WASHINGTON — Parents seeking healthier restaurant meals for their kids can start to look beyond macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets.
At least 19 large restaurant chains — including Burger King, Chili’s, IHOP and Friendly’s — plan to announce today that they will include more healthful options on their children’s menus. At least 15,000 restaurant locations will focus on increasing servings of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy. The items will have less fat, sugar and sodium.
Less healthful foods such as burgers and fries will still be on the menu, but the restaurants say they will do more to promote healthier options.
The companies signing up for the initiative are Au Bon Pain, Bonefish Grill, Burger King, Burgerville, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Chevys, Chili’s, Corner Bakery Cafe, Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, El Pollo Loco, Friendly’s, IHOP, Joe’s Crab Shack, Outback Steakhouse, Silver Diner, Sizzler, T-Bones Great American Eatery and zpizza. The Associated Press
