Let’s be honest: sometimes we don’t eat as healthy as we’d like. Whether we’re on a family road trip and looking for a quick meal on the go or trying to fit in a speedy dinner between school and soccer practice, sometimes we find ourselves in the drive-thru line, waiting for a bag of fast food. But come fall, there will be some new items on the menu at popular fast food chain McDonald’s—and the options might surprise you.
A new report from CTV News has revealed that McDonald’s Canada will be changing up their classic Happy Meal combos to include a serving of one-percent yogurt, in addition to a drink, entree and either fries or apple slices. Karin Campbell, a McDonald’s Canada spokesperson, told CTV.ca that the portion of french fries would also be reduced from 71 grams to 31 grams, according to the report. With these new changes, all Happy Meal combos will clock in at less than 500 calories. The price of the meals will not be affected by these changes.
“McDonald’s agrees with leading food and nutrition experts that making incremental lifestyle modifications with food consumption may lead to improvements in an individual’s well-being,” said Cindy Goody, McDonald’s senior director of nutrition, in a company news release. “We support parents in their effort to encourage their children to enjoy the foods that are good for them along with the foods they love.”
As childhood obesity continues to be a serious health concern in this country, even small dietary changes can have a big impact. And while nothing will replace a healthy, home-cooked meal, it’s nice to have healthier options in a pinch. However, we can’t help but notice that the entree options for McDonald’s Happy Meals still leave something to be desired. The four-piece McNugget option is 210 calories and 450 mg of sodium, which is just over one third of the recommended daily intake for kids age four to eight. And the cheeseburger alone has a whopping 750 mg of sodium, before adding a single french fry to the mix. Currently, there are no Happy Meal options that feature child-sized portions of salad. We can’t help but wonder: why not?
Does your family avoid fast food at all costs, or indulge from time to time? How will these meal changes impact your opinion about McDonald’s?

