STORM2K

CHICAGO - McDonald's Corp. has enlisted the aid of Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer Bob Greene to promote an adult version of the Happy Meal, the fast-food giant's latest effort to offer healthier products.

Instead of Happy Meal standards like a burger and a toy, the new Go Active meal will include a salad, an exercise booklet and a pedometer meant to encourage walking.

Fitness guru BGreene has agreed to help promote the Go Active Meal, which is being test-marketed at 150 McDonald's restaurants in Indiana.

McDonald's and other fast-food chains have tried to offer healthier fare that will still temp tastebuds as the fat and calorie content of their core products has come under scrutiny. Burger King, the No. 2 hamburger chain, planned to launch a new line of low-fat, baguette-style chicken sandwiches on Thursday.

Two weeks ago, a federal judge in New York dismissed an obesity lawsuit against McDonald's that alleged it had been hiding the health risks of eating its popular Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets. It was the second time this year that U.S. District Judge Robert Sweet threw out a class-action lawsuit that blamed McDonald's for making people fat.

Greene, who can't remember the last time he visited a McDonald's restaurant, said consumers had to take "personal responsibility" for the choices they make when it comes to consuming food. He will also consult on new menu items for the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company, which also announced a new taco version of its premium salads on Tuesday.

McDonald's has a "long, long way to go" to solidify a reputation for promoting healthy foods, said Bob Goldin, an analyst at Chicago-based food consultancy Technomic. But Goldin was willing to give the company credit for trying.

"McDonald's sees some major trends, and the company is trying to be responsive," Goldin said. "Whether these initiatives will actually move the needle (to boost sales), I don't know."

Yep, it is no big secret the fast food chain is in trouble. They should offer this type Happy Meal to children too. But, at least they are trying. It took me a long time to get over those McDonald's fries. lol.

Good for McDonald's, who BTW should never be blamed for making people fat. I am not exactly skinny, but it is my own inability to resist junk food that caused the situation!

The problem is, and I've always said this, the super sized meals. Try ordering a simple burger, fries and drink without being bombarded to super size it. It sure isn't easy. I learned years ago my youngest never ate all her happy meal fries so I would just order a fish sandwich, and finish her fries. That's almost impossible to do too - you want just a fish sandwich? Not a meal? And also the drink sizes changed a while back. If you want a small drink, you have to ask for the kiddie size. Ask for a large drink, and you'll get that 50 oz whopper at some places.

I think the consumer just has to know before walking in the door what he/she wants to order. And stick to it, don't be talked into more. More isn't always better.

Mary

If the fast food industry is in trouble, it's not because of the fat food. It's the service. No matter when it is that you go in to our McDonalds, you wait and wait. At the drive thru, they never get the order right. They should also upgrade the speakers so you can understand them.

coriolis wrote:If the fast food industry is in trouble, it's not because of the fat food. It's the service. No matter when it is that you go in to our McDonalds, you wait and wait. At the drive thru, they never get the order right. They should also upgrade the speakers so you can understand them.

That's true.

Fast Food....How about Barf Food! Either way if a salad is in corporated in the 'Adult' happy meal, the salads at those places aren't the healthiest either....there was a study done on local Fast Food places, and the salads may have been low fat, but the sodium level was sky high!

I lived off of McDonald's and Burger King for a long time. Today, I can't stomach the stuff. Just the smell of the place makes me head the other way, LOL. I don't think the image of a healthy meal will get me back either. The damage is done, LOL. No more fast food for me.

And if you pile regular salad dressing on those salads, you've added a whole lot of fat to your "healthy" salad. Most places do offer low-fat or fat-free choices though.

I've never been a big fast food fan myself...have always only eaten it occasionally. But Taco Bell is by far by my fast food of choice. YUMMY!!

I saw this report on CNN Headline News yesterday and if you would have seen the salad it would have made you hungry for a Big Mac. :o :o

I don't do fast food alot, but when I want A BIG MAC that's what I want,and no salad, exercise book, or pedometer will deter me. I'm pretty sure the person who filed the lawsuit against McDonalds feels the same way!! btw- a salad made the right way is probably worse for you than a big mac.