As busy as we are with our kids and all the activities we’re running to every week night, like most parents, we really do our best to feed them healthy foods. That usually means eating together before hockey practice, or packing some sort of meal on-the-go, which admittedly can be pretty uninspired. So when we caught the big news yesterday about Burger King testing out a Paleo menu [h/t Slow Food Digest] we were actually pretty excited.

Or you know, as excited as you can get about a fast food chain trying to offer healthier options for families.

Now let’s be honest here, the whole idea of a Paleo diet is that you’re eating anything but super processed fast food. But from what we can tell, Burger King Paleo is doing their best to stay as close to the real deal as possible, even enlisting best-selling Paleo author, Dr. Loren Cordain, to consult on the menu.

Right now, BK Paleo is launching with eight menu items in select locations in NY, LA, and Portland, including popular Paleo options like Baked Eggs in Ham Breakfast Cups, Teriyaki Beef Kabobs, Almond-Lime Kale Salad, and for dessert, Mini Plantain Cakes with Cacao Frosting. There’s also a green smoothie, but I’m not entirely sure just how a blend of avocado, spinach and coconut water will go over with your typical BK eater who’s used to Oreo Shakes with “whipped topping.”

Then again, that’s probably the point — bringing in new customers.

We do kind of wish the chain would offer up the same free junky toy incentive with these choices as with the traditional kids’ meals, because who knows, maybe more kids would order a salad with the promise that it comes with a sparkly rubber Spongebob keychain.

But hey, we give BK credit for trying to give more than lip service to healthy eating, even if it is on the go, in a car full of kids, on the way to a ballet recital.

Plus, you’ll never have to worry about being asked if you want fries with that.

The new Burger King Paleo menu will launch early this summer in select cities, with more being added by the end of 2015. Head over to their website to check out the introductory menu offerings, calorie counts, and nutritional info. Not surprisingly, value menu options will not be available with the Paleo menu with entrees that start at $16.49. 

Top photo: JeepersMedia via  cc