Mickey Check will help you find healthier meals at Disney

It will be easier to find healthy meals in Disney World and Disneyland starting in January, just by looking for the Mickey Check.

This new icon will appear on Disney table-service menus in the U.S. starting in January 2013. The Mickey Check is part of the Disney Magic of Healthy Initiative the Walt Disney Company announced in 2006.

The initiative contains nutrition guidelines developed with the help of experts and align to the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans to help family's choose healthy meetings.

The criteria assess food items and meals based on the following:

• Do they contribute to a nutritious diet? — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, or lean protein 
• Do they encourage kid-appropriate portions? — calorie criteria 
• Do they limit ‘nutrients to avoid’? — sodium, sugar, saturated fat, trans fat

The Mickey Check will also appear on Disney-licensed food products sold at retail, on qualifying recipes on Disney.com and Family.com.

Earlier this year, Disney also announced new standards for food advertising to kids. By 2015, all advertising, promotions, and sponsorships on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney, and relevant Disney-owned online sites will also meet Disney's nutrition guidelines.