ObjectiveCan observing how children eat a child's meal at fast food restaurants offer insights as to how to design a healthier meal that is more nutritious or has fewer calories?Study Design, Setting, Participants, and InterventionUsing validated observation procedures and coding methods (e.g., Wansink and Payne 2007), 104 children (and their adult companions) were observed in 2008 while eating Happy Meals at 14 different McDonalds in 6 different states.Outcome, Measures and AnalysisThe percentage of each uneaten meal component was estimated using the quarter waste method, and their eating speed was timed.ResultsThe average child ate about 32% of their French fries (14.9 fries) and approximately 83% of their entrée. Older children ate slightly more than younger children (p <.01), and boys ate slightly more that girls (p<.01). Only 23% of what they ate was eaten once they opened the toy that was included in the meal. Of the remaining food, 83% of the French fries and 27% of the entrée was eaten by the adult companion.Conclusions and ImplicationsReducing the serving size of some of the food items in a child's meal may be an easy way for fast food restaurants to cut calories without reducing satisfaction among children. In particular, the serving size of French Fries may be able to be reduced by 50-60% (approximately 100 calories). An unanticipated question is whether such a reduction in the size of French fries would influence what their adult companion might otherwise order.FundingNone ObjectiveCan observing how children eat a child's meal at fast food restaurants offer insights as to how to design a healthier meal that is more nutritious or has fewer calories? Can observing how children eat a child's meal at fast food restaurants offer insights as to how to design a healthier meal that is more nutritious or has fewer calories? Study Design, Setting, Participants, and InterventionUsing validated observation procedures and coding methods (e.g., Wansink and Payne 2007), 104 children (and their adult companions) were observed in 2008 while eating Happy Meals at 14 different McDonalds in 6 different states. Using validated observation procedures and coding methods (e.g., Wansink and Payne 2007), 104 children (and their adult companions) were observed in 2008 while eating Happy Meals at 14 different McDonalds in 6 different states. Outcome, Measures and AnalysisThe percentage of each uneaten meal component was estimated using the quarter waste method, and their eating speed was timed. The percentage of each uneaten meal component was estimated using the quarter waste method, and their eating speed was timed. ResultsThe average child ate about 32% of their French fries (14.9 fries) and approximately 83% of their entrée. Older children ate slightly more than younger children (p <.01), and boys ate slightly more that girls (p<.01). Only 23% of what they ate was eaten once they opened the toy that was included in the meal. Of the remaining food, 83% of the French fries and 27% of the entrée was eaten by the adult companion. The average child ate about 32% of their French fries (14.9 fries) and approximately 83% of their entrée. Older children ate slightly more than younger children (p <.01), and boys ate slightly more that girls (p<.01). Only 23% of what they ate was eaten once they opened the toy that was included in the meal. Of the remaining food, 83% of the French fries and 27% of the entrée was eaten by the adult companion. Conclusions and ImplicationsReducing the serving size of some of the food items in a child's meal may be an easy way for fast food restaurants to cut calories without reducing satisfaction among children. In particular, the serving size of French Fries may be able to be reduced by 50-60% (approximately 100 calories). An unanticipated question is whether such a reduction in the size of French fries would influence what their adult companion might otherwise order. Reducing the serving size of some of the food items in a child's meal may be an easy way for fast food restaurants to cut calories without reducing satisfaction among children. In particular, the serving size of French Fries may be able to be reduced by 50-60% (approximately 100 calories). An unanticipated question is whether such a reduction in the size of French fries would influence what their adult companion might otherwise order.