To take DD 5 to McDonald's every other weekend?

You know it depends on what the rest of her food diary looks like?

If she’s having junk Monday-Fri and then McD every other week that’s quite different to being health conscious 95% of the time and then your bi-monthly McD snack.

There are a lot of McD snobs on here. It’s not like a chocolate bar or packet of crisps is any better you know.

I agree but I think 2 weeks at age 5 is too frequent to be considered an “occasional” treat. It becomes very much routine, and too familiar.

I didn't think there was anything gf at McDonald's. But yeah, I guess in the UK the chips are pretty natural. Nothing wrong with a few chips.
I used to have McDonald's about twice a month as a kid and nearly every day as a teen once I had my own money!
You can make home made nuggets using gf cornflakes. I'm sure you know that already x

Of course

I just mean if you’re generally doing home-cooked dinners and giving fruit and veg every day then it really doesn’t matter if you have a McDonald’s every few weeks or if your child has the odd fruit shoot or birdseye freezer tea.

I just mean those who obsesses over their toddler or young child only touching 100% organic homemade food and drinking water. There’s nothing wrong with that but it doesn’t really amount to anything more than just having a balanced but more relaxed approach.

Totally fine

The 'gluten free' thing is entirely manufactured bullshit. So is your mouthy chum.

This !

Yes, it's fine to have a 'treat' as a small part of a healthy diet. No such thing as a bad food, just a bad diet.

And you’re normalising focussing on a small treat once a fortnight, and the over-thinking and obsessing with food that leads to eating disorders (as a previous poster has said her and her siblings acquired living with a mum overly focussed on “healthy” eating.

Simply not true. None of mine had junk or excess sugar until much older and even then was very rarely. They have a very healthy attitude to food and actually make much better choices. They don’t have an addiction to sugary shit like most other school age kids I see gorging on crap every other day!

I have really fond memories of chips and curry sauce from the baths canteen when I went swimming with my mum. A McDonald's breakfast was how me and my dad started every other weekend when I saw him. Absolutely ignore your friend, have fun, eat the chips, make the memories

Generally speaking the difference between kids that eat a healthier more well balanced diet avoiding ultra processed foods beyond toddler-hood and those that don’t is like day and night. Diet very much matters.

I think you’re friend is right. I don’t really see why a 5 year old needs to go to mc donalds so frequently? A one off is fine, but I think there’s no need to normalise fast / junk food at such an early age.

The ritual is nice and will create sweet memories, but if it were me I wouldn’t choose MacD’s. I also wouldn’t tell a friend she’s wrong for taking her child there, each to their own, it’s your kid.

In Australia they're also vegan so the company must have the equipment to cook nuggets sesperate ?!

My coeliac husband has the chips occasionally and they’re fine! McDonald’s will also do a bun-free burger in a little box (complete with knife and fork 🤣) which is very civilised compared to the annoying wrapping the normal burgers come in!

Of course it’s fine 🙄

Mine are teens now and I realise that everything in moderation is key. Those who obsessed over everything organic and homemade with their toddlers don’t have teens that are any healthier or better.

YANBU. You wouldn’t be unreasonable to even take her once a week imo- assuming she’s not having chips and ice cream everyday at home too and is getting some veg most days as well.

Imo once a child is fully weaned and eating full/balanced healthy meals regularly, then a Macdonalds is fine as a treat if they enjoy it as part of a general healthier diet - so I don’t understand the fuss 🤷‍♀️I’m just a bit sad for her that the gluten thing means she can’t have a Happy meal, as whatever rubbish toy they get in there often makes my 3 year olds day 🤣 (personally he always gets the fish fingers but rarely eats the fries).

Of course its not ideal, you know that. Up to you to decide whether it makes your life easier or happier enough to continue to do so.

This is so true. When I was little I didn’t see my dad a lot but, when he came to visit, he’d get me a happy meal from McDonalds and drive to a car park overlooking a local beauty spot to eat it.

Last month, I got married and we went on a short honeymoon to where I grew up. We booked a room overlooking the same beauty spot, my dad died when I was 12 so it’s lovely to have those memories to cherish still.

A portion of chips from McDonalds every two weeks is hardly instilling bad habits. In that fortnight, the kid is going to eat 41 other meals.

Personally I think that parents who completely ban anything resembling fast food, sweets etc will end up having older children who gorge themselves silly at every opprtunity as soon as they can afford to do so.

Forbidden fruit and all that.

@quincyquince there's absolutely nothing wrong with what you're doing. You just lit a touch paper for the McD haters, that's all (I haven't RTFT because I know it would just piss me off, but I have read your posts).

Much to my horror, my mother gave my 3 month old a taste of her ice cream. DC lived to tell the tale!

Think I'm in the notion of a Maccy D for breakfast now...!

Wow that all the fuss is about food purity or healthy choices and treats. Nothing about ethics of a business or supporting local shops. Odds are that today's children will have to work in McDonald's type jobs to fund education or meet rent, at least sometimes. It's not too soon to demonstrate that not all workplaces or businesses are equal. By positively choosing other places and saying why, not by lecturing the child, of course!

FWIW I was a keen and hungry childhood swimmer and would have eaten most things I was offered.

Good to know!

Yes they are in the UK
that list is not a UK list of ingredients