To think a leftover happy meal isn’t the worst packed lunch you could have?

No its shit and unless the family had suddenly found themselves in a financial crisis and had no other option its not acceptable.

I had to chaperone ds on a school trip last year. Before we set off the teachers discretely went round to some of the children checking if they had any food as letters had gone out saying that packed lunch was required. More then one child had no food with them and a few others only had a couple of snacks chucked in their bag. It broke my heart.

I get that. I don't eat McDonalds but I've had Popeyes takeaway a few times and couldn't eat it all so finished it the next day - chicken wrap usually so it was fine.

DS is autistic, and a fairly fussy eater. He doesn't have a balanced diet, I've just had to learn to live that. I try and vary what he eats as much as I can within his limits, I'll buy him anything in the local veg shop he asks for (he likes dragon fruit at £5 a fruit!) and I gently offer him a bit of anything I'm eating if he shows even the slightest interest in it. I'm sure we've been judged on what we feed him, but I can't make him eat food he doesn't find safe.

I never sent him to school with a happy meal, he had school dinners and usually had a cheese sub, but if he'd taken a packed lunch I could envisage a situation where he took in something similar to a happy meal - left over pizza maybe -because he wouldn't eat anything else and I needed to get him out of the house and into school at something approaching the correct time (he was nearly always late, transitions are a huge problem for him.)

I agree with you to a point. As a country we need to completely rethink the way we view food if we want our population to become healthier.

But McDonald's hamburger patty is 100% beef. It is real food and I would argue that its nutrionally better than some processed ham. The bun is shite but then so is cheap white bread. But because we have grown up with shite lunches of processed crap a ham sandwich seems acceptable.

I realise I'm harping on this thread but I just hate the competitive shrugging.

Fast food is not proper food. The additives in it have often not been tested properly for human consumption and the way the original materials have been broken down and reconstituted have effects on the way we digest and use the nutrition that are still being explored.

That's one thing. Another is a cold half eaten fast food meal being chucked in a kid's bag. It is arrant bullshit to suggest that this is likely to be a one-off and just fine, and the rest of the time they're probably eating handmade poke bowls. I know one woman who would think something like this was okay. She's the birth mum of my sister's adoptive children. She isn't allowed to see them anymore.

And no, before some smartarse asks, not because one time she put one bad thing in a lunchbox. Because behaviour like this is going to be indicative of crappy standards and repeated parenting fails.

Personally I think nutrition is an essential right for all kids and I want better, for all kids.

'leftover' - are we talking half eaten burger and half a dozen fries

Right but no school is going to complaining about slices of apple and a carton g of orange juice are they
Left over half eaten cold burger and fries on the other hand.....

But calories are not the only or even the main thing about food.

You can't meaningfully separate the different elements of food out.

All calories are not equal.

And fast food will be pappy, rapidly digested and full of non-food substances such as additives with no nutritional value for humans.

All foodstuffs should be ranked from 0 to 10 in terms of health benefits with 10 for healthiest foods.
So much of what is called "food" is anything but.
It's mashed up starch with sugar, salt and seed oil.
A hamburger from McDonald's happy meal doesn't merit the term "food".

There should be a dedicated minister for food to manage this - the standard of food has disintegrated in my lifetime.

I remember the first time I was on holiday in America decades ago, I lost weight because everything tasted sweet, even savoury dishes in restaurants and I lost my appetite. I did eat at McDonald's at the time and the largest container for cola was huge - family sized for one person.

Sugar makes you fat, it makes your body age much faster than it would otherwise and it makes us all chronically ill.

Big Pharma and doctors are rubbing their hands as we all eat ourselves into chronic illness.

So do you draw a distinction between mothers who can't breastfeed and those who'd just rather not?

You’re not, sorry you seem to be describing a teacher noticing something judging it and filing it away in their head which is meaningless

More than you do, perhaps?

I doubt the teacher eo be complaining if it fruit slices, carton of juice and chicken nuggets, how woukd they even know they were from McDonald's

Of you can afford to buy a Happy Meal, go buy some bagels, will last a few days. Probably be able to get some cheese spread too.

Initially I was on the side that yes, this is terrible and a cold burger and fries is definitely not something that I think is at all appealing to eat the next day. However, I do think my feelings change depending on what is in the happy meal. After googling as it’s been about 20 years since I last bought one, I see that they offer little bags of apple slices as an alternative to the fries. Therefore, if a child takes in cold nuggets, apple slices and a drink I don’t think that is as bad and does change my view somewhat. Obviously it’s not ideal but back when my kids were little I would occasionally send the youngest in with cold chicken goujons and a small dip as part of their lunch. DS loved this - adored cold goujons and everyone once in a while I didn’t think this was a terrible option as the goujons were home made with good quality chicken etc. TBH I can’t really see a massive difference in the two meals. However, if it’s a cold burger and fries they have gone in with them no, I don’t think this is appropriate. They aren’t the type of foods that do well as leftovers IMO - cold pizza, Chinese or Indian, yes I would eat the next day cold but not burgers and fries.

Personally I don't think the happy meal example is as bad as the others in the article, especially if it was a one off to not waste the food.

Bit depressing to see how many people are moaning about the school dinners, school dinners at my DC school are actually pretty good and are way more nutritious than the stuff most kids have in their lunch boxes. I've been in and had dinner at the school a few times and have seen lunch boxes as described by pp - chocolate crisps, sugary drink and a chocolate spread sandwich. I make DC have school dinners as I think at £2.52 for a freshly cooked meal, dessert, salad bar and freshly cooked bread it's pretty good.

On the odd occasion he has packed lunch it comes home half eaten as he'd rather be outside playing and he's hangry at pickup time. My packed lunches are average - cheese/chicken and crackers, box of cut up fruit and salad, yoghurt pouch and something like crisps or mini cookies for example.

I’d rather stick pins in my eyes, than eat a cold Happy Meal!

Occasionally, when we are on the move, I have McDonalds, because at some motorway service stations at night, the only hot food available is fast food! No way, would I ever eat it cold and certainly wouldn’t give it to DC!

It’s desperately sad for the poor kid.

Are you OK? I was defining safeguarding for you.

Sorry which is it? A safeguarding issue or to proactively identify children at risk of neglect?

and what is the outcome of either, in your expert opinion?

To proactively identify children at risk of harm. Harm such as neglect. HTH.

do you understand anything about safeguarding though or do you just think it’s helping you sound outraged?

It’s definitely not the worst thing, in fact it’s nutritionally useful if we focus on calories. The cheeseburger and chips is 600 calories, that really WILL keep them going all afternoon. They will be focused and have energy.

Anyone seeing a lethargic, grumpy bunch of kids who haven’t eaten enough lunch will know what I’m talking about.

This makes no sense 😭your aloe water and sushi are more expensive than McDonald’s. You can’t seem to decide whether you’re “middle class as hell (🤣) of if you’re struggling to afford £4.59 on a happy meal.

I don’t eat any leftovers , let alone MacDonalds, but people have different tastes. 👍