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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Zoe Forsey & Simon Smith

McDonald's Happy Meals have changed and it's bad news for some parents

A 'McDonald's for tea' can be a treat for many kids - and, as any parent will tell you, the trick is to try to keep it as healthy as possible.

The fast food giant now offers water and milk as Happy Meal options and has dramatically cut the amount of salt in an average meal.

But some of the youngest customers might be a bit disappointed next time they visit as a big change is being made to Happy Meals.

Carrot sticks are being scrapped from the menu in favour of an alternative side - cucumber sticks.

Marie Emery, head of family marketing at McDonald’s, said: "We are always working on ways to improve our Happy Meal and the introduction of cucumber sticks is an exciting step in this journey.

"It can be tricky to get kids to enjoy their recommended fruit and vegetable intake but customers told us cucumber is a popular choice for families.

"More than a third of children already eat it between 2 and 3 times a week, so we’re delighted to be able to offer it as part of our Happy Meal.

"We’ll continue to listen to our customers and give them choices that work for their families."

The swap will run until July.

As well as part of the £2.79 Happy Meal, diners will also be able to buy cucumber sticks separately for 79p.

McDonald's has been working to make their kids meals healthier and have reduced salt in the average deal by 47 per cent.

A half-cup of sliced cucumbers has just 8 calories and more than 10 per cent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K.

They also now offer water and milk as drink options, and now less than a quarter of meals are sold with a sugary fizzy drink.

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