McDonald's takes cheeseburgers off Happy Meal menu in new health drive

The changes were made in the UK ten years ago
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McDonald's has announced plans to remove cheeseburgers from its Happy Meal menu in the US in a drive to make their menus healthier for children.

Bottled water will also replace chocolate milk on the menu in an effort to encourage youngsters to select healthier options.

Although the less healthy options will still be available to customers, they will no longer be openly advertised, just as they haven't been in the UK for the past decade.

The fast food chain wants at least half of the Happy Meals listed on its drive-thru, restaurant and digital menus around the world to contain 600 calories or fewer by 2022.

A McDonald's spokesman told the Standard: “We take our responsibility to families very seriously and in the UK we have, for a long time, been committed to evolving our Happy Meal menu to keep in step with what parents want.

"We have pioneered an extensive salt and sugar reduction programme, and subsequently the average Happy Meal consumed in the UK last year contained 19.3 per cent less salt, 9.4 per cent less saturated fat, and 13.5 per cent less sugar, compared with the average Happy Meal sold in 2006.

“There is also an increased choice of Happy Meal combinations, including semi-skimmed organic milk and mineral water and today, mums and dads can swap Fries for Carrot Sticks or a Fruit Bag.

"As part of our ongoing commitment to choice in the UK we are making moves to expand our menu and are pleased to be working with Mumsnet and their influencers to introduce a new item to the Happy Meal later this year."

It said orders for fizzy drinks had fallen by 14% since they were removed from the Happy Meal menu four years ago.

The changes are due to take place in the US by June.

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