Burger King Products - Nutrition

Nutrition

See also: Burger King legal issues article, Nutrition section

One of the company's first forays into healthier products was in 1983 with introduction of its salad bar. The salad bar met with light to moderate success, but the company's franchise holders complained of high operating costs and a poor return on investment. Part of the product, a pita salad, was quickly dropped from the salad bar, as were plans to use the bar unit to boost breakfast sales. In 1987 the company augmented its salad bar with a test line of prepackaged salads, including chef and garden salads. The salad bar was eventually eliminated in favor of packaged salads. In 1990, BK introduced a new salad line accompanied by a licensing agreement with Paul Newman's Newman's Own, Inc., whose salad dressings accompanied the products. Burger King revamped its salad line again in 2004, with the introduction of its Fire Grilled Salad products. Burger King sought to differentiate this line of salads by packaging the warm meat toppings—a choice of grilled shrimp or broiled chicken—separately from the cold salad; this added the appearance of an additional layer of freshness. Currently in the United States, the salads are pre-made off-site. They are sold with two toppings and Ken's Foods Ken's Steakhouse brand salad dressing. Internationally, the salads vary in composition and style from market to market. In all markets, salads are one of the items targeted at female and health-conscious consumers. In parts of Europe, salads are sold under the "King Delight" or "LA Range" banner.

As a response to recent obesity trends in the United States and other nations, Burger King modified its menu and food preparation practices. In addition to offering lower-fat menu item such as salads, the company has updated its nutrition guides to include dietary guidelines and other nutritional data. One of its reactions to the concerns over trans-fats was to initiate a program in January 2008 to phase out added trans-fat in its products, and to switch to pure vegetable oils that are free of hydrogenated fats. The program ended in early 2009 with a complete changeover to the new oils. Most, but not all, of the products contain no added trans-fats; some products, such as the beef used in the hamburgers, still contain naturally-occurring trans-fats.

To address concerns over the increase in childhood obesity in Western nations and accusations of unhealthy offerings for children by groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the company created a nutritional program called "BK Positive Steps" that is aimed at children and their families. The program began with the introduction of products such as broiled Chicken Tenders, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and apple "fries", which are French cut apples served in a fry box that are featured in a new low-fat Kid's Club Meal. According to a statement by Burger King, the new Kid's Club meals contain no more than 560 calories per meal, less than 30 percent of calories from fat, less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat, no added trans fats, and no more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars. Additional changes to its menu were announced in May 2009, including the reduction of sodium levels in its Chicken Tenders product by approximately 33 percent; a switch to non-fat milk products in the U.S.; and adding calcium-fortified apple juice to its beverage line-up. The broiled Chicken Tenders product is only sold in the UK/Ireland market. The product line has been expanded to include a boiled mini chicken sandwich for the kid's meals in this region.

The company has adapted its menu to accommodate different dietary lifestyles by adding several vegetarian options, including salads, the BK Veggie sandwich, and its deep-fried spicy bean burger that is sold in Burger King's international locations. The majority of these products do not qualify as vegan due to the presence of egg or dairy products; an example is the BK Veggie, which is approved by the British Vegetarian Society. Society guidelines do not require their approved products to be vegan, and allow ovo-lacto-vegetarian ingredients. The Veggie Burger is widely sold in other countries, sometimes under different names (for example, it is called a "Country Burger" in Germany). Burger King added low-carb variants of several of its products in 2004 that are in accordance with high-protein diets such as the Atkins diet and the South Beach Diet. Low-carbohydrate preparation consists of eliminating the bread and serving the product in a bowl with silverware.

In January 2010, BK began to publish a list of which of their products that contain gluten and added menu options designed to help those afflicted with Celiac disease as part of its "Positive Steps" nutrition program. A company representative stated that it understands that its guests have individual dietary needs, and as part of its "Have It Your Way" promise, Burger King offers menu items for individuals with gluten sensitivity. BK food is prepared with several known food allergens, including wheat, milk, soy, and eggs.