Disney changing its menu for kids at its theme parks

jd3921fl · Post by **jd3921fl** » Oct Mon 16, 2006 12:56 pm

LOS ANGELES -- The Walt Disney Co. will begin serving more nutritionally balanced meals at its domestic theme parks and will sign movie and other endorsement deals only with restaurants that limit fat and sugar in menu items, the company said Monday.

Unhealthy artificial trans fats will be eliminated from meals at domestic parks by the end of next year, and will not be included in licensed and promotional products by 2008, Disney said.

Disney CEO Robert Iger said the move came in response to comments from parents about the eating habits of their children.

The company was ``well aware of the huge responsibility we have, given our reach and our ability to impact people's behavior and opinions,'' Iger told The Associated Press from Singapore, where he was on business.

Given the increased attention to healthier eating, ``it was the right thing to do,'' he said.

Disney said it would implement the new guidelines over the next several years as current contracts expire.

Iger said the company also sees a business opportunity in promoting and licensing healthier products, ranging from breakfast cereals to the children's meals it serves at its 11 worldwide theme parks.

The entertainment giant currently licenses characters to Indianapolis-based produce distributor Imagination Farms LLC to provide fruits and vegetables for the Disney Garden brand.

Other large consumer products companies also are pushing healthier eating.

McDonald's Corp. has been adding more salads and fruit to its menus, while Wendy's International Inc. recently said it would switch to cooking french fries and breaded chicken items with non-hydrogenated oil.

Last month, the Federal Communications Commission announced plans to study links between the ads that appear on kids TV shows and the rise of childhood obesity.

A number of entertainment companies have come under fire for maintaining marketing deals with fast food chains and junk food makers.

Last year, Disney and McDonald's ended an exclusive 10-year deal to promote animated films using Happy Meals. The move coincided with a growing national interest in healthier eating for kids _ although both companies said the decision had more to do with a desire to work with other promotional partners.

Disney said it worked with physicians to develop the new food guidelines that:

Place a cap on total calories, which will result in smaller portion for children.

Limit fat to a maximum of 30 percent of calories for entrees and side dishes, and 35 percent for snacks.

Cap saturated fat at 10 percent of calories for main dishes, side dishes and snacks.

Limit sugar to 10 percent of calories for main dishes and side dishes, and 25 percent of calories for snacks.

The company will keep licensing sweets for special occasions, such as birthday cakes and holiday candies, but will limit the number of ``indulgence'' items in its total food portfolio to 15 percent by 2010.

Starting this month, kid's meals at Disney's domestic parks are being served with low-fat milk, 100 percent fruit juice, or water, along with side dishes such as apple sauce or carrots in place of french fries and soft drinks.

Parents can still request soda or fries at no additional cost.

knedeau · Post by **knedeau** » Oct Mon 16, 2006 1:57 pm

It's About TIME!

Hopefully more and more places that cater to kids will include healthier meals!

Blackie Pueblo · Post by **Blackie Pueblo** » Oct Tue 17, 2006 12:12 pm

But I don't understand. After the kids eat all the unhealthy foods, all they have to do is run it off. Disney doesn't need healthier foods, they just need more playgrounds like Pooh's!

**Ducks and runs**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bringing new life into the film industry, http://www.newlineagefilms.com

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Oct Tue 17, 2006 3:46 pm

I wonder if someone checked with the kids first?

I'm really sick of Disney going PC.

Just Believe · Post by **Just Believe** » Oct Tue 17, 2006 6:04 pm

AKLRULZ wrote:I wonder if someone checked with the kids first?

I'm really sick of Disney going PC.

HAHA!!! I told my little brother about this and he was like, "They better not take away the Mickey Chicken Nuggets!!

"

kristen · Post by **kristen** » Oct Thu 19, 2006 6:30 pm

AKLRULZ wrote:I'm really sick of Disney going PC.

I agree. If I want to eat fatty, greasy, heart-attack-inducing foods, that's my right. Also, what kid wants a vegetable dipping platter or cold chicken? Really? Most adults wouldn't eat that.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Oct Fri 20, 2006 12:23 am

I doubt the plan is to go with tofu snacks and alfalfa sprouts. The key is that they're going to produce the same foods without all the stuff that is making Americans tremendously unhealthy. Look at any processed food and you're likely to find high fructose corn syrup, which only exists in such vast quantities for political reasons. (I will spare you my anti-corn rant unless anyone really, really wants to hear it.)

This is the most positive news I've seen coming out of Disney in at least a decade. It's thinking outside of the box and actually trying to make the world a better place. Nice work, Iger.

(The cynic in me says this has more to do with flagging toy sales at McDonald's based on crappy movies, but whatever. I hope Disney does a lot more of this.)

It's got nothing to do with being PC, by the way. It's a scientific fact that the American diet is unhealthy and is killing us. That's not at all the same thing as producing bland idea-free entertainment so as not to offend anyone.

kronk's angel · Post by **kronk's angel** » Oct Fri 20, 2006 4:55 am

Captain Schnemo wrote:It's got nothing to do with being PC, by the way. It's a scientific fact that the American diet is unhealthy and is killing us. That's not at all the same thing as producing bland idea-free entertainment so as not to offend anyone.

Good point. A good friend died of a massive coronary last week. He was 39, with four young kids, but he was heavy and had that "apple" figure...

(Sorry if I seem more cynical than usual.)

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Oct Fri 20, 2006 3:08 pm

Sorry to hear about your friend.

Hopefully Disney will help remind the world that food can be tasty and fun without being so unhealthy as to actually put the consumer in danger. The idea isn't to preach or force people to eat their peas, but to change the environment so it's just as easy to eat healthy (or at least healthier) as it is to eat poorly now.

Ideally, no one would take anyone's guilty pleasures away, just produce them in a way that isn't so toxic.

csquare77 · Post by **csquare77** » Oct Sat 21, 2006 11:21 am

I think when you eat "fast food" you Know it cant be good for you, It's good to see that they are taking measures to get healthier food, but its still up to a person to deicide if he wants a salad or a burger.

kronk's angel · Post by **kronk's angel** » Oct Sun 22, 2006 3:03 am

Thanks, Captain.

laurie5658 · Post by **laurie5658** » Oct Thu 26, 2006 9:21 am

Personally, I would like more lower sodium, less fat selections.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Oct Mon 30, 2006 1:08 pm

Wendy's and KFC have both just announced that they're going to eliminate trans fats from their menu.

I have to think that Disney's decision can only have been a positive factor in these decisions.

I'm very happy to have something nice to say about the Disney corporation for the first time in ages.

knedeau · Post by **knedeau** » Oct Mon 30, 2006 1:32 pm

Disney is helping families have more healthy options.

Kids today are eating WAY less healthy than they WE did when we were kids. Look at any kids' menu in a restaurant... what are their options? Burger, Chicken Fingers, grilled cheese. Not great options if you ask me. (and I don't even HAVE kids)

csquare77 wrote:but its still up to a person to deicide if he wants a salad or a burger.

Thats the thing, before, the kids menu didn't have much in the way of choices. Now at least the parents have an OPTION to give their kids something HEALTHY, or let them splurge once in a while with a burger (sans trans-fatty).

YAY DISNEY!

csquare77 · Post by **csquare77** » Oct Mon 30, 2006 2:18 pm

Also Disney is a vacation, on any vacation your gonna over eat/eat bad food for you.