McDonald's® Serves up Whole Grains, Fresh Fruit With New Fruit & Maple Oatmeal

OAK BROOK, Ill., Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald's kicks off the new year with the national introduction of its new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal available for customers at breakfast and throughout the entire day. Delivering two of the three recommended daily servings for whole grains and about a half cup of fruit, Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is McDonald's first new breakfast offering since 2008.

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Combining the perfect harmony of flavor, 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: customers may order it with brown sugar or without brown sugar for those who prefer a less sweetened option. Beyond breakfast, Fruit & Maple Oatmeal is served any time of the day in all of McDonald's participating 14,000 restaurant locations in the United States.

"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 Delivers Fiber, Whole Grains and Fresh Fruit

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.  

"Studies continue to confirm the health benefits of consuming whole grains," said Kara Berrini, Program Manager, Whole Grains Council and Oldways. "Despite the recommendation that at least half of all grains eaten should be whole grains, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows that more than 95 percent of individuals are not eating enough whole grains.(2,3) We commend the visibility and accessibility that McDonald's launch of new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal brings to whole grains. And, we're excited that Fruit & Maple Oatmeal will be available all day so that customers can get their whole grains whenever they want."

For more information about McDonald's full line of menu choices visit www.McDonalds.com.

About McDonald's

McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business men and women. Customers can now log online for free at any of the 11,500 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

About Oldways and The Whole Grains Council

Oldways is an internationally-respected non-profit, changing the way people eat through positive and practical programs grounded in science and tradition. The Whole Grains Council (WGC) is an Oldways program working to increase consumption of whole grains for better health.  The WGC's many initiatives help consumers to find whole grain foods and understand their health benefits; help manufacturers and restaurants to create delicious whole grain foods; and help the media to write accurate, compelling stories about whole grains. You can learn more about both at oldwayspt.org and at wholegrainscouncil.org.

(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.

(2) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (U.S.)  2005  MyPyramid.gov. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA : http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS60027

(3) Whole Grain Intake Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Examination Manuals (2001-2004) as cited in the Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.

© 2011 McDonald's

SOURCE McDonald’s