The Mickey Check is coming to a Menu Near You

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.

Through the Magic of Healthy Living Initiative, Disney has already phased out all ADDED trans fast in Parks & Resorts as well as in items available in local stores.  They placed Magic of Healthy Living messages into Disney media streams like Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior and Radio Disney encouraging kids to consume fruits & vegetables and participate in physical activities.  They have updated to more stringent standards for food advertising on those same media platforms and the company is now launching the Mickey Check.

“Addressing a need for families, Disney introduced the Mickey Check, a new tool that makes it easier to identify nutritious choices in stores, online, and while on vacation at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.  By the end of 2012, the Mickey Check will appear on Disney-licensed food products sold at retail, on qualifying recipes on Disney.com and Family.com, and on kids’ meals and fruit carts at Disney Parks and Resorts.”

Meals and individual foods earning the Mickey Check must contribute to a healthy diet:

by being part of one of four focus groups

1. fruit and vegetables
2. whole grain (whole wheat pasta or bread, corn, brown rice, oats, quinoa, etc)
3. low fat dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese)
4. lean protein (meat, poultry, fish) dry beans, eggs, and nuts

by being an appropriate serving size and meeting specific calorie limits

by limiting sodium, sugar, saturated fat, and trans fat

Minimally processed or stand alone fruits and vegetables automatically comply with the nutrition guidelines.

We saw the Mickey Check in use at the Be Our Guest restaurant in New Fantasyland during our lunch as a part of the Annual Passholder preview.  We’re also noticing more and more healthy snack options available in the Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts.  We’re planning 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.  Check back soon to get the full scoop and please add your own comments!