Food to Feel Good About

Cindy Goody, Senior Director of Nutrition for McDonald’s USA, develops plans that align against McDonald’s U.S. food and nutrition strategy, provides nutritional science expertise, and oversees McDonald’s nutritional information development and communication processes.

Prior to joining McDonald’s USA, Goody served as a retail and clinical dietitian for HY-VEE Food Stores, Inc. Similarly, she has provided diabetes care and education in several domestic and international settings.

A registered and licensed dietitian, Goody has also been actively involved in multiple groups of the American Dietetic Association and is the author and editor of Cultural Food Practices, a professional reference published by the Association. She has also served as a faculty member for the Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Medicine Continuing Medical Education.

A former Peace Corps Volunteer, Goody holds a Ph.D. and MBA from The University of Iowa and a M.S. and B.S. from Iowa State University.

Julia Braun, Director of Nutrition

Julia Braun, Director of Nutrition at McDonald’s, is responsible for the integration of nutrition science into the development of the many new and exciting menu choices.  In this role, Julia works closely with a variety of food and nutrition teams to evolve core and new menu choices for nutritionally-minded generations. She also plays a significant role in the interpretation and compliance of nutrition legislation throughout the menu.

Julia is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina. Before working for McDonald’s, Julia served as a research coordinator at the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Previously, she held several positions in the quality assurance and nutrition fields.

• Milk: Our 1% Low-fat White Milk Jug and Fat-free Chocolate Milk Jug each provide 30% of the Daily Value for calcium, offering one of the three daily recommended servings of dairy.
• Fruit: Apple Slices provide about 1/4 cup of fruit and the McCafé Real Fruit Smoothies are made with at least 1/2 serving of fruit. Minute Maid® 100% Apple Juice Box (6.75 fl.oz) counts as one serving of fruit (1/2 cup/4 fl. oz of 100% juice). These choices contribute to an individual's daily recommended intake for fruit.¹
• Protein: Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwiches and Grilled Chicken Snack Wraps are made with boneless, skinless white meat chicken.
• Whole Grains: Fruit & Maple Oatmeal delivers 32 grams of whole grain – that's two servings of whole grain – and our bakery style bun served with Premium Chicken Sandwiches provides 8 grams of whole grain or ½ serving of whole grain. Both choices contribute to the minimum daily recommendation of 48 grams of whole grain.
• Vegetables: McDonald's Premium Salads provide about three cups of vegetables while the Side Salad provides about two cups of vegetables, contributing to an individual's daily recommended intake for vegetables.
• It may surprise you to learn that one of our new Happy Meals featuring 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, Apple Slices, Kids Fries and 1% Low-fat White Milk Jug delivers protein, one cup of 1% low-fat white milk, about ¼ cup of fruit, and essential nutrients including calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin D.

1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 recommends that the majority of fruit should come from whole fruits, including fresh, canned, frozen, and dried forms, rather than from juice.