1 ounces, saving young diners a whopping 130 calories. Patrons also will be able to skip the fries altogether and opt for two servings of apple slices instead.
In 2004, McDonald’s added low-fat milk and apple slices with caramel sauce to its Happy Meal menu. The new changes, announced yesterday, eliminate the sugary dipping sauce and ensure that every child receives a portion of fruit. “I think it’s a great beginning,” says Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. “Putting fruit in a meal for children who aren’t eating enough produce is a positive move.”
Children should consume three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit each day, but in most cases they aren’t coming close to that intake, according to Gans. In fact, though parents previously had the option of ordering apples with a Happy Meal, only 11% of customers requested fruit instead of fries. “I have a feeling that if fruit comes with the meal, kids will eat it,” says Gans.
The latest changes at McDonald’s are in line with the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines, which encourage Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables, and cut back on salt intake. McDonald’s has also already reduced sodium by 10% in the majority of its national chicken menu offerings—most recently Chicken McNuggets, a Happy Meal favorite. Sodium reduction will continue across the menu in accordance with the company’s 2015 commitments.
“As a member of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, I applaud the commitments made by McDonald's today,” says Roger Clemens, professor of pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Southern California. In a news release, Clemens stated, “They have captured the intent of the [dietary] Guidelines and have taken a reasoned, evidence-based approach that should have a positive impact on the millions of children and adults McDonald’s serves every day.”
The improved meal adds two new drink choices as well. Besides the current soft drinks, juice, and low-fat milk, McDonald’s will provide fat-free chocolate milk and low-fat 1% milk.
“We have a huge lack of calcium in our children’s diets, and while soda doesn’t offer anything nutritious for a child, milk is very nutrient-dense,” says Gans. "I hope McDonald’s will communicate the options in a way that will encourage consumers to choose milk.”
Of course, in an ideal world, the chain will continue to revamp its menu with healthy choices. “There’s no vegetable on the menu [other than potato french fries]. I’d love to see carrot sticks and a yogurt dip choice. Maybe call it Healthy Meal instead of a Happy Meal. Now I’m dreaming,” says Gans.
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