CNN Madison Park, November 30, 2011
Goodbye, free plastic toys inside Happy Meals — at least in one major California city.
A new San Francisco law goes into effect on Thursday that prevents fast-food restaurants from giving away trinkets, action figures and other toys in their kid’s meals unless their food meets nutritional requirements.
And McDonald’s kid’s meals do not. The meals have to be less than 600 calories and contain fruits (a half-cup) and vegetables (3/4 of a cup). They must have less than 35% of the total calories coming from fat, …

August 8, 2011, Huffington Post, Christina Pirello
Progress is progress, and while I will congratulate any company on its efforts to make healthier food options available to mainstream consumers, I think we need to hold onto our party hats before celebrating the Happy Meal makeover.
As reported on CNN.com the Happy Meal will now include apple slices, a reduced portion of fries, a choice of fat-free chocolate milk, 1 percent low fat white milk, fruit juice or water along with the usual choice of hamburger, cheeseburger or chicken nuggets (oy).
A corporate statement …

August 2, 2011, HarrisonPatch, Jaclyn Bruntfield
Last week, McDonald’s USA said the company was taking steps to make its menu options healthier, particularly for kids.
On its face, this seems to be good news in many ways. Parents, policy groups and even the federal government are pressuring companies to re-assess their tactics when it comes to marketing to children. And the companies seem to be responding.
McDonald’s got the most press after the announcement for its planned addition of apples to Happy Meals while also decreasing portion sizes for french fries.
According to nutritional …

San Fransisco Chronicle, Rachel Gordon, August 11, 2010
Toys that have been synonymous with kids’ meals at fast-food restaurants could soon be banned in San Francisco under a new law proposed Tuesday if the food contains too much fat, sugar or salt.
Earlier this year, Santa Clara County became the first local government in the nation to adopt such a law, but it only applies to unincorporated areas and affects a handful of restaurants.
San Francisco’s proposal could have a far greater impact. The restrictions would pertain to all restaurants but effectively would target the dozens of …