McDonald's Taking Cheeseburgers Out of the Happy Meal (Bring The Shreds Thoughts)

A student of a close friend of mine, Yasmine Castañeda who is attending California State University, East Bay decided to reach out to me to get my opinion on McDonald's taking cheeseburgers out of the Happy Meal by 2022, here was my thoughts. Enjoy!

Yasmine: Good morning Louis, I am writing an article for my school's newspaper regarding MCD's removing cheeseburgers from their Happy Meals. I have attached the article for your reference.

http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/15/news/companies/mcdonalds-happy-menu-cheeseburger-french-fries/index.html

I wanted to get your take on this issue, Thyrone mentioned your success in the health/wellness industry and you are highly qualified.

1) Do you think removing cheeseburgers from the kids menu will help the nutritional value of the meal?

First are foremost I would like to say, even though I don't come too often, I (can I say this?) freakin' LOVE McDonald's. However, I do not agree with McDonald's strategy of removing the cheeseburger from the Happy Meal. Here is why: As a person who tracks his or her macronutrients (carbs, fats and protein), we look up nutrition facts to determine what really goes inside each types of food we consume. If we break down the cheeseburger vs the 6 piece chicken nuggets (the replacement), here's what we find out:

Cheeseburger: 300 calories, 12g fat, 33g carbs, and 15g of protein.

6 Piece Chicken Nuggets: 287 calories, 19g fat, 14g carbs, 15g protein.

So as you can see, the calories and protein are roughly the same. However, the huge difference is the replacement chicken nuggets has MORE fat than the cheeseburger. So basically they are replacing a burger with a higher fatty food and calling it "healthier". Do you see the discrepancy in this?

2) Any other healthy options suggestions for McDonald's?

I always preach MODERATION, NOT DEPRIVATION. What does that entail? It is already included in the article but instead of ordering a cheeseburger that has 300 calories, go for the regular hamburger that has 250 calories. Or instead of the 6 piece chicken nuggets, opt for the 4 piece. This helps those cravings without in taking those extra calories which causes anyone to gain weight (if enough calories are consumed throughout the day, and not just one meal).

3) Do you think this is a good idea for the company? Or is just a PR move?

I definitely feel this is a PR move. McDonald's has been in the bad press ever since the documentary Super Size Me was released. However, the guy in the documentary was eating 3 high fatty meals everyday for a month. What does he think was going to happen?? The results would be the same of any restaurant he would have gone to. I feel that McDonald's needed to show the public they are making an effort to be healthy to get on the consumer's good side again.

4) Any other comments?

At the end of the day, the customer is going to order what they want. What does that mean? Aint nobody going to McDonald's for a damn salad. They want that Big Mac baby! We need to teach kids the importance of calories and moderation. Yes you can have that burger, and yes you can have those fries. But no, you can NOT have as many burgers and fries as you want! Depriving yourself from your favorite foods will only make you crave it more and more and soon enough, you want crash and burn. For more information on how you can get in the best shape of your life, please sign up at www.bringtheshreds.com and start your fitness journey today!

-Louis Ha (Founder/Online Fitness Coach at Bring The Shreds)

Thank you, Yasmine Castañeda (Thyrone’s co-worker*)

The Bigger Picture

While removing cheeseburgers from Happy Meals may seem like a positive change, it does little to address the bigger issues around fast food and children's health. Some key points:

• Cheeseburgers contain similar calories and fat to chicken nuggets. Parents still need to limit total calories and fat for kids.
• Providing apple slices instead of fries has minimal impact if kids get fries from adult meals.
• McDonald's still heavily markets to kids. Happy Meal toys and branding still attract children.
• Kids will likely gravitate to other high-calorie, low-nutrient items like sugary drinks or desserts.
• Parents play the biggest role in teaching nutrition habits - not McDonald's menu options.
• Focus should be on reducing overall fast food consumption and processed foods.

Healthier Fast Food Tips

If fast food is an occasional option, there are ways to make better choices:

• Opt for grilled chicken sandwiches or wraps instead of burgers and nuggets.
• Choose salads with low-fat dressing and add veggies or fruit.
• Skip the extras like mayo, cheese and bacon that add saturated fat.
• Swap fries for apple slices or yogurt as the side item.
• Choose milk, water or juice instead of soda for drinks.
• Watch portion sizes. Split or share items.
• Take advantage of nutrition calculators on menus and apps.
• Do not "supersize" items or combos - stick with regular sizes.

The Role of Parents

More than Happy Meal tweaks, parents have the power to develop healthy eating in kids:

• Set expectations - explain the importance of nutrition from a young age.
• Lead by example - model healthy choices in your own diet.
• Offer balanced meals - incorporate veggies, fruits, whole grains.
• Discourage grazing - have set meal and snack times.
• Avoid emotional feeding - don't give food for comfort.
• Encourage activity - ensure regular exercise and play.
• Monitor portions - serve age-appropriate amounts.
• Limit screen time - excessive TV/devices promote inactivity.
• Focus on whole foods - cook more meals at home.
• Allow occasional treats - teach balance and moderation.

With parental guidance, children can enjoy fast food in moderation while developing nutrition fundamentals for the long haul.

Louis Ha

Bring The Shreds was founded by Louis Ha.

Louis is an online fitness coach and entrepreneur based in the Bay Area.