McDonald’s Serves Up Whole Grains, Fresh Fruit

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 3, 2011 — McDonald's® kicks off the new year with the introduction of its new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, a wholesome and balanced menu option available for customers at breakfast and throughout the day. Delivering two of the three recommended daily servings of whole grains and about a half cup of fruit, Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is McDonald's first new breakfast offering since 2008.

McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is prepared with 100 percent natural whole grain oats, light cream and brown sugar, and topped with diced, fresh red and green apples, tangy dried cranberries and two types of raisins. As part of McDonald's ongoing commitment to customer choice, every bowl of Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is freshly prepared upon request and customers may order it with or without brown sugar. Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is served any time of the day at participating McDonald's restaurant locations across the United States. Average retail price is $1.99.

"With McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, we're offering a portable, affordable and balanced breakfast solution to help customers start their day right," said Senior Director of Nutrition Cindy Goody, Ph.D., MBA, R.D. "McDonald's wants to help make it easier and more inviting for our guests to eat more whole grains and fruits, and Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is an effective way to help our customers integrate these important food groups into their daily diets."

Fruit & Maple Oatmeal has 290 calories per serving and is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. It provides 32 grams of 100 percent natural whole grain oats and about 25 percent of an individual's daily recommendations for fruit – two food groups that consumers are encouraged to consume more often.(1) Fruit & Maple Oatmeal without brown sugar has 260 calories per serving.

"New Fruit & Maple Oatmeal underscores McDonald's continued commitment and ability to meet customers' needs for a variety of meal choices," said Neal Ruby, president of the McDonald's Operators' Association of Southern California (MOASC). "We believe our customers in the Southland will enjoy this delicious addition to our menu, not only for breakfast but throughout the day."

MOASC is comprised of nearly 600 franchised and company-owned McDonald's restaurants in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. Follow us on Twitter @McDonalds_SoCal.

(1) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, June 15, 2010.

Source: McDonald's