McDonald's® Serves Up Whole Grains, Fresh Fruit with New Fruit & Maple Oatmeal

ROSELAND, N.J., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald's kicks off the new year with the national introduction of its new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, a wholesome and balanced menu option available for New York Tri-State Area 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.

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.

"McDonald's new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal showcases our continued commitment and ability to meet customer's needs for a variety of meal choices," said Tony Scari, President of the McDonald's New York Tri-State Area Owners/Operators Association. "With the addition of this delicious wholesome breakfast offering, our customers can continue to depend on McDonald's for a wide variety of affordable, well-balanced menu options that continue to deliver an enjoyable taste."

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

About McDonald's NY/NJ/CT Tri-State Restaurants:

McDonald's is one of the world's best-known brands and is a global leader in food service. There are more than 600 McDonald's restaurants, owned by over 100 franchisees, located throughout the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Tri-State area.  Visit www.mcdonaldsnymetro.com or follow us on Twitter @mcdnytristate for information about other McDonald's area programs.

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.

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 Tri-State Restaurants