OAK BROOK, Ill. -- While retailers are focused on the food-desert crisis, restaurateurs are taking their own heat for what some consider their role in childhood obesity. To help the industry shift from culprit to solution, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) last week unveiled a new nationwide initiative to provide more healthful menu items for children and their parents. Nineteen restaurant brands are already signed up to participate.
Meanwhile, McDonald's yesterday announced it would be initiating its own steps toward making Happy Meals a little more healthful. Starting in September, the new Happy Meals will cut out more than half the french fries to make room for fruit and automatically come with a low- or no-fat milk.
Kids LiveWell
The NRA's Kids LiveWell highlights how restaurants are creating innovative solutions to provide better-for-you menu options.
[image-nocss]"Kids LiveWell underscores that restaurants can be part of the solution to ensuring a healthier generation and providing consumer choice in dining options," said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the NRA. "More than 15,000 restaurant locations are participating in this initial launch and offering their young guests a selection of Kids LiveWell choices, and we look forward to announcing additional restaurants and menu options in the coming months."
The program was launched with Health Dining, a site that helps consumers find dietitian-approved restaurants and menu items.
Inaugural "Kids LiveWell" participants include Au Bon Pain, Bonefish Grill, Burger King, Burgerville, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Chevys Fresh Mex, Chili's Grill & Bar, Corner Bakery Cafe, Cracker Barrel, Denny's, El Pollo Loco, Friendly's, IHOP, Joe's Crab Shack, Outback Steakhouse, Silver Diner, Sizzler, T-Bones Great American Eatery and zpizza.
The voluntary initiative will focus on increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy, and limiting unhealthy fats, sugars and sodium. To join, restaurants agree to offer and promote a selection of items that meet qualifying criteria based on leading health organizations' scientific recommendations, including the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines.
The criteria include the following components:
- Offer a children's meal (entree, side and beverage) with 600 calories or less and two servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and/or low-fat dairy; limit sodium, fats and sugar;
- Offer at least one other individual item with 200 calories or less, with limits on fats, sugars and sodium, plus contain a serving of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein or low-fat dairy;
- Display or make available upon request the nutrition profile of the healthful menu options; and Promote/identify the healthful menu options.
Healthier Happy Meals
Meanwhile, McDonald's own initiative promises to include apple slices or some other fruit in every Happy Meal and offer parents the choice of switching the fries out altogether for another vegetable. It will also automatically offer a choice of 1% milk or fat-free chocolate milk, though parents can still ask for soda.
According to the company, the impact will be an estimated 20% reduction in calories of the most popular Happy Meals, also reducing fat in the meal.
In 2012, McDonald's will also raise nutrition awareness among children and parents through national marketing initiatives. The company will promote nutrition messages in 100% of its national kids' communications, including merchandising, advertising, digital and the Happy Meal packaging. McDonald's will also provide funding for grass roots community nutrition awareness programs.
By 2020, McDonald's will reduce added sugars, saturated fat and calories through varied portion sizes, reformulations and innovations. Also, by 2015, McDonald's will reduce sodium an average of 15% overall across its national menu of food choices.
"McDonald's will always try to do the right thing, and we know we can help make a difference in our communities," said Jan Fields, president of McDonald's USA, in a statement released by the company. "The commitments we're announcing today will guide the future evolution of our menu and marketing."
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