McDonald’s USA is offering guests new reasons to feel good about the fun and the food at McDonald’s with the addition of a new yogurt side option for kids and a Happy Meal brand ambassador.
McDonald’s today introduced “Happy,” a new animated Happy Meal character that brings fun and excitement to kids’ meals while also serving as an ambassador for balanced and wholesome eating. Happy will be introduced nationwide in the USA on May 23, and will encourage kids to enjoy fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and wholesome beverages such as water or juice.
Parents and kids across the U.S. can also look forward to an additional side option for Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals starting July 4: Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt. This Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt is made exclusively for McDonald’s, contains 50 calories, has 25 percent less sugar than the leading kids’ yogurt and is made with natural flavor. Guests have more options for sides in kids’ meals — they can choose either Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt or apple slices, or choose both together as their sides in place of a kid-size fry.
These new additions are the latest examples of McDonald’s USA’s ongoing dedication to children’s nutrition and well-being as part of its “Commitments to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices.”
“At McDonald’s, we’re always looking to bring fun and happiness to families and listening to our customers’ asks to have more variety and wholesome options for kids to enjoy in their Happy Meals,” said Julie Wenger, senior director of U.S. marketing, McDonald’s. “Together, Happy and Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt give kids and parents something to look forward to during their next trip to McDonald’s.”
Happy is an animated McDonald’s Happy Meal box who was first introduced in 2009 to children and families in France. Happy has since made its way to Latin America and other countries in Europe and is now set to make a grand entrance in the U.S. Happy is about bringing more fun and excitement to kids’ meals, including eating wholesome food choices like low-fat yogurt.
Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt, which delivers about one quarter cup of low-fat dairy and is a good source of calcium and vitamin D, provides another balanced choice for kids, along with apple slices, 1% low-fat white milk, fat-free chocolate milk and 100% apple juice beverage options.
This latest offering supports McDonald’s partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, an organization founded by the American Heart Association and Clinton Foundation to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and empower kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits. The Alliance and McDonald’s are working together to increase customers’ access to fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy and help families and children make informed choices in keeping with healthy, balanced lifestyles.
In March 2012, McDonald’s started automatically including apple slices and a kid-size fry in every Happy Meal and Mighty Kids Meal. Since then, more than 1.1 billion bags of apple slices have been served. Beginning later this year, McDonald’s USA will also only promote milk, juice or water as a beverage choice with Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals on menu boards and in-restaurant and external advertising and communications.
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