Healthy Happy Meals?

Healthful fast food? Fuhgeddaboudit. Isnt self-indulgence the whole point? If we wanted tofu, we'd find it. When we want a double bacon-burger with extra-large fries, get out of our way. At least that has always been the thinking.

The obesity crisis has not escaped the notice of the average consumer, to say nothing of the average health department regulator. Restaurants are on the front line of a push to make eating better food a priority. The convergence of self-interest and market forces is driving this. Deflecting some of the criticism for offering super-fat food makes participation the 600 calorie program a public relations winner. Demand for healthful options (you can lead the proverbial biker to water but...)makes it potentially profitable. That said, we look forward to seeing how these offerings sell. We suspect that hamburger patty makers have nothing to fear. JL

Ariel Schwartz reports in Fast Company:

Restaurants are joining up with a program that requires them to make a 600-calorie meal available for kids. How are they going to trick kids into ordering that, and when do we get a healthy solution for grown-ups?
With the latest obesity statistics finding that only Colorado and the Washington, D.C., had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%, it's time for some creative solutions. To that end, Kids LiveWell has convinced 15,000 restaurant locations across the U.S.--including chains like Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Denny's, and IHOP--to offer healthier meals for kids.

The reasoning behind the National Restaurant Association program is obvious: if chains offer healthier options, they can avoid some of the blame for the obesity crisis and win back customers who are concerned about the lack of low-calorie choices for their children. The rules are stringent, too.
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