Will more sliced apples make Happy Meals less appealing to kids?

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—McDonald's has announced that it's making changes to its Happy Meals.

In a press release on the company's website, McDonald's USA president Jan Fields announced that the fast-food chain will automatically include apple slices in each Happy Meal, shrink the french fries serving size from its current 2.5 ounces down to 1.1 ounces, and introduce a new fat-free chocolate milk (currently, the restaurant sells only low-fat chocolate milk). If parents don't want any fries, they can request two packages of apple slices (and if they want only fries, they can get that, too). The changes will start rolling out now and will be complete by the end of next year.

For its adult food, McDonald's announced it would be reducing added sugars, saturated fat, and calories by varying portion sizes and reformulating products (the announcement didn't specify by how much), and reducing the sodium content of all products by 15 percent. However, those changes won't go into effect fully for another five to 10 years.

The Associated Press first reported on the issue earlier this morning and quoted company officials as saying that the changes have nothing to do with recently proposed federal guidelines that would severely limit marketing unhealthy food to children and put restrictions on the amount of sugar, fat, and salt in children's restaurant food. The industry has fought those proposed guidelines, calling them "draconian," and has insisted that the existing industry-created standards are sufficient.

Cindy Goody, McDonald's senior director of nutrition, was quoted as saying that these new changes are simply a response to customer demand.

The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)— which has widely criticized McDonald's use of toys in Happy Meals to tempt kids into eating unhealthy fried foods—was quick to respond to the announcement. "It’s good news that [Happy Meals] will all have apple slices, smaller servings of fries, and fewer calories," said CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson. "While we wish that Happy Meals would include a bigger serving of fresh fruit or vegetable, including even a small serving—and without a sugary sauce—as a standard component is a real advance."

No word from San Francisco officials, however, on whether this news will make them lift their recently passed ban on Happy Meals.

Even with apples and smaller servings of fries, kid's meals at restaurants are full of factory-farmed meats and genetically modified foods. To protect your children from the lure of fast-food marketing, read some of our past reporting on the issue:

• Cap'n Crunch Has Five Years to Live

• Food Makers Won't Leave Your Kids Alone

• Ronald McDonald Is Stalking Your Kids

• How to Beat Fast-Food Companies at Their Own Game