Healthy Happy Meals

McDonald's Trims its Happy Meal

In response to complaints from parents, health groups, and legislation in San Francisco, McDonald's is trying to make its Happy Meals healthier.  San Francisco passed a law that banned restaurants from including toys in meals for children unless certain nutritional requirements are met, such as a serving of fruit and vegetables.  Similar legislation is being considered in New York City, so McDonald's is now reducing the amount of fries in Happy Meals and adding fruit.

"Parents will have the option of requesting more fruit or, possibly at a later date, vegetables instead of fries. McDonald’s will also offer a fat-free chocolate milk option, along with the option of low-fat milk or the traditional soda. The price is not expected to change.

Today’s Happy Meal with chicken nuggets has 520 calories and 26 grams of fat, and the reconstituted version, with 1 percent milk, will total 410 calories and 19 grams of fat, according to the company" (Strom)

McDonald's has had the option for parents to request apples in lieu of fries for awhile, but research conducted by Yale University showed that only 11% of parents took advantage of this option.  In addition, through research, McDonald's found that when they suggested eliminating fries all together or removing the option of soda for a drink, parents and consumers reacted negatively.

Blaming McDonald's for children's poor eating habits is a little ridiculous, in my opinion. I think that parents need to take more responsibility for what they are feeding their kids.  As McDonald's spokesperson, Dayna Proud, stated: “...ultimately, it’s a parent decision to make about their child’s well-being” (Strom).  

Updated Food Pyramid

Nutrition Plate Unveiled, Replacing Food Pyramid

I had high hopes for this new "Nutrition Plate," but honestly, it looks like a middle schooler created this in Microsoft paint. It conveys no helpful information, other than emphasizing an increased intake of fruits and vegetables.  I completely support Michelle Obama's campaign against obesity and the overall goal of improving the nutrition of Americans by redesigning the food pyramid, but I think they could have done a much better job. As Dr. Nestle pointed out, "labeling a large section of the plate 'protein' was confusing and unnecessary, because grains and dairy products also are important sources of protein and most Americans get far more protein than they need."
It's at least a step in the right direction.