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July 26th, 2011
01:35 PM ET
Happy Meal gets a makeoverMcDonald’s Happy Meals are getting their fat and calories trimmed, the fast food giant announced Tuesday. The seemingly ubiquitous Happy Meals that have drawn the ire of health advocates and have been blamed for contributing to childhood obesity, will carry apple slices, reduced portion of french fries and a choice of beverage, including new fat-free chocolate milk and 1% low-fat white milk. The core of the Happy Meal will remain the same as kids will still get fries (a smaller portion) and a choice of a hamburger, cheeseburger or chicken nuggets. All beverages, including milk, fruit juice, water and soda, continue to be options for the Happy Meal. The changes are scheduled to begin September with the hopes that all 14,000 restaurants will transition to the new Happy Meals by the first quarter of 2012. The suggested retail price of the Happy Meal will not change, remaining between $2.99 and $3.49. “By adding fruit in every Happy Meal, McDonald’s hopes to address a challenge children face in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce,” according to the corporation’s statement. The new Happy Meal with four pieces of McNuggets, apple slices, smaller French Fries and 1% milk has 410 calories, 19 grams of fat and 560 milligrams of sodium. The makeover of the Happy Meal comes after cities and counties began considering Happy Meal toy bans over concerns about nutritional quality and marketing towards children. Happy Meal toys have been banned in San Francisco, and a New York council member has proposed a similar measure this year. Kelly Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University, said McDonald’s had to change its nutritional content because of political and community pressures. “I see this as a positive development,” he said. “The companies have recognized the pressures from the public, the community and parents to offer healthier choices for children. They’ve begun to respond. There have been criticisms of what they serve children for many years. In the past years, the pressure has intensified, the White House concern about childhood obesity is one source of that pressure.” First lady Michelle Obama who has spearheaded a public health campaign to prevent childhood obesity commended McDonald's for making "progress today by providing more fruit and reducing the calories in its Happy Meals. I've always said that everyone has a role to play in making America healthier, and these are positive steps toward the goal of solving the problem of childhood obesity." McDonald’s promised continuing changes to the nutrition in its meals. “McDonald’s has been engaging suppliers, government and non-government organizations to determine ways it could play a role in helping society address today’s obesity concerns,” the company’s press release said. “McDonald’s will develop additional fruit and vegetable choices and expects them to roll out over the next few years.” The apples were not very popular in Happy Meals - only 11% of all kid's meal purchases included the fruit option. Many customers were not aware of apples as an option, according to the company. They will become a default item on the children’s meal. The fast food giant also pledged to reduce sodium 15% across the board in its menu by 2015. It recently reduced sodium by 10% in most of its chicken offerings, including the Chicken McNuggets. McDonald’s also vowed to reduce added sugars, saturated fat and calories through varied portion sizes, reformulations and innovations by 2020. Brownell said he hoped that reduced sodium and apples in the menu would not give parents “permission to go to McDonalds more than they did before. That’s not a good development.” It’s a good first step, but doesn’t solve the problem, according to a statement from Corporate Accountability International, which is a frequent critic of McDonald’s. It released a statement saying that 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.” “McDonald’s is taking steps in the right direction, but we should be careful in heaping praise on corporations for simply reducing the scope of the problem they continue to create,” said Kelle Louaillier, executive director of Corporate Accountability International. “Ultimately corporate responsibility is not about securing public relations for cleaning up your own mess, but for not creating the problem in the first place. In this case, that means stopping the marketing of junk food to kids.” Follow @CNNHealth on Twitter
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I don’t see the point. Solving childhood obesity is not about making-over a fast-food chain. The fact that the amount of calories in some meals served at home is probably much higher than Mc Donalds. Caesar salad can end up to 1500 calories; the Big Mac meal is just 800 calories. There may be many factors that cause childhood obesity; however, sorry to say this, parents are primarily to be blamed. Eating habits are nurtured from home – mainly parents. Yes, there might be genetic factor to obesity, but that’s only 50%. If your kids are heavier than they should be, it is time to take steps to reflect on the eating lifestyle and be responsible, not the government or fast-food chain. And some one point out that it is expensive to eat healthy, that is false. Cheapest foods are vegetables! It is up to the parents to foster eating habits and way of cooking.
