Did you guys hear about McDonalds?

PrincessSparkle5253

They're replacing their fries in kids meals, excuse me, "happy meals" with 1/2 apple slices and 1/2 fries, or all apple slices.


"New Happy Meal: McDonald’s will begin rolling out the new Happy Meal in September 2011, with the goal of having them available in all 14,000 restaurants during Q1 2012. The new Happy Meal will automatically include both produce (apple slices, a quarter cup or half serving) and a new smaller size French fries (1.1 ounces) along with the choice of a Hamburger, Cheeseburger or Chicken McNuggets, and choice of beverage, including new fat-free chocolate milk and 1% low fat white milk. For those customers who prefer a side choice of apples only, two bags of apple slices will be available, upon request.
By adding fruit in every Happy Meal, McDonald’s hopes to address a challenge children face in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce. McDonald’s has offered apples as a requested choice in Happy Meals since 2004. And, while recent research found that on average, 88 percent of McDonald’s customers are aware of the option, apples are chosen in only 11 percent of Happy Meal purchases. "

http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/media_center/recent_news/corporate/commitments_to_offer_improved_nutrition_choices.html

BethGorton

They already do this for Happy Meals in Australia! Have been doing it for a while! I think it's a great idea.

eillamarie

This is all fine & dandy.....but just how old and injected with chemicals are these apple slices in a bag? They have to be pre-packaged. Ew.

loombeav

Hum, interesting. I've been a McDonald's manager for 13 years and I didn't know anything about this. I will say it is absolutely true that most customers don't choose apples, even if offered. And while I think it's great that they are trying to make a healthy change, a 1/4 of apple slices is not a serving of fruit and I wouldn't really call the processed slices they have healthy in the 1st place, although they are a better choice then fries.

Marazene

Robbel roobbel

milaxx

This is all fine & dandy.....but just how old and injected with chemicals are these apple slices in a bag? They have to be pre-packaged. Ew.

This! I once bought pre-packaged apples from wawa and they had no taste whatsoever. I guess its whatever they treat them with to prevent browning. Either way it's still no justification to feed a kids a hamburger or chicken nugget that half filled with fillers and fake food.

clhiter

They already do this for Happy Meals in Australia! Have been doing it for a while! I think it's a great idea.

in japan you can get corn

PrincessSparkle5253

This is all fine & dandy.....but just how old and injected with chemicals are these apple slices in a bag? They have to be pre-packaged. Ew.

Apple Dippers: Apples, calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C added to maintain natural color). or Apples, ascorbic acid (vitamin C added to maintain natural color), calcium chloride. Low Fat Caramel Dip: Corn syrup, sweetened condensed whole milk, high fructose corn syrup, water, butter, sugar, salt, disodium phosphate, artificial flavors (ethyl vanillin, vanillin), caramel color, pectin, potassium sorbate as a preservative.

thats what i came up with, i am not sure if it's an entirely credible source, i got it from dietfacts.com, i would research some more, because i myself am curious, but i have to get ready for a date hehe

redheadmommy

You already have this option in Canada. Those apple slices taste funny, and it comes with a big caramel sauce, just to ensure they stuff a huge amount of sugar down with it.
They suck me into buying this once, never again.

Schwiggity

Ah organic hipsters in this thread. Le sigh.

LeelaLosing

it's strange but i feel about kid's eating habits the same way i do about my puppy. there is no excuse for them not to eat well or being overweight. i have control over what my puppy eats and i take it seriously. i would expect that parents are equally responsible for what goes in their kid's mouths.

it's my dream to have someone take care of my meals and snacks and put it in front of me :-)

and when i hear parents say he/she won't eat that....really? since when do you let kids dictate what they will/won't eat. there are so many choices, and cooking and meals are the best opportunity to get kid's introduced to good food in a positive way to save them from a life of struggle and poor health.

lsd007

This is all fine & dandy.....but just how old and injected with chemicals are these apple slices in a bag? They have to be pre-packaged. Ew.

This! I once bought pre-packaged apples from wawa and they had no taste whatsoever. I guess its whatever they treat them with to prevent browning. Either way it's still no justification to feed a kids a hamburger or chicken nugget that half filled with fillers and fake food.

I think b****ing about fast food being filled with fillers and "fake food" is pretty pointless. McDonald's isn't forcing people to buy their kids this junk. Apples with fillers are surely more healthy than fried potatoes with fillers. And the parents who do choose to feed it to their kids will probably let them get fries anyways.

jasondcooper

I'm all for this. McDonald's has rightly taken a lot of heat for their calorie- and fat-laden menu choices over the years. I am reminded of Burger King's addition of a veggie whopper about a decade ago. As the big burger chains see demand for better food choices, I believe they will respond in kind.

I'd be curious to see what you all have to say about eating fast food in general. I finally reached my goal weight last week and I attribute at least some of my success to not eating at these places. (What used to be a once or twice a week trip to the burger joints is now more like once or twice a month.) I was curious to read this story though, as I ordered a cheeseburger "happy meal" last week for lunch. I got the 1% milk but I didn't know that the apples were an option.

Heather75

Robbel roobbel

Hahahahahaha!

anubis609

Looks like the Hamburglar is winning.

Heather75

And Grimace. He was the Snuffleupagus of McDonaldland.

chezmama

I have absolutely no problem with McDonalds. In fact I like it from time to time. But we went there this weekend and I looked at my nephew's Apple Dippers and they grossed me out. They looked all soft and soggy and....yuck! No wonder they need to serve them with caramel sauce!

Danahimself

I heard Mcdonalds owns Chipotle not sure if thats true or not.

Bigmomma0u812

They have been doing this in the town I live in for quite some time now. I live very close to Louisville Kentucky. Anyhow its weird. It was 3 chicken nuggets, a bag of apples and a tiny cute little thing of fries... but now sometimes she (my daughter) will get 4 chicken nuggets. I don't know if they're changing the amount or just can't count but there are always apples and a little box of fries that are smaller than the little bag of small fries. I love the idea because my daughter doesn't love fries anyhow.

Fleshandlace

I babysat a 2 year old last month. In the morning, I sliced him up some bananas and got some cheerios for him. He shook his head and got out of his chair. I felt bad and tried several more times to try to get him to eat before his parents got back. I offered him scrambled eggs with some chopped up ham-steak and he shook his head and went and sat down. So i gave him juice and let him watch a movie. When his parents got back I apologized that I couldn't get him to eat.

She says "Oh that's alright, he only eats McDonalds" and laughs like it was funny.

O_o

clioandboy

You want your kids to eat healthy food then you don't take them to mcdonalds.