McDonald’s Trims Its Happy Meal

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

Bowing to pressure from health advocates and parents, McDonald’s is putting the Happy Meal on a diet.

The company announced Tuesday that it would more than halve the amount of French fries and add fruit to its popular children’s meal in an effort to reduce the overall calorie count by 20 percent.

But McDonald’s appeasement only went so far. A toy will still come with each Happy Meal despite criticism that the trinkets, often with tie-ins to movies like “Toy Story,” foster a powerful connection between children and the often calorie-laden meals.

While Happy Meals account for less than 10 percent of all McDonald’s sales, the signature box and its contents — first introduced in 1979 — have become a favorite target in recent years. Lawmakers and consumers have rallied around breaking that childhood link between toys and fast food, with the efforts increasing as Michelle Obama and national public health officials point to the estimated 17 percent rate of obesity among the nation’s youths.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/27/business/mcdonalds-happy-meal-to-get-healthier.html

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Limbaugh-listening hicks: "Michelle Obama done stole aur fries n' burgers! Soon we is goin' go tuh jail for takin' we kids to Mickey D's!"

Reality: As First Lady, Mrs. Obama simply launched a healthy-eating initiative, and McDonald's did this as a business decision - not under any binding contract or court order!

[RandySF]

1. Does this mean they can give toys in San Francisco?

I wonder if this fits into the Board of Supervisor's caloric guidelines.

[TwilightGardener]

2. You could buy the kiddies an unchanged Happy Meal every once in

a while and it won't make them fat. If you're that worried about the fun of toys combined with the deliciousness of french fries and cheeseburgers, fucking don't go to McDonald's at all. Feed them a damn dry plain chicken breast or hunk of tofu and broccoli at home, and then hand them a cheap plastic dollar store toy. Better association achieved. There, all fixed.

[madrchsod]

5. i gave up happy meals cause the toys are shitty...

it was`t all that long ago the toys were actually worth keeping...i still have a box full of old 80-90`s fast food toys.

[TwilightGardener]

6. I remember when they were not so tied to movie marketing. They were just toys, not

useless advertising tokens.

[uppityperson]

16. Ask for an All American Meal, it is a Happy Meal without the toy and costs 50 cents less

thanks to another mom friend of mine for telling me that yrs ago. It helped cut the whining down. I don't know if they still do this, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

[Fearless]

3. Life is about moderation... children need to learn this not avoid it.

[Devil_Fish]

4. Great more useless plastic to litter the planet for thousands of years.

I have a two year old, and it's really hard to not get plastic junk for her. They make it in pretty collars, and cute stuff like little houses, or ponies, or what ever else. Every trip to the store is a constant game of shift her attention, and put back, or hide what ever I just got away from her. It's all just useless junk any way, but it's so hard to tell that to a two year old.

It's truly disgusting when you know that that little plastic piece of crap will pollute this planet for longer then she will live, which with any luck will be about 80-100 years longer then she plays with it.

Wile we are on the topic of McDonald's and pollution, I've go an idea to stop litter. When you find a piece of litter on the ground, fine the company that manufactured it. I.E. oh look a little plastic piece of crap Hamburgler. Bam $500 fine Mr. McDonald. Talk about a way to solve the budget crisis and the pollution problem at the same time.

[ChrisBorg]

8. Your solution to pollution is putting every company that makes anything

out of business. How does that work? Does McDonald's get the fine or the company that made the wrapper? What about the paper mill and the sawmill and axe men?

[Devil_Fish]

18. McD's name is on the bag right....

If it puts McD's out of business, then maybe McD's should find a business that doesn't wreck the planet, and make kids fat. Your argument is like saying don't invest in wind and solar because it will put oil workers and nuke plants out of business. how about don't make cars because it will put wagon wheel makers and horse breeders out of business. Don't make the telephones, because it will put telegraph operators out of business. Don't make kindles because it will put borders books out of business. don't make email because it will put the post office out of business.

That stupid red haired clown can die like the rest as far as I am concerned. If my daughter doesn't have a McD's job when she is a teen, then oh well, she will just have to find something else to do with her life the ask "you want Fries with that?"