BIG POINT TO SEE – The food is full of monosodium glutamates and that is a neurotoxin. Wake up People Please!
Has anyone considered the environmental impacy of all of the wasted apples? I mean it seems such a waste to include apple slices on every plate when we already know that only 10% of people chose them when given a choice. Are we to believe now that these apples will be eaten by the remainin 90% just because they are offered? Or, is it not really anyone's concern as to what actually gets eaten - we get credit for what is given to the child, and we shouldn't inquire any further?
My son doesn't like apples. When we have meals at home, I don't put apples on his plate because he doesn't eat them He gets banana or orange or something else. My kids generally eat healthy, so on the special occasions when we get McDOnalds, I'm not too concerned that he isn't getting a fruit. IF I was, I wouldn't take him to McDonalds.
Now, it is unclear if they are removing the toy. But, if they are, I can assure you we will be going to McDonalds much less frequently. So, if the goal is to cut down on McDonalds market share, this is likely the best way to do it. Without a toy, the incentive to eat there is just not that great. We'll just eat pizza. How does that compare nutritionally to a happy meal?????
This is absurd. If your kids are overweight, don't bring them to Mc Donalds or any similar fast food chain (or at least don't do it so often that it affects their diet). If your kids are not then there's zero problem with them eating a few extra chips when they go to a restaurant.
Fac tis, this sort of generalization by averages is absurd. The fact that the average of the children population is overweight doesn't mean everyone should get on a diet. My kids are underweight (due to them being very active). That other kids overeat is not a reason to put MY kids on a diet!
It is like when people ask for McDonalds to reduce the calory count for adult meals, and then you see these 300+ pound folks going there (first mistake) and then eating TWO big macs each (plus a desert, second, third and fourth mistake). So if McD reduces the calorie count for the Big Mac the same people will just order THREE meals.
The solution cannot be a generalization. It needs to be made by each individual.
800 calories is still alot> but the point is people (parents) need to make sure their kids are eating better. When I was akid (1970's) McDonalds or KFC was a once a month treat at best.
I agree with jojo. When I was growing up our family went out to dinner once a month and on special occasions. Only once every few months would one of my parents bring home pizza, McDonald's or KFC, etc. With those few exceptions all our meals were cooked, mostly from scratch, and we never saw a microwave in our home until I was about 10 or 11 years old, and even then that was used only for heating leftovers or to warm up a cup of coffee that went cold. Everything was made with real sugar, and the only diet soda I remember from those days was Pepsi LIght – anyone remember the light blue can with the lemon worked into the logo? There was hardly anything available labeled "fat free" or "low fat" labeling. We ate 3 square meals a day, same time every day, with the family, and ate only 1 portion of dinner and had leftovers for the next 3 days. We drank only water or tea. Soda was strictly for birthdays and holidays.
Today our society is busy rushing everywhere, overloading our schedules, and hitting up the drive through or soda fountains at gas stations to quench our thirst. We don't eat together anymore, we eat anytime, anywhere and don't get much sleep. We choose convenience over health.
This is why we are in our current state. It's a sad state of affairs when the government has to regulate what a restaurant serves when we the consumers are the ones that can't stop ourselves from stuffing our faces and our children's faces.
Oh and I forgot to add that back when I was growing up everyone was outside doing something active. My main activity was horseback riding (good and fun exercise) and other kids played ball games, went swimming (if you didn;t have a pool you knew someone who did!), rode bikes everywhere or ran. Today everyone's locked up inside on a computer or game console.
