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Original poster

DS1 is eating approx 10 meals per week from McDonalds

65 replies

LoyaltyBonus · 05/11/2019 21:54

He's 18yo and I suppose it's his problem but....

He's working there. It's not supposed to be long term but while he applies him self to achieving his dream. I can;t knock him for that, he's working hard both at work and on the "project" and paying his way. He's also doing well at McDonalds with management opportunities etc.

However, he gets one free meal per shift and a staff discount. So he's basically having the free meal in his break and buying another either at the beginning or end of his shift, depending on the timings, every day he's working. He's mostly working late shifts, so he's not at home for our home cooked family dinner, although I do leave him a plate to warm up next day, which he usually eats, so he's getting maybe 4/5 decent meals a week.

So far there doesn't seem to be any adverse affects. He's still tall and slim, his skin's fine, he's well, he's still playing sport at a fairly decent level.

How long until it start's taking it's toll?

OP posts:

Fruitbatdancer · 05/11/2019 22:51

I worked in McDonald’s as a teen. After 6 months I was sick to death of it. Could occasionally eat the stuff I used to prepare the least (chicken!) couldn’t touch a hamburger!
Occasionally I’d take a meal down to KFC and trade with staff there just to mix it up a bit
It’ll pass!

Leeds2 · 05/11/2019 23:00

I wouldn't worry, particularly if he isn't putting on weight. He will, as others have said, get fed up of it before long, or realise that a poor diet results in a less than perfect sporting performance. I would though make sure that there were plenty of healthier options available at home, and encourage him to eat them!
Fwiw, my friend'd son, at a similar age, had a job in a fish and chip shop. He was eating two servings of fish and chips/pie and chips etc per shift, and put on a lot of weight very quickly. In the end, he was banned from partaking of the free food because the shop owner's didn't like what it was doing to him! He quit the job after about 8 months, and soon lost the weight.

Yappy12 · 05/11/2019 23:01

Suggest he doesn't eat his second cheaper one and brings it home for you instead!!

SonjaMorgan · 05/11/2019 23:02

@LoyaltyBonus I worked there as a teenagers, I would often work double shifts and sometime have 3 meals a day at work. I never put any weight on at the time. Put me off for life and I have only eaten there once or twice since. He will be fine.

Pliudev · 05/11/2019 23:03

Yes, as Lottie suggested show him Supersize me. That should put him off. If it doesn't, then he's probably excellent management material for McDs and I hear their training is quite good.

TheTeenageYears · 05/11/2019 23:06

OP I would be concerned in your situation but how concerned really depends if has aspirations to be a professional sportsman or not. If not I would probably just continue to keep a proper dinner with tons of veg available to him everyday (particularly chicken and fish to balance out the processed meat) and try to encourage snacks of raw veg and eggs at home plus a good breakfast but not including processed meat as he’s already getting more than enough of that. Teen boys have such huge appetites and until he gets sick of it he’s not going to actively seek an alternative (he is a boy/man after all 😉). It sounds like he’s burning loads of calories plus he will still be growing so it’s not like you or I doing the same thing. I think most teens abuse their systems in one way shape or form but live to tell the tale. If however he is an aspiring athlete then it’s a totally different story.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 05/11/2019 23:06

My DS has got a P/T job at KFC ( he's at University so his shifts will depend on his timetable)

I reckon by Christmas my DS won''t want to let a piece of KFC pass his lips . I can't see him going for the Rice Box or the Vegan Chicken.

My DMum worked in a bakery P/T and she said they got over the appeal of cakes very quickly

PickAChew · 05/11/2019 23:06

It's hardly the end of the world.

Balonder · 05/11/2019 23:07

I worked in McDonalds at that age and ate a medium meal every work day. It's quite physical work, especially in the kitchen. I never put any weight on. I can probably count the number of those types of meals I've had since on one hand. Eating it every day totally turned me off that sort of food so probably better for my eating habits in the long run.

ReanimatedSGB · 05/11/2019 23:12

FFS Let him get on with it. The more you whine and pluck at his sleeve, the more burgers he will eat just to annoy you. As PP have said, he will get to a point where he wants them less often. But he is 18 years old and it is his choice what he eats, now.

Bluerussian · 05/11/2019 23:34

Young people get away with it, Loyalty. It doesn't last forever. I can assure you teenagers and early twenties often put all sorts of junk, food or drink, inside them - either that or they virtually starve themselves (I did both at different times).

In a few years he'll be in to healthy eating.

However, McDonald's have a far more varied menu nowadays with some good stuff. I was surprised, something prompted me to look it up online as I haven't been there since I don't know when. Some of the food on offer looked delicious and not unhealthy at all. We live in hope that your son varies his diet a bit.