[ChrisBorg]

19. So regardless of who makes it, the person's name on the package pays? Right?

My liability as a producer is void the minute I sell it?

[Devil_Fish]

21. The person who's name is on the package paid you to make it.

Trader Joe's stopped giving baloons to little kids because they were showing up in national parks, and harming wild life. Who should be responsible? the little kid who the baloon gets away from? the person who gave that kid the baloon (clever advratisement)? the company that made the baloon for TJ's?

I say if your going to put your name on somthing that may become litter, then you should be responsible when it does. I also can't stand when some one goes around the neaborhood posting garage sale signs, and then fails to take them down on monday. I wish the cops would fine thouse people especially if they are stupid enough to put their address on them.

[truthisfreedom]

7. Fruit's not cheap. McDonalds is definitely pissed about this. Potatoes are cheap in bulk.

And they probably own the farms they're grown on.

[woodsprite]

9. Arby's may not be better calorie-wise, but

when we've taken the kids there, their kids meal toys were at least
educational and entertaining for the whole family (reading books
about Egypt, Statue of Liberty, the planets, a deck of cards, trivia
games, "What If" game", conversation starters).

[No Elephants]

13. Egypt? So, Arby's is a stealth jihadist madrassah company? Good to know.

[SnakeEyes]

10. Won't do anything

When kids use that caramel sauce on the apples :)

[Chan790]

22. They scrapped the sugar sauce too.

No longer carrying it, can't get it upon-request even.

[NickB79]

24. They were piloting a lowfat vanilla yogurt dip in a few locations in the US

Apparently it didn't do too well and never went to market, which is unfortunate because it was gooood.

[krispos42]

11. Translation:

Under the guise of "bowing to health-food activist pressure", we're going to cut the food in the meal while keeping prices consistent. In other words, MORE PROFIT.

[chollybocker]

12. Will the price of a happy meal go down 20% as well?

Doubt it.

This is more "look how wonderful McDonald's is" free publicity via the MSM. They're the masters at it.

[No Elephants]

14. Number of calories is often inversely proportional to cost anymore

If they are adding fresh fruit, that would be more expensive than throwing in a few more French friss.

[left on green only]

15. Here's An Idea: Try Using The Two Pronged Approach

First, by using the truth in advertising statute, require McDonald's to print a full body shot of Rush on the side of every Happy Meal Box (he'll love the idea because it will flatter his huge ego). Then, before you give your kid the bloody Happy Meal, point to his totally buff and masculine image so clearly defined in his picture and say, "Look kid, if you keep on eating this shit, then this is what your going to look like." Guaranteed to cause any kid to hurl in the back seat of the car.

Of course the part I haven't worked out yet is who is going to be required to pay for all of the psychological nightmare counseling that will be required for your kid as the result?

[Gormy Cuss]

17. With the new reductions it's still a 500 calorie product.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/McDonald+adds+yogurt+Happy+Meals+cuts+back+fries/5161111/story.html

[sakabatou]

20. Well...

Reality: As First Lady, Mrs. Obama simply launched a healthy-eating initiative, and McDonald's did this as a business decision - not under any binding contract or court order!

As if Limbaugh's listeners give a damn about reality.

[panzerfaust]

23. Not McD's fan: But NO ONE is forced to eat there.

Parental choices make kids fat - not some evil corporation.



Personally, have not eaten at a McD in decades, as the food is crap.

[keroro gunsou]

25. it wasn't always crap

but pursuit of the almighty buck made it so that they had to serve crap to make money. when chasing the almighty buck, quality drops first, then service. but the one thing that doesn't is advertising to make sure you keep buying the crap.

[joe1991]

26. Even if they used "quality" ingredients, it's still not good

a cow meat burger on white bread with mayo and fried potatoes is just not good for you, no matter what.

I love the taste of a greasy burger and the junkiest of junk foods, but almost nothing you get in a fast food joint is good for the human body.

Best to train your kids early on to enjoy the taste and well-being good food gives you, I had to "unlearn" all my bad habits.

And saying "it's cheap" doesn't wash either. I just ate tuna on lettuce with a few chips, about .75 cents and around 200 calories.