Sad but true HowNowBrownCouch. I also remember as a kid being told to go out and play. My mother DIDN'T schedule my 'play dates' for me. If none of my friends were around you MADE a new friend. We didn't come home until it was dinner time (which was ALWAYS home made and at 6:00 .... and YES my mother worked too!). Its just not like that today. Kid's lives are soooo over-scheduled and over-regulated that they don't have an opportunity to be a kid anymore. Everything is rush to this... then rush to that....then choke down some fast food in between running to the next activity. Its just sad.
No, JoJo, vegetables are not the cheapest foods. Many of them are quite expensive. Sadly, fast food value menus are the cheapest way to eat in this country. And W – what food are you talking about? I could find no food on McDonald's menu that had MSG in it.
I always chuckle when many parents are so quick to condemn fast food places, yet many of these the same parents that let their kids be baby-sat by the TV, let their kids play DS all game long, or the parents of those rotten children that run through the grocery store running like a pack of wild animals . I really wonder sometimes if the extreme moderation they preach for fast food places is the same for every single aspect of their life. The problem isn't the fast food place. It's the parents. There is nothing wrong with treating your child to a McD outgoing every once in a while. If you let your kids eat McDonald's all the time, or way too often, then there is a problem. Moderation is the key. Explain to your child why apple dippers are much healthier than fries. Explain to them that although an occasional stop at McD's is ok, it is not good to eat there all the time. Why is this so complicated? Parents need to stop whining and do what they are supposed to do: PARENT.
fat parents = fat kids ... don't blame mc'ds!
fat hands feed fat faces!
Fat brains = fat comments.
What happened to taking some personal responsibility for your own actions and those of your young children? I have three kids (2/4/6) and yes (although I am no way near low class) we have McDonalds every once and a while.. To say it's for low class just makes you sound stuck up. My children know that it's not healthy food which is why we don't have it often. They have been taught about healthy foods and have homemade dinners almost every night. You want to slam McDonalds...what about all these processed/frozen food that we feed our kids. Seriously chicken in shapes, hamburger helper? The meals in a box are probably filled with all kinds of chemicals. Everyone needs to take responsibility for themselves and their children..teach them to eat right and keep your lowclass comments to yourself.
I second that comment!
There is not personal responsibility in this country any more. Everything is SOMEONE ELSE's fault and everything is the government's responsibility to fix. That's what happens when ultra left wing liberals take control of things. Notice the 2 places mentioned that have banned (or are looking to ban) toys in Happy Meals ..... San Fransisco and NYC. Can't get much mroe liberal than either of these cities!!!!
Repeatedly emphasizing how NOT low-class you are sure makes you sound like a snob.
Gotta start pushing out those GMO apples somewhere!
Everyone wants to blame McDonald's and other fast food places for the obesity crisis. You know what....don't eat it then! McDonalds isn't forcing that double quarter pouder with cheese down your throat. They aren't the ones jamming fries down your kid's mouth. Adults and parents DECIDED to go to McDonald's to eat and/or feed their kids. Everyone knows these fast food places are unhealthy. And if you're not sure, ask for the nutritional information. Be an educated consumer!!! If you want to point the finger of blame at someone, point it at the adults and parents who eat and take their kids to McDonalds.
The food is full of monosodium glutamates and that is a neurotoxin. Wake up People Please!
how can the fries get any smaller than they already are?
My thought on the fries: smaller portion of fries but the price stays the same! Excellent idea McDonalds accountants.
With the new McShrink Ray!
Apples? Unless you include some caramel dip that will be the first thing my kids throw out of the truck window.
It also happens to be the knowledge we recieve of nutrition (or lack there of). I knew nothing about nutrition until college. All they taught in k-12 was the food pyramid. Which is basically nothing, just a suggestion on what to eat. Never going into the into the idea of a calorie. Yet even before that, nutrition education starts at home. i would have loved to know about nutrition and how your body breaks down certian foods. Also why your body needs certian foods for optimum health. We need to have a jump start on how we look at food. A calorie is more than just a calorie.
