Everyone knows they should eat fruits and vegetables. Few people hear it from fast-food companies and snack purveyors. That is changing as companies that make foods rich in fat and salt aggressively market healthier options.
McDonald's launched a line of all-fruit smoothies earlier this month, a move that could help the fast-food giant fend off critics of its traditional fare and marketing practices. Most recently, the Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group The Center for Science in the Public Interest griped that McDonald's shouldn't reward a child with a toy, as it offers with Happy Meals, for eating unhealthy food. McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker says the company has been working since 2003 to make its menu more appealing to health-conscious consumers. He called the CSPI's complaints "unprofessional" and "destructive."
The Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's isn't the only company feeling the heat, as officials from the Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies have proposed a set of regulations limiting what kinds of food can be marketed toward children under the age of 18.
Dublin, Ohio-based fast food chain Wendy's ( WEN – news – people ) recently rolled out an ad campaign that touts its salads, mentioning their freshness and high-quality ingredients. And Denver's Chipotle Mexican Grill ( CMGB – news – people ) is running a new ad campaign called "Food With Integrity," making note of the quality of the ingredients it uses in its burritos and other offerings.
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