RantyAnty · 05/11/2019 23:35

A reminder that he is an 18 year old man now so let him make his own decisions.

Leaving him a plate? just stop. I hope you're not doing his laundry, cleaning his room and other pandering. Read the thread, I'm ashamed of my adult DS.

cheeseplantistakingover · 05/11/2019 23:35

I'm curious to know how he feels eating 10 a week? Does he notice any change in his energy? I only managed three shifts at macdonalds (mainly as the customers were miserable, it was an airport), luckily for my weight at the time, I did feel a bit gross from eating the large meals. They are good for staff development I remember.

I then went to work for a well known pizza chain. I ate a pizza every day plus whatever free food was going and was thin as a rake from all the walking. I think I was full time for about 18 months when I started to get that 'head exploding when you bend over' sinus feeling. Too much cheese I think. In the end I taught myself to cook and educated myself a bit more about what to eat.

The only thing I'd be concerned about is vitamins, you know the brain is still developing until mid 20's, so maybe get him to take one? You know a man's vitamin type thing?

rosiejaune · 05/11/2019 23:53

It will already be affecting his health, even if that's not visible on the outside.

Suggest he watches Game Changers on Netflix.

VenusTiger · 05/11/2019 23:55

@RantyAnty that’s a bit she’s his mom, of course she’s going to carry on caring for his wellbeing, age doesn’t come into it. If she’s cooking for the family, then leaving him a plate is normal behaviour.

OP, you’re doing the right thing asking and also by leaving him something nutritious for when he gets in - he’s living under your roof after all, so taking care of him is still going to be a priority. I wouldn’t worry to much about the McDs though - he’s sporty, slim, young and can work it off. He’ll get fed up of it anyway after a while.

VenusTiger · 05/11/2019 23:56

*too much

Finchy19 · 05/11/2019 23:59

My DH was similar. Then he stopped a manual job and realised it wasn't so easy to eat what he did with out working it off. His eating habits have changed drastically

30to50FeralHogs · 06/11/2019 00:31

A reminder that he is an 18 year old man now so let him make his own decisions.

Just because someone is legally an adult it doesn't stop their parents worrying about them. My DS is 19 and he's still very much my child. Obviously if he had to live alone he'd manage it, but he doesn't, so I still cook his dinner (as I'm cooking for myself and his siblings!) and I wash his clothes when I wash everyone else's, and our cleaning lady vacuums his room as she does mine. Its not pandering, its family life.

My DS has needed more emotional support this year than ever before tbh, so just because he's an adult, he still needs support and guidance.

Sonichurdle · 06/11/2019 01:05

I wouldn't worry, I worked for them for 8 years from 2003 - 2011(full time 2006-2009) took advantage of every free meal I was given and used the discount occasionally. It is a very physically demanding job so never put on any weight and I have not had a day off work since 2004 (mumps epedemic when I started uni can't blame mcd for that)

kierenthecommunity · 06/11/2019 03:29

Leaving him a plate? just stop

My stepmother used to leave me lovely plated up meals when I worked full time in a pub at a similar age, I was very grateful for them. But at the same time I was paying board and it was only a portion of what she was cooking the rest of the family anyway. So hardly treating me like a ten year old.

McDonald’s do side salads and carrot bags that he could have instead of chips, but admittedly it’s up to him

ffswhatnext · 06/11/2019 03:48

He will get bored.
I've worked in loads of takeaway places over the years.
Eventually, I got fed up of the food, even when I left I couldn't eat certain food for years. And some I will only eat if that's all that is available.

ShippingNews · 06/11/2019 04:19

Not everything at McDonalds is unhealthy. My SIL put himself through secondary school and university while working at McDonalds - they were an excellent employer and he got many of his working skills from those years. He told me that he "lived on McDonalds" at that time - he is and was a slim and healthy man . And he has every intention of encouraging his own children to work there when the time comes.

sashh · 06/11/2019 04:20

I have a friend in his 40s who has a very restricted diet and it doesn't seem to do him any harm.

I'd maybe make sure there was a bowl of fruit about when he got home but to be honest if this is the only worry you have about him you have a fine young man for a son.

DinosApple · 06/11/2019 06:35

I remember working at MDs, I had a quarter pounder with cheese meal every shift (Saturday job). Prior to that I worked in Sainsbury's once a week and just ate a king size Twix and drank a bottle of Dr Pepper for my lunch. And was a slim whisp of a girl. Happy days.

If he eats what you've left him as well I wouldn't worry too much. Get him a multivitamin maybe. It's very busy, on your feet, work.

Focyt · 06/11/2019 06:54

It’s McDonald’s, not poison. People go overboard about them On here.

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