I like to drink wine. Let's ban or make over them. I like to watch TV; lets ban TV. I like to smoke; let us ban smoking; I like to waste time. Let's ban.... uh oh... what am I supposed to ask my government to do for me ?
Hyperbole much? No one has banned you from your precious McD's. Grow up.
If your kids eat a happy meal a couple of times a month it really is no big deal people! Government needs to stay out of my family diet. If people are so concerned about food, start banning foods and ingredients from China. McDonalds food is a treat to the children in our family, not something they get all the time, but something fun and tasty from time to time (once or twice a month). At least I know the food is not laced with dangerous toxins, non food ingredients like melamine or cardboard, etc....
ya, they should get like passes.... "your fat..... so 1 time a month"
jkjk bad idea
Actually, they ARE laced with toxins... that's the problem, most people are too uneducated to know this and that's why the government has to step in, because people are too ignorant. Besides, you say we should ban food from China, where exactly do you think many of the ingredients McDonald's uses comes from? They say they import very little of their beef, however, they don't specify where they get the ingredients for anything else and since the food is processed, it's full of chemicals and preservatives that come from places like China. And what about the paper/plastic that the food comes in? It's imported from CHINA!
I dream about bacon dripping with beef suet and various other animal renderings.
My kids usually just want the toy anyway. They eat maybe half the meal and throw the rest out.
smaller portions of french fries?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Oh Please... When will they ban all "bad" food and give you fines for being unhealthy?
Soon FATTY!
Who banned what? Seems like the company made the choices themselves. Nothing is stopping you from buying an adult meal.
I think we should ban chocolate bars too. I fed my kid 25 chocolate bars each day and he gained weight. Can you believe that Hershey's would do that????? I am going to sue them too.
if you can sue mc donalds because you spilt coffee on yourself.... and win, then why not!
Ben, You should look up the coffee case. I believe the plantiff was liebeck if you saw th einjuries you woul dhave sued as well. Also it is spilled not spilt.
Ben, the coffee was being served at 180 degrees F. it is now 150F. She sued for medical compensation and was found to be partially at fault.
That's odd, the McDonald's near our house has had apple slices and 1% milk options for 2 years now. Is this really a new article or did CNN need to recycle an article again?
Us Palins like to hang out in the stockyards.
Ok.
This is such a silly think. McDonalds is not at fault here. They are selling a product that is not inherintly harmful. The issue arrises when consumers ( and their children) dont manage their intake. Having McDonalds once in a while is a nice treat. you get to skip cooking, and it is affordable and tasty. Saying it is for "low class" people is just misguided. people of all socio-economic standings eat there. you think people who make six figures arent so busy that they can cook a fresh meal every night? ha! I applaud the chnage but all the lawsuits and laws are out fo control.
I agree 100%. i am not overweight. I would like to go to a McDonalds once in a while and eat a McRib if I feel like it.
They are selling a product that is not inherently harmful? Really? Have you ever noticed that if you dropped a McD's french fry somewhere and forget about, even if for a couple of months, and suddenly come upon it later, aside from being slightly dried out, it would still look and smell about the same. I know this to be true because I once found a french fry in my car that I knew to be months old because at the time I didn't go to McD's for several months and guess what? It smelled just as good as when I bought it. Oh, and I only have a 1 car garage and this car isn't in it.
Don't get me wrong, I eat at McD's every so often (usually during my family road trips once or twice a year – since it's more "convenient") and I make sure I get the fries right out of the deep fryer so it's nice and hot... but I also know that it's loaded with tons of preservatives so I won't eat it on a regular basis! For all I know, it's already rewriting my genetic makeup!
Public tells McDonald's that Happy Meals are unhealthy. McDonald's response is to reduce portions and keep the same price.
The thing is MCD is not always a treat to most families. It is a weekly and sometimes daily occation. Awareness is key. Just become aware of what you are eating.
