Looking to put a healthy halo on its fast-food offerings, McDonald’s restaurants in Southern California are adding to its menu a kale-packed breakfast bowl and Chobani Greek yogurt.

The menu items debuted Tuesday in 800 Southern California restaurants. Local operator Scott Frisbie, who runs 15 McDonald’s in Orange County, said the bowls will fall under a new section of the menu dubbed “Simple Delights.”

The egg white and turkey sausage breakfast bowl comes with kale, spinach, bruschetta and cheese. The Chobani yogurt replaces the yogurt McDonald’s has been using for parfaits and McCafe fruit smoothies.

Chobani said the company is proud to be part of an effort by local McDonald’s operators to give customers food options that fit their lifestyle.

“We’ve always believed in democratizing better food and McDonald’s is a really powerful partner for us to do that with,” the company said.

For those who want a heavier meal, McDonald’s is debuting a scrambled egg and chorizo bowl. It comes with chicken chorizo, eggs, shredded cheddar-jack cheese and pico de gallo. The bowl is served with a hash brown.

The bowls are available in the morning and are not part of the all-day breakfast menu.

Last year, McDonald’s chief executive Steve Easterbrook said the chain’s turnaround plan is reliant on it becoming a “modern, progressive burger company.”

Much of the innovation has centered on Southern California, which has a reputation for leading the chain on menu updates. The bowls were tested last spring in nine restaurants throughout the Los Angeles area.

Frisbie said Southern California operators are responding to “customers’ greater desire for more choices.”

In late November, local operators introduced Taste Crafted – a line of build-your-own sandwiches that come with preselected ingredients such as blue cheese spread, spicy buffalo sauce and smoked bacon. Southern California restaurants, including nearly 100 in Orange County, offer table service.

But are the custom menu additions slowing down service?

Frisbie said not at his restaurants. Table service, in fact, has been “hugely popular and well-received,” especially among employees who enjoy interacting with customers, he said.

Contact the writer: nluna@ocregister.com