McDonald's happy meals getting healthier, but is it enough?
McDonald's Happy Meals are going on a diet in what the fast food company describes as a way to help kids eat healthier.
The meals that are popular with children, but not so with nutritionists, are getting a 20 percent reduction in calories beginning next year.
The french fry portion will be smaller and apples and low-fat milk added to the meal.
The fast food company said it will also change its marketing message encouraging kids to eat well and exercise.
The Happy Meal makeover is part of a expansive effort by McDonald's to make its food healthier.
By 2020, the fast food chain said it will reduce added sugars, saturated fat and calories by changing portion sizes and changing recipes. By 2015,McDonald’s plans to reduce sodium in its food by an average of 15 percent.
"Still, some nutrition groups say that McDonald's is not going far enough.
"McDonald’s deserves credit for not only taking these steps, but for acknowledging its role in today’s epidemic of diet-related disease in so doing," said Kelle Louaillier, executive director of Corporate Accountability International. "It’s a good first step, however the corporation has yet to address the central issue, its aggressive brand marketing to kids. And so long as burgers, fries, and soda offerings to kids, alongside toys, remain central to that brand, health professionals will continue to call for the marketing to stop."
What do you all think? Is McDonald's going far enough?
Comments
I think McDonald's has gone TOO FAR. It's not their place to parent the nation's children and make healthy decisions for their customers. Their responsibility ends at not poisoning us and being honest about the nutritional value of our food. They've already made healthy choices available. Milk and apple slices have been offered for a while now and salads have always been available. I guess since people weren't making the "right" choices on their own, McDonald's is planning to force the issue. All they'll end up doing is driving business into the competitors' arms.
Posted by: Jenna | July 26, 2011 7:33 PM
McDonald's (and other fast-food) should be just an occasional treat for both kids and adults. In fact, I'd say the same about restaurant eating and packaged foods in general. Granted, business doesn't like to hear that opinion. But you have better control when you eat whole foods and eat at home. Not perfect control since it is difficult to know what exactly is in whole foods that you don't grow yourself. But better control.
Posted by: Jim Anderson | July 27, 2011 11:20 AM