It seems people are too stupid to think for themselves. If you or your kid is overweight, don't go to McDonalds. If you do, get a salad or at least a grilled chicken sandwich.
Their new milkshakes are TERRIBLE!! Runny and too sweet – bring back the old ones!!!
Seriously? Overweight kids are obese because someone took them to McDonalds. McDonalds didn't come knocking on their door and force feed them. The parents need to be held responsible, not the restaurants.
They did come knocking, with billions in advertising and control over national food production and the FDA.
@ Ryan- If parents are so criminally stupid as to give in to ads vs. science, let DYFS take the kids.
Because we all know that if you eat a piece of fruit, all the damage from eating a burger goes away. Fruit soaks up the fat, calories and sodium.
Ok, so does anyone know why McDonalds is so popular? Because of the unhealthy, greasy, fattening, cheap food they serve. If they sold "Happy Meals" that contained a veggie burger with lettuce, tomato and a whole wheat bun with a side of broccoli and a glass of water, does anyone honestly think we would even know the name McDonalds?? They sell the garbage that they do for a reason – it is what the majority of Americans want to eat.
If healthy food was popular, then a restaurant that served healthy food would be popular. Corporations don't make a product they know they won't make money off of. Am I saying that it's a good thing that Americans want fattening gross food? No, of course not. However, if you are too stupid, lazy or unable to control yourself to eat well and only eat fast food in moderation, that is not McDonald's fault or anyone else's problem except the person who doesn't have common sense or self control.
Bottom line, if McDonalds suddenly became the healthiest place to eat in the world, it would NOT change people who like crappy fast food. They would still eat unhealthy food, you cannot help those who don't want help. Another fast food restaurant would take it's place faster than you can blink.
Froget MCD, what about regular sit down resturants serving 1000+ kcal meals.
When I stop @ Mc'd my daughter always orders the kids meals with milk & apples. When they put in fries by mistake she has a totall breakdown. Now they'll be coming with fries and apples? All we're going to be doing is wasting food. The fries will surely be hitting the trash.
Nothing is wrong with having the occasional McDonald's meal as long as it is infrequent. There was a time when fast food was simply a treat to be had a few times a year. I actually remember a time when even a soda was a special treat to look forward to only on special occasions. Moderation is the key in everything. McDonald's should not be a staple in any child's diet, but a child is still a child and should get an occasional treat; be it McDonald's, cotton candy, high fat ice-cream or whatever.
How are they going to keep the apples from turning brown which happens very fast after slicing? Oh, I know, dip them in some chemical. What they are doing here is reducing the cost to produce a happy meal thereby increasing profits. Next time you go to McDonald's look at how they package your fries. I think there is a whole corporate scam going on to reduce the amount of fries they put in each container. Check it out, you will see what I mean. I don't go anymore becuase it just really makes me furious.
Only you control what you put in your mouth.
They should serve whole milk. Studies show that fat in milk does not correspond to obesity, rather the additives found in skim and 1% milk actually contribute to childhood obesity. Go Figure right? People need to understand how the body actually works instead of demonizing "calories", "carbs" or "fat" our bodies need all these things to survive. Its true that an excess of anything will have negative results, but the most harmful elements of food are chemical additives which are a way to cheat on nutritional labels. Research harmful artificial sweeteners compared to natural sugar or honey for starters.
How about a parent's responsibility to make sure the kid not only eats properly but gets exercise? Lifetime habits are developed as we grow and mature. I know too many parents who make sure their kids have the latest toys (i.e., video games, PC's, cell phones, etc.) but not enough exercise. A child's schedule should include time to play outdoors as well as indoors where snacking is easier to do.
this is stupid! first off how do the "over weight" KIDS get the money to pay for the food....let me think...ya their parents! if you are over 18 and make the decision to keep eating mcd's thats on you! its ridiculous to make a change like this and think it will do ANYTHING. you really think those apples will even be eaten? i bet more than half will be thrown out!! im sure not going to be eating apples from mcdonalds!! by the responses on here they will change back tomorrow
Help me, Jebus!
parents fault
i bet most of these people talking healthy eating cant even run around there block lol.
