The Mickey Check will soon be appearing on kid’s menus all over Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort as well as on packaging in your local stores. The Mickey Check is part of the Magic of Healthy Living Initiative that Disney announced in 2006.
Let’s take a closer look at the meals earning the Mickey Check as a part of Disney’s Magic of Healthy Living Initiative and compare them to what an average child actually needs to eat. Remember, these could be counter service or table service meals in the Disney Theme Parks and Resorts, they could be Disney-licensed food items found at your local grocery, or they could be recipes on Disney.com or Family.com.
For a “complete meal” to earn the Mickey Check, it must be
under 600 calories
have no more than 1.1 gram of saturated fat per 100 calories
have no more than 2.5 grams of ADDED sugar per 100 calories
have no more than 740 milligrams of sodium
have no ADDED trans fat
have items from 3 of the 4 focus groups (fruit and vegetables, whole grain, low fat dairy, or lean protein) and one MUST be from the fruit and vegetable group
if included, beverage must be water-based beverage, low fat milk, or 100% juice
For a “mini meal” to earn the Mickey Check, it must be
under 400 calories
have no more than 1.1 gram of saturated fat per 100 calories
have no more than 2.5 grams of ADDED sugar per 100 calories
have no more than 600 milligrams of sodium
have no ADDED trans fat
have items from 2 of the 4 focus groups (fruit and vegetables, whole grain, low fat dairy, or lean protein)
if included, beverage must be water-based beverage, low fat milk, or 100% juice
For a “breakfast meal” to earn the Mickey Check, it must be
between 400 and 600 calories
have no more than 1.1 gram of saturated fat per 100 calories
must meet limits for sugar in individual components (think cereal)
have no more than 600 milligrams of sodium
have no ADDED trans fat
have items from 2 of the 4 focus groups (fruit and vegetables, whole grain, low fat dairy, or lean protein
if included, beverage must be water-based beverage, low fat milk, or 100% juice
A “main dish” earning the Mickey Check must be
under 350 calories
have no more than 1.1 gram of saturated fat per 100 calories
have no more than 2.5 grams of ADDED sugar per 100 calories
have no more than 600 milligrams of sodium
have no ADDED trans fat
have items from 2 of the 4 focus groups (fruit and vegetables, whole grain, low fat dairy, or lean protein)
A “side dish” earning the Mickey Check must be
under 200 calories
have no more than 1.1 gram of saturated fat per 100 calories
have no more than 2.5 grams of ADDED sugar per 100 calories
have no more than 300 milligrams of sodium
have no ADDED trans fat
have items from 1 or more focus groups excluding lean protein
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health & Human Services, lists calorie needs of the average three-year-old anywhere from 1000 to 1400 calories per day. Calorie needs for the average six-year-old total 1200 to 1800 calories per day and for the average nine-year-old, needs range from 1400 to 2000 calories per day depending on sex and activity level.
In Disney theme park terms, a child is someone ages 3 through 9. This means a child eating three meals a day in Disney restaurants while on vacation at Walt Disney World choosing only meals that have earned the Mickey Check could consume up to 1800 calories, nearly 20 grams of saturated fat, up to 45 grams of ADDED sugar, and 2220 milligrams of sodium just from the three meals, not counting any extra snacks or treats. And that’s only if children order the meals as posted and do not substitute chocolate milk or soda for the beverage or fries for one of the sides.
This is a multi-part series of blog posts taking a closer look into the Mickey Check from the perspective of a mom who is also a registered dietitian. Click here to see part 1 and please add your own comments!