LOS ANGELES – America's growing interest in locally sourced and healthy foods has spurred a boom in farmers markets, farm-to-table restaurants and organic produce. Now, a number of new fast-food chains are trying to tap into that trend by putting fruits and veggies front and center on their QSR menus, says an article in the Los Angeles Times.

These rapidly expanding restaurants want to revolutionize the fast-food industry by bringing healthy fare to the McDonald’s masses. The trend is especially noticeable in California, with its bounty of health-obsessed diners interested in the latest food fads.

While such chains make up just a tiny fraction of the $200-billion fast-food industry, some analysts are predicting that this sector will boom as health-conscious consumers ditch the burger and fries in favor of quickly prepared healthy meals.

Many of these new restaurants cater to salad skeptics or meat lovers who shy away from anything green or overly healthy, people who don’t want to lose any of the flavor they’re used to, but still feel like they’re eating better.

Lyfe Kitchen is an example of a start-up QSR that has banked on this recipe, expanding to 13 locations since opening its first restaurant in Palo Alto in 201, with plans to open close to 20 more in the next year. The chain serves burgers with grass-fed beef and decadent chocolate desserts, all under 600 calories. But the company avoids pushing the uber-healthy aspects of its dishes, focusing on the taste more than the content.

Like so many consumer trends these days, the popularity of chains that offer quick yet healthy meals is driven by millennials who grew up watching the Food Network and by aging Baby Boomers who want to maintain their health.