Did you guys hear about McDonalds?

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  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    I guess this is a good idea (although, as others have said, the preservatives in the apple slices are a bit odd and the caramel negates the health aspect), but I kind of think McDonalds is missing the point. When I was a kid, my parents took me to McDonalds as a treat. Sure, the food was unhealthy, but I guess I thought it tasted good. But to be honest, I recall just wanting the toy in the happy meal and then to play in the kid's section of the restaurant. No kid ever got fat from eating a McDonald's Happy Meal once in a blue moon. The problem is when parents take their kids there once or twice a week coupled with the kids sitting on their bums all day in school and then playing video games when they get home. I was watching my little cousins recently sit outside on their front porch playing individual video games. This was in the middle of a gorgeous day when they could have been running around outside! These kids then grow up and order the large fries or supersize meals. The size of the fries themselves in the happy meal is not horrendous... I just think McDonald's is missing the point and this is just more for show.

    I'm not so sure, from a marketing perspective that, "Don't come see us quite so often," will catch on. They need to entice people and to entice health conscious people, the thing to do is provide options that, at least, seem healthier.

    I do think them having play places is a fantastic idea though. It brings in the kids AND it helps keep them active. Although, I would trash the video gamey consoles they have and just stick to the jungle gym type stuff.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    No kid ever got fat from eating a McDonald's Happy Meal once in a blue moon. The problem is when parents take their kids there once or twice a week coupled with the kids sitting on their bums all day in school and then playing video games when they get home. I was watching my little cousins recently sit outside on their front porch playing individual video games. This was in the middle of a gorgeous day when they could have been running around outside! These kids then grow up and order the large fries or supersize meals. The size of the fries themselves in the happy meal is not horrendous... I just think McDonald's is missing the point and this is just more for show.

    how is any of that mcdonald's fault? they don't control how many times a parent comes in, how often schools cut gym time, how much a child plays video games instead of playing with neighborhood kids. they can only deal with their menu selections and portion sizes available. i absolutely think that apples versus fries in the kids meal is something they can control... and they are. what point are they missing?
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Since I have two kids I already order one meal with fries, and ones with apples then split both between then. This will save me the hassle.
  • dave_in_delaware
    dave_in_delaware Posts: 49 Member
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    You want your kids to eat healthy food then you don't take them to mcdonalds.
    +1,000,000
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    No kid ever got fat from eating a McDonald's Happy Meal once in a blue moon. The problem is when parents take their kids there once or twice a week coupled with the kids sitting on their bums all day in school and then playing video games when they get home. I was watching my little cousins recently sit outside on their front porch playing individual video games. This was in the middle of a gorgeous day when they could have been running around outside! These kids then grow up and order the large fries or supersize meals. The size of the fries themselves in the happy meal is not horrendous... I just think McDonald's is missing the point and this is just more for show.

    how is any of that mcdonald's fault? they don't control how many times a parent comes in, how often schools cut gym time, how much a child plays video games instead of playing with neighborhood kids. they can only deal with their menu selections and portion sizes available. i absolutely think that apples versus fries in the kids meal is something they can control... and they are. what point are they missing?

    You clearly did not comprehend what I wrote. Please show me where I wrote that it was "McDonalds' fault." I didn't... But why is McDonald's at fault for making kids fat? Perhaps parents should take responsibility before blaming a restaurant. Putting apples loaded with preservatives into a happy meal rather than a small fries is not going to make a difference.
  • AudgePaudge
    AudgePaudge Posts: 537 Member
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    I know!! That's so awesome, I love buying happy meals for myself! I order apple dippers, and I secretly want french fries.
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
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    Since I have two kids I already order one meal with fries, and ones with apples then split both between then. This will save me the hassle.

