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Original poster

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

536 replies

quincyquince · 27/03/2025 18:51

She's gluten free, so has a portion of small chips and either a small mcflurry or orange juice or sauce with the chips.

We go after swimming.

This is ok, right? My friend thinks it's awful that she goes twice a month. But it's not like she's having the processed bread and cheese and stuff all the time?

OP posts:
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Coffeeishot · 27/03/2025 20:42

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AlertCat · 27/03/2025 20:42

Fancycheese · 27/03/2025 19:55

Good. Junk food should be normalised and kids need to know how to be around it and eat it in moderation. We live in a world where it’s everywhere. You’ll potentially set your child up for a lifetime of issues and hang ups with food if you ban a particular food type outright. It’s a small portion of chips and ice cream a couple of times of month.

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Where I live there are lots of families who go all-out to prevent their kids ever having so much as a haribo. They eat lentils and quinoa and nothing that’s not organic. As they age into independence, the kids get to go to college etc (they’re often educated at home during primary/KS3) and nine times out of ten become obsessed with McDonalds and other junk food. I’m sure (I hope) it normalises out for them, but it’s a real backfire on the way the parents raised them. I think this poster is right- treats are part of life for us and need to be seen as normal but something to moderate- rather than a forbidden delight to be sought out at every opportunity.

DrPrunesqualer · 27/03/2025 20:42

arethereanyleftatall · 27/03/2025 19:40

this is written quite often on fast food threads that people who don’t eat it ‘suck the joy out of everything.’ But that doesn’t account for the many - very joyous 😜- people who don’t see it as a ‘treat’ at all, because it tastes like crap really, and leaves you feeling shit.

i do eat McDonald’s, but I don’t consider it a treat.
you are welcome to of course.

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I agree.

waiting for the bombs to start falling 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Coffeeishot · 27/03/2025 20:42

SleepQuest33 · 27/03/2025 20:39

Wouldn’t be my choice, no. Healthy eating habits In childhood are really important. Why choose something so crappy? Why not treat her to something better?

Can you give an example? I'm not trying to catch you out but interested in what you would substitute a handful of fries and an ice cream for.

CorbyTrouserPress · 27/03/2025 20:41

SleepQuest33 · 27/03/2025 20:39

Wouldn’t be my choice, no. Healthy eating habits In childhood are really important. Why choose something so crappy? Why not treat her to something better?

Totally agree, why not treat her to a massive salad?

Tbrh · 27/03/2025 20:41

faerietales · 27/03/2025 20:36

Presumably not. And no ice-creams at the park or anything either, hopefully!

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Take a look at the ingredients for a McDonalds icecream. All food is not created equal, I'm surprised people dont know this basic info.

chocolatelover91 · 27/03/2025 20:40

Even if she was having other things there, it doesn't matter! It's not like she has it every day! People need to mind their own business! Don't worry OP. Like a previous poster said, you are creating these memories with her and they are always going to be remembered!

CorbyTrouserPress · 27/03/2025 20:40

I love a MN McDonalds thread. Haven’t had a good one in ages.

SleepQuest33 · 27/03/2025 20:39

Wouldn’t be my choice, no. Healthy eating habits In childhood are really important. Why choose something so crappy? Why not treat her to something better?

SouthLondonMum22 · 27/03/2025 20:38

My 2 year old loves a Happy Meal after swimming, just like he loves an ice cream in the park on a sunny day. It's an occasional treat and no big deal.

Namechange6578 · 27/03/2025 20:38

I think it's absolutely fine, it's not like she's having 20 nuggets, a big mac and a large coca cola 😂 ignore your friend, honestly some people are so over the top

SpringIsSpringing25 · 27/03/2025 20:38

Flyboyblue · 27/03/2025 20:13

All we got after swimming was a hot chocolate and a bag of crisps out the vending machine.

Enjoy your trips to McDonalds, OP.

Same here!!

Well, ours wasn't out of the vending machine, just on the but as waxed which was the same bit as where you paid to go in, before the world got so fancy pants as Is now!!

