Originally published June 15 2005
Fast food restaurants make the move to healthier food for kids
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
SheKnows.com notes that fast-food staples such as McDonalds are beginning to acknowledge the demand for healthier menu items by offering healthy choices such as apple slices or juice with their kid's meals.
Customers like busy mom of two Kimberly Scott, who says on hectic days when she finds it hard to prepare something she stops by McDonald's for a quick bite to eat.
According to recent estimates, nearly one-third of children eat fast food every day and those that do tend to consume more calories on a daily basis.
"I don't think anyone eats there for nutrition," says Scott.
With everything we're learning about childhood obesity and nutrition, how important is it for families to have healthy choices at fast food restaurants?
Perhaps this is why fast food giants such as McDonald's are extending their golden arches to include healthy menu options for kids as well as encouraging them to exercise.
McDonald's web site recommends, "60 minutes of moderate physical activity, including active play, most days of the week," and uses their play areas as examples of places where kids can achieve this goal.
Recent healthy additions include Apple Dippers with Low Fat Caramel Dip, which provide one serving size of fruit and whose dip contains one gram of fat, 1 percent Low Fat White (100 calories) or Chocolate Milk Jugs (170 calories), and Apple Juice Boxes (90 calories) as alternatives to sugary sodas.
Along with expanding its presence from one restaurant in Miami to more than 11,000 locations in 61 countries today, Burger King has expanded its kids menu to offer healthy alternatives including Motts strawberry flavored applesauce and string cheese in place of fries.
Jodie Worrell, RD, LD and nutritional consultant for Chick-Fil-A says, "We care about the physical and character development of each child we touch with our kid's meals.
Their kids' meals consist of whole breast chicken nuggets or strips that are hand breaded and portion controlled for children.
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