Disney Cutting the Fat

The Disney Company is making a move toward more healthy food from its licensees and at the theme parks:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. said on Monday it is putting limits on the calorie, fat and sugar it will allow in packaged foods it markets to children using the faces of Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters.

The move comes amid widening media focus on the growing number of obese and overweight children in the United States. It also follows the expiration this year of a decade-long exclusive deal Disney had to promote its films in McDonald's Corp.'s fast-food kids' Happy Meals.

In a statement, Disney said it has outlined new guidelines for the foods it will allow to carry one of its licenses.

For instance, added sugar in those foods will not exceed 10 percent of calories for main and side dishes and 25 percent of calories for snacks. Total fat will not exceed 30 percent of calories for main and side dishes and 35 percent for snacks.

Disney has also pledged to eliminate artery-clogging trans fats from both the food served at its theme parks and in its licensed and promotional products.

The Mrs. and I noticed the change on Saturday night when we stopped by Disneyland for dinner. She usually gets the kids' spaghetti dinner at Pizza Port in Tomorrowland because the portion size is right for her, and instead of a chunk of greasy bread with her spaghetti and meatballs, it was accompanied by some grapes and a little bag of baby carrots. The drink that came with it was fruit juice, though you could ask for a soft drink instead (which she did). She felt the fruit and carrots actually made for a more filling meal, and I'm sure it was healthier.

Not everybody is into the health kick, though. We saw actor Brad Garrett ("Robert" from Everybody Loves Raymond) waiting in line with his family at the corn dog stand, so I guess all Hollywood types are not tofu eaters.