August 2, 2011 Why I'm Not So Unhappy about the New Happy Meal
By now you’ve probably heard that McDonald’s is getting ready to roll out its new Happy Meal. Nutritionists are not impressed.
Marion Nestle says, “If McDonald’s were serious, it could offer a truly healthier Happy Meal as the default and back it up with marketing dollars.” Read Nestle’s complete statement.
Instead, the Happy Meal hoopla boils down to a meal that now will include:
- 3 or 4 slices of apple
- one ounce less of French Fries
- Less sodium
From a nutrition perspective, these changes don’t amount to a hill of beans. But from a habits perspective, they’re worth considering.
It’s easy to scoff at the addition of 3 or 4 apple slices to the Happy Meal, but who else can so easily convince kids to eat apples?
I’m not saying that I wouldn’t like to see bigger changes. Of course I would. But I’m looking forward to seeing what happens when McDonald’s puts its branding might behind apples.
I’m sure you think most kids will eat the fries and dump the apples; don’t be so sure. Branding shapes taste preferences. (I guess that’s what a $10 billion advertising campaign can buy you!)
Check this out:
Researchers in California asked a group of preschoolers to taste two sets of carrots. One set was placed on top of a McDonald’s French fries bag. The other set was placed on a plain white bag. What do you think happened?
The kids preferred the McDonald’s carrots. Identical food. Different packaging.
The researchers took McDonald’s French fries. They placed some in a McDonald’s bag and some in a plain bag. The preschoolers said the McDonald’s French fries tasted better—even though the plain bag fries were also McDonald’s fries. Identical foods. Different packaging.
The same thing happened when the researchers presented the children with Chicken McNuggets and with milk: the kids thought the branded food tasted better. (See, kids don’t really know what they like. They know what they think they like! Read Mind over Matter.)
If McDonald’s can do this for apples…
~Changing the conversation from nutrition to habits.~
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Robinson, T. N., D. L. G. Borzekowski, D. M. Matheson, and H. C. Kraemer. 2011. “Effects of Fast Food Branding on Young Children's Taste Preferences.” Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 161(8): 792-97.
Reader Comments (5)
Playing devil's advocate, as is my wont... McDonald's isn't fooling me by including 3 or 4 slices of GMO apple coated in a preservative and sealed in a plastic bag for ...how long? So they've made a bag of utter garbage slightly less bad by removing some of it and adding something slightly less processed. All it will serve to do is remove some of the guilt some parents feel about taking their kids for fast food (and eating it themselves) so frequently. And there are plenty of parents who feel no guilt and see nothing wrong with eating fast food regularly. And both sets of parents, will, most likely, find themselves back at the counter ordering a side of fries from the dollar menu to compensate for the reduced fries that come with the happy meal. And McDonald's will look like good guys, pocket some more cash, boost their stock prices and continue spreading their brand of slow poison.
I agree with everything you say. However, I still think that millions of kids will also start seeing apples with meals - kids who might never see fresh fruit on a regular basis. It might be a good thing.
Dina -
I think you and I might be the only bloggers out there (other than "mommy bloggers" approached by McD) that actually noted any positive side to this move. I was feeling quite lonely til I saw your post! :-)
In my post about the Happy Meal changes I noted that - because so many kids do eat McDonald's regularly - the reduction in calories theoretically means 14,000 pounds of body fat lost each year. I see right through the cynical PR motives here, but that fact is still noteworthy. (My post for interested readers is here: http://www.thelunchtray.com/mcdonalds-improves-happy-meals-meaningful-change-or-corporate-whitewashing/)
Bettina
Love it or hate it, McDonalds isn't going anywhere in the foreseeable future, and if these small changes can do anything to teach kids that apples are cool, then more power to them. Would we all prefer smaller portions, more fruit options, no stupid toys, less marketing to kids, higher quality ingredients and no HFCS?? Yes, but these things take time and baby steps are better than no steps...
Chef Mike -
Thanks for supporting me against the tide of opposition out there.
Dina