My fellow McDonald's lovers, say good bye to the traditional Happy Meal as we once knew it. This past Wednesday, January 18th, all North Carolina McDonald's unveiled the new, improved and healthier Happy Meal.
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The new, healthier Happy Meal now comes with an order of apple slices and smaller container of French Fries with your child's hamburger, cheeseburger or McNuggets. You can also skip the soft drink and substitute it for fat-free chocolate milk (new) or 1% low-fat white milk. By incorporating these changes, McDonald's has reduced the calorie intake of its Happy Meals by 20%!
Another great plus is that the smaller container of French Fries will help to teach children about portion control. "By showcasing portion control and moderation through the new Happy Meal, children are guided toward making better decisions when it comes to food," says Registered Dietitian and Licensed Nutritionist Melissa Herrmann Dierks of Charlotte.
I am very pleased to see our favorite fast food restaurant taking a voluntary step at making sure the food we feed our little ones from their eatery is nutritious. It definitely shows me that they value more than just our hard earned money. In fact as 2012 goes on we can expect to see McDonald's continuing to support and create awareness about the importance of families (parents and children) living healthy lifestyles that include nutrition and being active.
Local Charlotte McDonald's owner and operator David Powell says "We've been looking forward to bringing the new Happy Meal into our restaurants since the initiative was announced last year. Kids now get the best of both worlds-- they can still have their French Fries but they also get a half serving of produce through the apple slices."
I for one can't wait to see if McDonald's will take their healthier meal options one step further and offer soy milk and other fruit options in the future. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will since we have some dairy and fruit allergies in my household. Either way this is a great step and start at getting children interested in making smarter lifestyle choices.
