Hot on HuffPost Parents:
Babble.com: 8 Parenting Lessons To Learn From 'Arrested Development'
Our Favorite Tweets From Parents This Week
Happy Meals Get a Little Less Happy With Half the Fries
Filed under: In The News
Credit: AFP/Getty Images
The New York Times reports restaurant officials announced July 26 the company is putting kids on strict french fry rations to cut the total number of calories in Happy Meals by 20 percent. At many locations, parents already may substitute apple slices and other healthier foods for fries.
The meals will still come with toys -- often promoting movies -- despite criticism that the toys make the meals too happy, causing children to form an emotional link between feeling happy and eating unhealthy food.
San Francisco officials banned the toys in kids' meals that fail to meet nutritional requirements. A city councilor in New York City is proposing a similar law.
The Times reports Happy Meals account for less than 10 percent of all McDonald's sales, but the Happy Meal has become a recurring target for crusading lawmakers and consumer advocates as child obesity has become an increasingly popular cause.
Other fast-food restaurants also have bowed to public pressure.
The Times reports Jack in the Box officials announced in June they would quit putting toys in children's meals.
Burger King, IHOP and more than a dozen other restaurant chains vowed this month to promote and serve healthier options for kids.
"McDonald's is not giving the whole loaf, but it is giving a half or two thirds of a loaf," Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, tells The Times.
The center represents a woman in California who is suing McDonald's for including toys in its Happy Meals.
"This is an important step in the right direction," Jacobson tells the newspaper.
McDonald's officials also pledged to reduce the salt content in all of its foods by 15 percent, with the exceptions of soda and desserts, by 2015. The slightly-less-Happy Meals will be introduced in September.
"It's a trade-off between everybody getting a small portion and 10 percent of kids getting a larger portion, which is better than nothing and maybe will accustom kids to eating fresh fruits and vegetables when they go out to eat," Jacobson tells The Times.
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
Recently Asked
- Why did you lie and tell the world that, "The Left Behind Video game kills Jews and Atheists"?
- Alot of .gov when submitting a program or proposal for government agency (be sure you personally can provide for the agency)
- Is it legal to claim relation to a person ? ( OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE FOR MONATERY GAIN) TO BE ILLEGAL ?
RelatedVideos
-
Jenni Pulos Reveals the Best and Worst Pregnancy Advice
When 'Bravo' star Jenni Pulos stopped by the OK! offices, she filled us in on the best and worst advice she's gotten about pregnancy. Also, listen to the one thing you can stop telling her now about having a baby.
-
How to Budget for a Baby
Valorie Burton for Focus on the Family discusses the importance of preparing your budget for the new baby.
-
Biracial Parenting
Full Segment: Parents of biracial kids often find they have to introduce the subject of race sooner than most, while learning more about their partner's culture in the process. But how does a parent ensure that biracial kids embraces their multicultural identity?
-
The Business Of Day Care
Full Segment: In the United States, only 10 percent of children receive "high quality" day care, while the rest have to place their children somewhere affordable. When it comes to safety and regulations we aren't doing what should be done.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
7-28-2011 @ 1:10AM
Ms.Monica said...Perfectly fine, my son always ask for the apples rather than fries anyhow.
Reply
7-28-2011 @ 9:16AM
Melinda Laird said...If my kids do get fries, I never give them the whole pack anyway...a handful is plenty, I think. I suppose if you don't think your kids are getting enough greasy fried potato you could always purchase an extra one :-)
Reply
9-07-2011 @ 4:06AM
aaa said..."emotional link between feeling happy and eating unhealthy food" are you KIDDING?? until i was 10 i went for the TOY, not the food!! when i was 15 months old, every time i used the toilet i was allowed to go to mcdonalds, and even back then, i went for the TOY. of course i loved my nuggets and fries too, and always ate them all, but all i wanted was the toy, the only connection i got was "Toilet=TOY" after i was about 2 years old, i was only alowed mcdonalds every week, for like a year. and did i get fat from it? NO. because unlike some parents, my mom didnt get me mcdonalds for every cut, bruise, or to shut me up. i got smacked like every other toddler that didnt behaive in the 90's. now im 18 & 135 lbs, i rarley eat mcdonalds, because, well, i eat a lot more of it at one time (because i eat it so rarley) & every time it makes my stomach feel HORRIBLE..... but anyway, back on track....i've never known a kid to get emotionally attatched to food. (ya know, unless they were 16 and teased a lot)
Reply