Now even the Happy Meal joins the veggie revolution
FOR decades, the McDonald’s Happy Meal has been the guilty secret of harrassed parents across the world.
Now, however, mums and dads can start to feel a little less bold when they bring their children to the fast food outlet... because it is offering a vegetarian Happy Meal alongside its more traditional kids’ options.
The new meat-free meal has as its centrepiece a veggie wrap with a red pesto goujon, made mainly from yellow split peas, tomato, Arborio rice, sundried tomato, tomato paste, red pepper, olive oil, herbs and some sugar, served with tomato ketchup and shredded lettuce.
Like traditional Happy Meals, the vegetarian version comes with a choice of a carrot bag, pineapple stick or small fries, as well as a choice of drink including mineral water, organic milk or orange juice – and of course a toy. Overall, the meal contains 209 calories.
The chain has also introduced a new adult Spicy Veggie Wrap, which is made with two red pesto goujons and a spicy relish with tomato, lettuce and red onion. It has 364 calories.
McDonald’s menu director Duncan Cruttenden said demand had been growing for
vegetarian options.
He added: ‘Our commitment is to offer great food, great choice and a great experience to our customers and we are constantly asking them how we can evolve and improve.
‘We are really thrilled to be able to give our customers this new choice with the addition of the Spicy Vegetarian Wrap and our first Vegetarian Happy Meal.’
As part of the process of choosing the new options, McDonald’s invited parents and their children to select the final flavour for the new vegetarian options.
The ingredients in the veggie Happy Meal are all also dairy-free and vegan.