Adding calorie counts to menu boards, innovating with recommended food groups, publishing Nutrition Progress Report

We are taking further steps in our journey toward helping customers & employees make informed nutrition choices by listing calorie information on restaurant and drive-thru menus across the US starting this month. 

In addition to evolving our menu board labeling, we published our first-ever nutrition progress report and revealed several upcoming menu innovations that will include recommended food groups from the United States Department of Agriculture’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reflected in the messages supporting MyPlate. These are the latest in a series of actions to support our “Commitments to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices,” announced last summer.

Menu Board Labeling to Inform Customer Choices 

This past summer, we introduced a “Favorites Under 400” menu that highlights the calorie information for some of customers’ favorite foods and beverages to help put calorie counts in better context.

Later this fall, approximately 750,000 employees working in McDonald’s and franchisee restaurants in the U.S. will be introduced to a voluntary nutrition e-learning program. The program will help build employees’ knowledge of calories, nutrition and McDonald’s menu offerings.
 

2013 Menu Tests Include More Recommended Food Groups

To make nutritious choices more convenient and accessible, we plan to test foods that would increase the number of wholesome choices on our US menu. The menu items being explored for 2013 include more recommended food groups. Here are some of the additions that are being tested:  

• More seasonal fruit and vegetables options.
• Additional produce side options and grilled chicken choices for Happy Meals.
• New breakfast choices, including an egg-white breakfast sandwich on an English muffin.

McDonald’s USA Nutrition Journey: 2012 Progress Report
The report measures McDonald’s nutrition performance over the past year and highlights our focus on three key nutrition commitments: 

• Children’s Well-Being
• Nutritionally Balanced Menu Choices
• Nutrition Information and Education

Explore this EPK

Press Release [PDF]
McDonald’s USA Nutrition Journey: 2012 Progress Report [PDF]
600 Calories Meal Bundle Fact Sheet [PDF]
MyPlate Fact Sheet [PDF]
Favorites Under 400 Calories Fact Sheet [PDF]
Nutrition Information Evolution [PDF]
Nutrition and Menu Innovation Milestones [PDF]
Just the Facts [Infographics]
Nutrition Progress Snapshot [Infographic]
Menu Boards [Images]
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