Catsandcannedbeans · 27/03/2025 20:37

Your friend would have had an absolute fit at my parents lol. We used to go once a week and all turned out fine. Once my parents got divorced there was a brief period where I was swindling two trips to maccies a week, but unfortunately as they got better at communicating this was nipped in the bud. I don’t take my kids, but that’s just because I can’t stand the smell after working there as a teenager.

SausageMonkey2 · 27/03/2025 20:37

@JustMeHello veggie dippers, hash browns and fries. All GF and a separate fryer. My 6yo coeliac hates it all apart from the fries. McD’s have saved us a couple of times on the road when finding safe food for her.

Coffeeishot · 27/03/2025 20:37

faerietales · 27/03/2025 20:36

Presumably not. And no ice-creams at the park or anything either, hopefully!

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Sounds bloody miserable,

faerietales · 27/03/2025 20:36

Coffeeishot · 27/03/2025 20:33

Do the posters who are fainting at the thought of a chip not give their children chips at home?

Presumably not. And no ice-creams at the park or anything either, hopefully!

DrPrunesqualer · 27/03/2025 20:36

quincyquince · 27/03/2025 20:18

There's a McDonald's, a wenzels and a pizza hut.

So. No.

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I’ll have to Google Wenzels but assume by your comment there’s nothing.
That’s a Shame

Its your choice though and not really relevant what your friend or anyone else thinks

Coffeeishot · 27/03/2025 20:33

Do the posters who are fainting at the thought of a chip not give their children chips at home?

DrPrunesqualer · 27/03/2025 20:32

Lesphynx · 27/03/2025 20:11

Why are McDonald's fries any different from getting a chippy tea? Or oven fries?

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I didn’t mention any of the food available.

SpringIsSpringing25 · 27/03/2025 20:31

SwanOfThoseThings · 27/03/2025 19:34

It's normalising junk food. The DD won't always be of an age where her mum can monitor what she is eating, and good habits should be formed before it's too late.

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Is one snack after swimming once a fortnight??

Grips need got

Strawberryfield85 · 27/03/2025 20:29

JustMeHello · 27/03/2025 19:03

Are McDonalds fries really gluten free? Are they cooked in separate friers from the nuggets and so on?

I think it sounds like a nice afternoon though, ignore your friend.

They are. my dd is coeliac and I double check whenever we go if they cook anything else in the oil. Only thing they do fry in it are the hash browns and they are gf too.

Tbrh · 27/03/2025 20:26

DrPrunesqualer · 27/03/2025 20:05

Is there no where else you could go for an after swim treat.

I wouldn’t want my kids to think McDonalds is an OK place to go to regularly. You’re making it the norm OP, but if that doesn’t bother you then fine, I’m just wondering why you’re posting this thread though.

Yeah this is exactly what I think. Each to their own, but then don't ask because you probably know that it's not great. Everything in moderation sure, but every second week is actually quite alot!

Original poster
quincyquince · 27/03/2025 20:26

arethereanyleftatall · 27/03/2025 19:16

It’s a bit of a stretch to equate McDonald’s chips to potatoes! I’ll accept I don’t know the percentages, but my guess would be 10% potatoes, to 90% oil.
I eat mcds by the way.

That's very dramatic and based on nothing...

OP posts:
Tryonemoretime · 27/03/2025 20:25

JustMeHello · 27/03/2025 20:21

thank you! I'm hoping they hurry up with a diagnosis, I'm so fed up of this awful pain. I'm reassured that there does seem to be a lot more gf stuff around these days, but I worry about the cross contamination. And I'm gutted at the idea of all the things I'll have to stop eating...

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Contact the coeliac society. They are brilliant. Look up their contact details on Google. And if I can help in any way, contact me. My mum was a coeliac and so are both my brothers. I was diagnosed in my 40s so really used to the GF diet. It's honestly okay!

Original poster
quincyquince · 27/03/2025 20:25

arethereanyleftatall · 27/03/2025 19:19

They chuck salt all over the chips once out of the fryer.

I think go if you want - but don’t pretend that any ‘food’ you get from there has any nutritional value whatsoever. It doesn’t. Which is fine occasionally.

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No. I ask for no salt ones, because DD is having them. They don't have salt in them.

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