I run two half-marathons a year... so... whatever.
This is so RIDICULOUS! Eating apples won't make kids less fat! NOT driving though McD's every other day will! Cooking your brat some ACTUAL food might. Dumb move on McD's. Just stick to what you know. No one is going to bring their kids back for your food b/c you add apples and subtract some fries. They'll just order a larger fry and end up WASTING some apples! Don't get me wrong, I love me some McD's, but I'm an adult and I'm pretty sure I won't be lazy enough to waste money and calories on McD for my kids all the time!
Wow, has someone got their priorities all wrong....
Parents/Adults have a choice of what they want to feed children. Stop blaming fast food restaurants for childhood obesity. While it's not always the fault of parents either in many cases it is. If you don't want your child to eat McDonalds, don't give it to them.
Okay, so what if my son was already getting the apples instead of the french fries before? Will he now get french fries and apples by default, thus making his Happy Meal not as healthy?
Unfortunately, yes – unless you request the fries not be included, but I doubt the price will go down.
I think I'll open up "McDonalds Classic" and let the people have a choice instead of being force fed by the government.
One good news story after another – Rev 1 of the Happy Meal & George Lopez says he'll leave the country if Palin is elected. Let's have the election tomorrow & I'll buy good old George a couple of Happy Meals for the road.
I have seen happy meals in different countries and we have the unhealthiest happy meals here in America. Why won't McDonalds use the same model they have in Morocco, Italy or Spain? In those countries the meals are more filing and healthier. It seems that the company does not care about the US citizens. This step is a marketing ploy, and I am not sure why it is necessary because the sales of McDonalds is up 15%.
it's not necessary... it's just that they don't want 15%, they want 50%.
There where no happy meals when I was a kid (early 70’s). They also hadn’t figured out how to put corn syrup into every thing you eat both at McDonalds and the supermarket. Of course lazy parents could use restraint from taking their fat kids to fast food every other day (I have a feeling home is full of crappy food to). But I’m also old enough to remember when there was a huge uproar about led in the paint in special issue glasses. No body came to the defense of McDonald's for peddling lead contaminated glasses. So why do you want corn syrup in your hamburgers, chicken, French fries and so on when its just not needed except to make you want more. Why beat up on McDonald's for trying to be healthier (as much of contradiction as that is)? Government didn’t mandate this. They are not doing this because they think it’s the right thing to do. You the consumer mandated this. Even if you eat McDonald's only once a year, why would you want it to be as unhealthy as possible? Good god, does everything have to be bad for it to be excepted These days? Maybe McDonalds’ should bring back its lead contaminated glasses….
So they took out a few fries and added more sugar (apples) and sugar options (chocolate milk). Totally healthy now.
you had no health class? school is to teach your kids a wide variety of things. What i'm getting at is people are complaining about bad parenting and thats fine.....but is there no solution to that?........you just think its a natural thinning of the herd and that doesn't bother you? I'll be honest with you it doesn't bother me either, but for arguments sake I think one's schooling should encompass a wider moral responsibility outside of just calculus. This whole comment section is about people putting blame and expose a big problem but then when I offer a possible solution and blame schools you shoot that down too.
Restaraunts sell what people buy .. period. We, the buying public, created this problem & have the power to stop it .. but we (by buying their products) CHOOSE not to, it's that simple.
I don't even have children and I knew what the other healthy options to a kids meal were. Gimme a break!
Allowing children to eat that crap is neglect.
Allowing idiots like to to speak is even worse. Mind your own business loser.
Idiot liberals telling everybody what they can and cannot do in a free country. I can't wait till the civil war when we can finally rid our nation of your cancer.
Hey jack a$$, nobody, let me repeat that, nobody made McDonald's do this. They did it themselves. You know how to write, try learning how to read....