NEW YORK: McDonald’s is taking cheeseburgers and chocolate milk off its Happy Meal menu in an effort to cut down on the calories, sodium, saturated fat and sugar that kids consume at its restaurants.
Diners can still ask specifically for cheeseburgers or chocolate milk with the kid’s meal, but the fast-food company said that not listing them will reduce how often they’re ordered. Since it removed soda from the Happy Meal menu four years ago, orders for it with Happy Meals have fallen 14 percent, the company said. Hamburgers and Chicken McNuggets will remain the main entrees on the Happy Meal menu.
The Happy Meal has long been a target of health advocates and parents who link it to childhood obesity. McDonald’s has made many tweaks over the years, including cutting the size of its fries and adding fruit. Most recently, it swapped out its apple juice for one that has less sugar.
It’s been especially important as the company tries to shake its junk-food image, since McDonald’s is known for getting more business from families with children relative to its traditional rivals, such as Burger King and Wendy’s. McDonald’s doesn’t say how much revenue it makes from the Happy Meal, but the company said 30 percent of all visits come from families.
The latest Happy Meal changes, including new nutritional standards, will occur in the United States by June.
“It’s a good step in the right direction,” said Margo Wootan, the vice president for nutrition at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “We would love to see many more restaurants do the same.”
McDonald’s said Thursday that it wants all its Happy Meal options to have 600 calories or fewer and have less than 650 milligrams of sodium. It also wants less than 10 percent of the meal’s calories to come from saturated fat and the same percentage to come from added sugar.
The cheeseburger and chocolate milk didn’t meet those new standards, the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company said. It is, however, working to cut sugar from the chocolate milk and believes it’ll be back on the Happy Meal menu eventually — but doesn’t know when that will happen.
There will be other tweaks: The six-piece chicken nugget Happy Meal will now come with a kids-sized fries instead of a small, lowering calories and sodium from the fries by half. And bottled water will be added as an option to the Happy Meal menu, but will cost extra. Currently, the Happy Meal menu lists milk, chocolate milk and apple juice. Soda does not cost extra.
For international restaurants, McDonald’s Corp. said that at least half of the Happy Meal options available must meet its new nutritional guidelines. The company said some are adding new menu items to comply, like in Italy, where a grilled chicken sandwich was added to the Happy Meal menu.
McDonald’s moves cheeseburgers off children Happy Meal menu
McDonald’s moves cheeseburgers off children Happy Meal menu
Where We Are Going Today: Ghar Restaurant in Jeddah
- The restaurant’s selection of soups, salads and rice and noodle dishes provides a balance between lighter and heartier options
Located on Jeddah’s Sari Street, Ghar is an Asian fusion concept that draws attention for its cave-inspired interior, with stone-textured walls and lantern-style lighting. The setting leans heavily on luxury and creates a sense of separation from the city’s usual dining scene.
I began with a mix of starters, including the Ghar special gyoza. This comes with two filling options, chicken or shrimp, served alongside a spicy dip that balanced the flavors. The Wagyu skewers were a must try, evenly cooked and retaining both juiciness and tenderness.
The sushi selection is extensive. I tried the crunchy heaven roll with shrimp tempura and sweet spicy sauce, the Wagyu nigiri topped with togarashi sauce, and the crazy roll filled with tempura shrimp and crabstick in a spicy mix. The rolls were well assembled and had good texture, though some were heavy on sauces which reduced the taste of the base ingredients.
The restaurant’s selection of soups, salads and rice and noodle dishes provides a balance between lighter and heartier options. The miso soup sets the tone with bold flavors, making it a fitting start before the main course.
For mains, I ordered the black-on-black Wagyu filet and the sea bass. The filet was served with the restaurant’s house sauce, while the sea bass came with lemon sauce and mashed potatoes.
Both dishes were prepared as described, though portion sizes compared to pricing may not suit every diner. If you want a fuller portion, the best options are the curry crunch chicken and Yama lamb, popular choices that combine rice or pasta with protein-focused plates.
Dessert included the San Sebastian cheesecake and boulder date cake, both suitable for sharing and ending the meal on a sweet note.
A meal for two at Ghar costs around SR500–600 ($133 to $160). For more details, visit @gharjdh.