    I do this too BUT Honestly I LOVE Mcdonalds Fries and like the option of having them . My kids love the fries too now needless to say we dont go there often but I think its dumb to completely replace them. my kids are NO WHERE near overweight and to me pretty stupid to replace a meal for something that the parents should be controlling honestly
  • boopiejones
    boopiejones Posts: 73
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    that is intreresting news, because i was at a mcdonalds recently that had the exact opposite approach: i think it was called the "mega happy meal" and it came with a double cheeseburger and fries instead of a single cheeseburger...
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    No kid ever got fat from eating a McDonald's Happy Meal once in a blue moon. The problem is when parents take their kids there once or twice a week coupled with the kids sitting on their bums all day in school and then playing video games when they get home. I was watching my little cousins recently sit outside on their front porch playing individual video games. This was in the middle of a gorgeous day when they could have been running around outside! These kids then grow up and order the large fries or supersize meals. The size of the fries themselves in the happy meal is not horrendous... I just think McDonald's is missing the point and this is just more for show.

    how is any of that mcdonald's fault? they don't control how many times a parent comes in, how often schools cut gym time, how much a child plays video games instead of playing with neighborhood kids. they can only deal with their menu selections and portion sizes available. i absolutely think that apples versus fries in the kids meal is something they can control... and they are. what point are they missing?

    You clearly did not comprehend what I wrote. Please show me where I wrote that it was "McDonalds' fault." I didn't... But why is McDonald's at fault for making kids fat? Perhaps parents should take responsibility before blaming a restaurant. Putting apples loaded with preservatives into a happy meal rather than a small fries is not going to make a difference.

    i comprehended what you wrote but i was calling you out on your non sequitar. you said they were missing the point and then listed the reasons why they were missing the point. the only thing i was pointing out was they don't control any of those reasons, but they have control over what they serve.


    *edit: just from a numbers perspective, changing fries to apples does make a difference. a small fry is 230 calories (100 from fat) and the apple dippers WITH caramel is 100 calories (5 from fat).
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,100 Member
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    Is it just me or does anyone else find it comical that some are talking about "kids nowadays" sitting on their butts being lazy and using technology instead of getting out and enjoying the day... while they type about it on an online forum. Ironic.

    Thank goodness for free choice. No one forces anyone to patronize a business.
  • nouh220200
    nouh220200 Posts: 39 Member
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    Believe me guys that does not make much of a difference , I used to work at McD as a senior Director and believe me you won't eat McD at all if you know what is put inside it , from toxins , animals waste all the way to nicotine to make people addicted to it
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    If you don't teach your children to enjoy fast food in moderation, you are doing them a disservice, IMO. Once they're on their own they will likely decide to enjoy fast food, extensively, because it's new and cheap and fast and what their friends are doing. So, I don't really have much of an opinion on McDonald's marketing and offerings (and in Denver the Apple Dippers have been an option in Happy Meals for at least a decade). I do think that it's unreasonable to believe you are going to somehow prevent your child from ever eating fast food without running the risk of them not learning moderation. They won't be obese children, but they may end up obese adults.
  • Princessa1982
    Princessa1982 Posts: 82
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    They came out with the wrap a while back for a Happy Meal and my son LOVES it. Yes, they are white flour wraps, and yes they are bagged apples, but I do love that my son makes the healthier choice there because he finds the wraps just plain fun!

    All in moderation anyway, if he chooses fries and nuggets, he is more than welcome to. McDonalds is a once a month treat anyway, so I am not stressed about it.

    The thing that gets me, people think they are such wonderful choices, they still are not. This low fat chocolate milk still has 26ish grams of sugar as they are double the size of the old cartons, thats my daily recommendation of sugar... Hummmm eh...
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    Since I have two kids I already order one meal with fries, and ones with apples then split both between then. This will save me the hassle.

