McDonald's to Offer Salad, Fruit or Vegetables as Substitute for Fries in Value Meals
Posted on September 28, 2013
McDonald's is making a health push by offering fruits and vegetables and modifying Happy Meals marketing materials and Happy Meal boxes. McDonald's partnered with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association, to increase customers' access to fruit and vegetables. The announcement was made by President Bill Clinton, Don Thompson, president and ceo of McDonald's, and Dr. Howell Wechsler, ceo of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
McDonald's announced a commitment to provide customers with a side salad, fruit or vegetable as a substitute for French fries in value meals. McDonald's also announced the following Happy Meals marketing changes:
- Promote and market only water, milk, and juice as the beverage in Happy Meals on menu boards and in-store and external advertising
- Utilize Happy Meal and other packaging innovations and designs to generate excitement for fruit, vegetable, low/reduced-fat dairy, or water options for kids
- Dedicate Happy Meal box or bag panels to communicate a fun nutrition or children's well-being message
- Ensure 100 percent of all advertising directed to children to include a fun nutrition or children's well-being message
A New York Times story says it will take years for the changes to roll out to all the McDonald's locations, but the fast food chain does plan to change the menu in 20 of its largest markets first.
CBS News reports that healthy options like the changes McDonald's is making are finally a fast food trend.