Burger King Corp. Announces Three Additions To Kids Meal Menu That Meet Its Stringent Nutrition Criteria

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 29 May 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Burger King Corp.(NYSE:BKC) announced today that it is enhancing its BK® Kids Meal menu with offerings that meet its stringent nutrition criteria for advertised Kids Meals, as part of the company's commitment to its BK Positive StepsSM program. With three new additions, Burger King Corp. now offers a total of four BK® Kids Meal options that comply with Burger King Corp.'s advertising pledge through the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI).

As part of its CFBAI advertising pledge, BKC remains committed to focusing its advertising to children under 12 on products that meet its stringent nutrition criteria for Kids Meals (consisting of an entrée, side dish and beverage), which is defined as:

- No more than 560 calories per meal;
- Less than 30 percent of calories from fat;
- Less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat;
- No added trans fats;
- No more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars;
- No more than 600 milligrams of sodium; and
- A "good source" or "excellent source" of at least two of the following nutrients: calcium, fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E.

The three newly-compliant BK® Kids Meals include:

- A new meal consisting of a two-pack of BK BURGER SHOTS®, bite-sized burgers topped with mustard, ketchup and two crunchy pickles, served with BKTM Fresh Apple Fries, low-fat caramel dipping sauce and calcium-fortified MINUTE MAID® apple juice.

- A new meal consisting of a hamburger served with BKTM Fresh Apple Fries, low-fat caramel dipping sauce and calcium-fortified MINUTE MAID® apple juice.

- A newly reformulated four-piece CHICKEN TENDERS® meal, consisting of CHICKEN TENDERS® reduced in sodium by about one-third, BKTM Fresh Apple Fries, low-fat caramel dipping sauce and HERSHEY'S® fat free milk.

"At Burger King Corp., product innovation is a top priority and our new BK® Kids Meals are a direct result of our efforts to innovate, review and reformulate existing kid favorites," says Russ Klein, president, global marketing, strategy and innovation. "Offering nutritionally-balanced meals furthers our HAVE IT YOUR WAY® brand promise by continuing to provide our customers with the quality they expect, the value they want and more choices that fit their diets and lifestyles."

These meals join the current advertised BK® Kids Meal, consisting of age-appropriate portion sizes of nutritionally fortified KRAFT® Macaroni & Cheese, BK™ Fresh Apple Fries, low-fat caramel dipping sauce, and HERSHEY'S® fat free* milk.

"Burger King Corp.'s commitment to product innovation and reformulation is an example of how the food industry can help make positive changes to existing menu items in order to provide nutritious and flavorful options that appeal to kids," said Elaine Kolish, director of the CBBB's Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. "This is another proactive step that underscores Burger King Corp.'s efforts to help make a difference in this important area."

More BK Positive StepsSM in Nutrition

On April 27, 2009 Burger King Corp. transitioned from HERSHEY'S® 1 percent low-fat milk to HERSHEY'S® fat free milk in BURGER KING® restaurants nationwide. This beverage option is included with two of the advertised BK® Kids Meals and is also available for customers of all ages to select.

As part of its ongoing commitment to help its customers eat and live better, BKC is introducing a variety of new BK Positive StepsSM program promotional materials in restaurants nationwide, including posters featuring the BK® Kids Meals that meet its strict nutrition criteria. Beyond childhood nutrition, the company is also making it even easier for adults to choose meals that fit their individual diets and lifestyles, by identifying more than 350 BURGER KING® meal combinations that provide 650 calories or less. Examples of these meal combinations are featured on tray liners, queue signs and window decals at participating BURGER KING® restaurants nationwide, as well as available online at www.bk.com/positivesteps. In April, BKC released promotional materials featuring the "Hold the Mayo" message that demonstrates the company's HAVE IT YOUR WAY® brand promise in participating BURGER KING® restaurants nationwide.

As part of the BK Positive StepsSM program, BKC also eliminated all trans fat cooking oils and ingredients in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, Puerto Rico and Canada; instituted a sodium commitment of 600 milligrams or less for BK® Kids Meals that are advertised to kids under 12 years old; and uses 100 percent recyclable BK® Kids Meal bags.

Source
Burger King Corporation

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