    I do this too BUT Honestly I LOVE Mcdonalds Fries and like the option of having them . My kids love the fries too now needless to say we dont go there often but I think its dumb to completely replace them. my kids are NO WHERE near overweight and to me pretty stupid to replace a meal for something that the parents should be controlling honestly

    EXACTLY!
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    No kid ever got fat from eating a McDonald's Happy Meal once in a blue moon. The problem is when parents take their kids there once or twice a week coupled with the kids sitting on their bums all day in school and then playing video games when they get home. I was watching my little cousins recently sit outside on their front porch playing individual video games. This was in the middle of a gorgeous day when they could have been running around outside! These kids then grow up and order the large fries or supersize meals. The size of the fries themselves in the happy meal is not horrendous... I just think McDonald's is missing the point and this is just more for show.

    Ha! ONCE AGAIN, you did not comprehend what I wrote. I never said that McDonald's was responsible for any of those things. That was exactly my point, actually. Changing the small fries to apples makes no difference. Please refrain from "calling me out," as you put it. I really don't need you to tell me what I'm saying when you misunderstood.

    how is any of that mcdonald's fault? they don't control how many times a parent comes in, how often schools cut gym time, how much a child plays video games instead of playing with neighborhood kids. they can only deal with their menu selections and portion sizes available. i absolutely think that apples versus fries in the kids meal is something they can control... and they are. what point are they missing?

    You clearly did not comprehend what I wrote. Please show me where I wrote that it was "McDonalds' fault." I didn't... But why is McDonald's at fault for making kids fat? Perhaps parents should take responsibility before blaming a restaurant. Putting apples loaded with preservatives into a happy meal rather than a small fries is not going to make a difference.

    i comprehended what you wrote but i was calling you out on your non sequitar. you said they were missing the point and then listed the reasons why they were missing the point. the only thing i was pointing out was they don't control any of those reasons, but they have control over what they serve.


    *edit: just from a numbers perspective, changing fries to apples does make a difference. a small fry is 230 calories (100 from fat) and the apple dippers WITH caramel is 100 calories (5 from fat).
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    Not sure why it didn't post my reply - but you once again did not comprehend what I wrote. Please STOP trying to tell me what I "meant" when you can't read. Thanks.
  • fionarama
    fionarama Posts: 788 Member
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    it doesn't hurt to encourage kids to eat a bit of fruit, I really like how McD's is getting healthier. I take my daughter once a week after her ballet class as a treat, she has half a cream cheese bagel and a tropicana, nothign wrong with that. The grilled chicken wrap no sauce is less than 300 calories so I have that with a black coffee.
    With the new healthier options at least its possible to eat there and eat at least a little bit healthily.
  • eviltwinkie
    eviltwinkie Posts: 153
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    my kids will only eat.... is a crock.

    seriously!!! if you give them a nutritious tasty meal, and they don't eat it, fine, they starve, until the next meal, where they will be served the same thing again, eventually they will get hungry enough to eat.

    Totally agree.

    I remember never being given a choice, except breakfast which was sometimes 'eggs or cereal.' (NEVER sugar cereals.)

    Eat what was put out for us, or go hungry that meal. None of us starved and we learned to pick our battles about voicing when we REALLY didn't like something. I was oddly picky about some foods for years, but PICKY didn't mean I was allowed to determine the menu.
  • Jaradel
    Jaradel Posts: 143 Member
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    That's good news on the Happy Meals. My youngest actually prefers apples with his chicken nuggets, but both boys eat fruit just about every day, even requesting it for a snack. I'm glad that McD's is starting to understand that french fries aren't "produce" and don't really count as a serving of vegetables.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I can't imagine why a 2 year old would ever have been to a McDonalds. I can understand it as an adult "treat" (for treat read weirdness), but I can't think of a single reason to take a baby there.
    How many 2 year olds have you raised?

    I have 2 children, 3 and 6, one very fussy eater and one who eats anything, and I can't say I have been tempted for a millisecond ever to take either of them to McDonalds. There are approximately 4 million healthier things you could feed a child of any age, but there is ZERO reason why someone would take a 2 year old who isn't old enough to have succumbed to peer pressure and demanded it, aside from a warped idea of what a treat is.

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