When did your kids have take out?

[Pixienott0005]

When did you first give them a McDonald's?

I never had one until I was 5 but see kids much younger eating at McDonald's. Just wondered what others do really and what your opinion is on it.

[Pixienott0005]

Was thinking of taking my 2 year old son when I look after my nephew just for a happy meal but then think of all the stuff that goes into it all.

[squizita]

We had no choice once or twice on long journeys with our toddler when it was the only thing open very early or a drive thru was the only thing for miles around.

However, we were careful what we ordered so it wasn't a beef/cardboard burger and shake fest.
Went with fish fingers, chips, fruit, bottle of water for a toddler on the grounds that these items are the most like 'normal' food we have at home. The chips were salty so we limited those by eating them myself. She was perfectly happy with this. If she went to a MD's for any reason in future I would simply say 'water to drink, fish fingers, fruit' so she wouldn't feel left out but I wouldn't be exposing her to sugary drinks (my main concern).

[Thurlow]

I think it was about 2 that we started to let DD have takeaways - fish and chips and chinese mainly. She's only ever had one takeaway pizza, and has been to McDonalds once with her grandad, which she enjoyed.

It's not a hugely deliberate choice though, DP is a good cook so takeaways are reserved for holidays for all of us really, and also there isn't a McDonalds in our town centre so we go to cafes rather than takeaways during the day if we need to.

I don't see anything wrong with it sometimes. For me, part of teaching your children to have a healthy attitude towards food is not the turn anything into a forbidden food, but to explain that some foods are healthier than others and so you just eat certain foods less often than other foods.

[squizita]

...as for opinion - I see kids eating incredibly sugar-loaded things in middle-class coffee shops, their parents sneer at McDonalds, and that is a bit hypocritical.

I personally don't like it, don't see it as a treat - so I don't take DD there.

However I don't demonise it IYSWIM and I certainly don't assume anything about people eating in there! My almond latte and chocolate twist is definitely not a health food, and fizzy drinks with Italian writing on and paper on the can are still fizzy drinks! It's more refined and luxurious IMO, but not healthier.

Now if someone only ate home cooked, nutritionally planned food they'd have a point - but some of it is deffo snobbery.

...and as such I think the same for kids. Judge away only if you never give your kids that salty pepperoni pizza in pizza express, or (salt and oil laden - I know I cook it from scratch to my gran's recipe) curry in a naice cultural way.
So to summarise:
-I don't like it and don't really go because it tastes like cardboard
-I can see the point of judging it as 'bad' if someone's parenting values are very much on the home cooked natural food side or things, or vegetarian etc.
-I cannot see the point if it's just snobbery and they feed kids equally unhealthy food in more middle class establishments as that's just snobbery.

[squizita]

...oh and in terms of take away DD has fish and chips, which tends to be properly cooked from scratch with no salt on the fish. Plus she likes a little tub of beans or fresh mushy peas.

[pieceofpurplesky]

DS was about 4 when he had a macdonalds. He had previously had Indian and Chinese takeaways.
He is 12 now and probably has 6 macdonalds a year. I am sure that infrequently is fine as he eats relatively healthily the rest of his time but not at his dad's who can only cook pizza

[Schwabischeweihnachtskanne]

My Pfb was probably about 6, DC3 about 18 months :o

We don't have a Macdonalds anywhere remotely near by though (nearest is the closest motorway rest area, nearest non motorway one is, I think, in a larger town about 25 miles away). We can't get food delivered where we live either - have to drive to pick up - and the only take away foods we can even pick up locally are pizza and kebabs. The pizzas are very good though so we get take away pizza about once a month, and that was what DC3 chose for his 5th birthday dinner :o

We do go to Macdonalds when travelling about - smallest kuds likes the play frames they hhave, they are a total novelty - and all 3 kids consider a Happy meal to be a minor treat, it does no harm at all once in a blue moon.

[Kr1stina]

I find that very small babies can be persuaded to eat MacDonalds meals . As long as you mash it up really small and mix with formula .

Then finish off with a fruit shoot

If you don't have a MacDonalds near you, you can substitute with a Greggs sausage roll .

