McDonald's Doubles Down On Nutrition, Puts Calories On Menu
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) — McDonald's Corp. is doubling down on today's nutritional emphasis, announcing Wednesday its restaurants in metro Detroit and across the country will post calorie information on all menus.
Will a $1 McDouble be as tasty when consumers know what it costs nutritionally? The chain is betting on it.
"At McDonald's, we recognize customers want to know more about the nutrition content of the food and beverages they order," said Jan Fields, president of McDonald's USA. "As a company that has provided nutrition information for more than 30 years, we are pleased to add to the ways we make nutrition information available to our customers and employees."
The change is set to happen Monday on menu boards and drive-through menus,which puts the company ahead of impending federal regulations approved through national healthcare reform requiring major chains to post the information, possibly as soon as early next year.
Along with the nutritional information, the Iillinois-based company is expected to roll out healthier options, including Egg McMuffins made with egg whites, Canadian bacon and a whole-grain muffin -- called the Egg White Delight.
McDonald's also rolled out a "Favorites Under 400" campaign earlier this summer highlighting menu items with fewer than 400 calories. The company noted that about 80 percent of its menu items fit the bill.
While options like the fruit and yogurt parfait, small fries and snack-size versions of calorie-laden treats like the McFlurry are already on the "under 400" menu -- while cut apples and low-fat milk can be added to Happy Meals -- there are still plenty of calorie bombs to be had.
A meal with a Big Mac, large fries, and 16-ounce soda has 1,360 calories, 54 grams of fat, and 1,370 mg of sodium, and 95 grams of sugar -- that's an entire day's worth of fat, more sodium and sugar than many nutritionists recommend for a full-day's consumption.
As always, nutritional content for every McDonald's item is available on the company's website HERE. On the road? Download the company's nutritional app from iTunes HERE.