[Kn33]

My 2 year old DD has been having them for about 6 months, she has multiple allergies so is majorly limited on a daily basis... So I let her enjoy any treats she can have get away with murder when it comes to food

[Kn33]

Ooh but I do ask for chips without salt, they will make a fresh batch for kiddies

[YouMakeMyDreams]

Dd my pfb couldn't tell you but I was pretty strict with her food dc3 was probably about 18 months. I not only became more relaxed because it's not like we eat there regularly but also it became a lot harder to avoid when you have older dc that are used to it as a treat in certain situations.
I'm a bit meh about it really. Their overall diet is fairly good so what's a McDonald's or a chippy once in a while.

[Schwabischeweihnachtskanne]

If we had a good Indian take away or a really good fish and chip shop within a day's journey near by we would have a whole lot more fast food... I must admit I include those take aways as part of the children's cultural education on any visits to the UK and feel positively virtuous about ensuring I do so :o :o

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

Ds1 must have been 3 but ds2 from about 9mths as he came with us he didn't have a meal just the fish out of a fish finger n neither have chips they don't like them.

I remember as a kid we barely ate out anywhere or had takeaway was a real treat but nowadays v much the norm I have found and as far as I am concerned no harm if part balanced diet

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

Indian/Chinese/Dominos Pizza from about 6 or 7. There's no BK, MacDonalds or KFC in our town or anywhere near and although DH and I will sometimes have one at a motorway services the DCs aren't keen and usually have a sandwich instead.

[peppatax]

DD had Indian at probably 18 months as a one-off then probably 3 before having any burger type takeout or fish and chips. She'd probably eat most takeouts but it's same principles as for adults - moderation. In most cases it's desperation rather than a treat (I.e. Can grab her a happy meal on a road trip without having to stop). I agree with PP - the nutritional information at Costa is a shocker!

[LBOCS2]

About two?

I'm not too fussed about it, I think you can include most things in moderate amounts in a balanced diet. I cook from scratch at home, she gets her 5 a day - I really can't be bothered to get my knickers in a twist about an occasional McDonalds.

[coldcanary]

DD1 had her first take out pizza at about 6 months when her older brother lovingly shared his slice with her.... pizza is still one of her favourite foods!
No idea otherwise, around 3 I think.

[BertieBotts]

DS must have been under a year old. I seem to recall I got him fish fingers with carrot sticks and water. It was a bit pointless but XP was desperate to go.

It's fine in moderation. There isn't that much weird stuff that goes into their food.

[vvviola]

DD1 was probably about 3. DD2 was about a year - mainly because she had just been diagnosed with multiple food allergies and where we were living (NZ) it was one of the few places that had an allergy menu online and we could be guaranteed to find one. So if we were stuck out somwhere, we ended up there.

[Buttons23]

My son probably had a happy meal at around 2, he enjoyed it. I am not a big fan of McDonald's myself so we hardly go there.

He does like some Chinese when we have it, and he loves Pizza Hut but it's very much a treat for us to have a takeaway so it's not like he eats any of it all the time. Every thing in moderation.

[Hamishandthefoxes]

4 and 2 when their dad was in hospital for ) weeks and mcd was the only place to get something quick to eat nearby. It also made the whole 'seriously injured dad' thing slightly better for them.

[RavioliOnToast]

We often do. My DD 14 months, has had 2/3 happy meals. But eats loads of fruit and veg and decent home cooked meals the rest of the time. I'm sure she'll survive...

[twirlypoo]

Ds was about 18 months / 2 years I think. He would only ever have the fishfingers - no chips weirdo child he still has a McDonald's prob once a week / fortnight after swimming. He eats healthily the rest of the time so I don't mind.

[UmbongoUnchained]

I think my daughter was about 9 mi this when she had her first McDonald's chip! She's never had an a tualy meal from there though as she doesn't eat meat so seems a bit pointless taking her there. Takeaway though we have once a week and I order her something vaguely healthy. She's on a high fat diet though so I'm not too worried. She does love a seafood udon noodle soup from wagamamas.

[Nonotmenori]

I'm trying to remember I reckon DS was about a year and a half having a happy meal? He's not that fussed with McDonald's, but is quite partial to kfc and their popcorn chicken!