Carbs with carbs, and a side order of carbs. WTF M & S?

[AudTheDeepMinded]

Good grief, no wonder we have an obesity crisis. Was in M & S cafe for a mid morning coffee and spotted their latest menu. Included is a mac and cheese toasted sarnie, with which you can have a side order of fries for an extra £2. Can't believe they seriously thought this was a good idea.
Should probably have posted this in AIBU! what's the most bizarre offering you have seen on a menu?

@hotmeatymilk
I have no issue with sausage, chips and beans. My kids love them. Definitely let's warm our bones as it's on the way to the amazing English winter, isn't it?

But the obesity crisis is real and suggesting ways to help people help themselves in terms of healthy choices can't be that bad can it?

Not at all OP, I don't disagree with this point, but the truth is, the information is already out there. I don't really think that many people these days have NO idea of what is a healthy/unhealthy meal.

I just don't think this meal is any worse than many others in many different places.

@Pythonista not obsessed, just not blase with my head in the sand. I would be grateful if you could quote where I have stated I hate fat people so that I can self report to MNHQ and get it removed, as that is not my opinion at all. I'm sorry you are taking this personally, it is not my intention to offend or upset anyone. For me it has been a useful discussion.
@icedcoffees again, I don't think I've mentioned banning any foods, just helping people make better choices. Normalising and promoting unhealthy food as a regular choice is not something that achieves that.

How many people eat at M&S daily? Very few I’d imagine. They also attract an older demographic from what I’ve seen in our café and people like my grandma actually need calorific food. The requirements of someone age 20-50 compared with 80 is so different so don’t demonise carbs in one meal. The option is there for individuals to select from. I’ve also never looked in an M&S café and noticed a particularly obese clientele.

@Fluffymule

I’m struggling with the concept that Marks & Spencer a private company, should have any responsibility for public health.

Their responsibility is primarily to their shareholders. As long as their operations, including their retail offering, fall within the law they’ve done their bit.

Health is a personal responsibility. There may be an argument for public institutions to try and inform and influence the population’s personal choices to promote better health, but not private companies.

Where would that responsibility stop? Where would the boundaries be?

You’d be ok with M&S making decisions on what you should and shouldn’t be allowed to order and eat, but what about what you or your children could wear for example? “No you can’t buy and wear that type of skirt, it’s too short, it’s for your own benefit”. “No you can’t buy that type of book, its not funny, its for your own benefit’

Yup. I'm 2st overweight and at times between 2014-2017 I had a borderline six pack - no one to blame but myself and lazy choices. In the current climate there's lots of easy advice and tips available for people - I doubt anyone saw this M&S offer and thought "ooooh, that'll help me shred".

My first job had a canteen where they served a meat concoction, eg lasagne and chips or moussaka and chips every day. Even if it was a rice dish, they'd leave room for the chips. It was lovely and as it was a very hard job, it's the only time in my entire life I've consistently lost weight. It's not what you eat in one meal, it's what you eat over the week...and all the other things you do.

Did you not grow up eating spaghetti on toast out of a can?

It was a corporate big pharma company...

@Camblewick

But the obesity crisis is real and suggesting ways to help people help themselves in terms of healthy choices can't be that bad can it?

Not at all OP, I don't disagree with this point, but the truth is, the information is already out there. I don't really think that many people these days have NO idea of what is a healthy/unhealthy meal.

I just don't think this meal is any worse than many others in many different places.

No the information is not out there. The traffic light system on food has been shown to work, But it is voluntary. Many food manufacturers purposely have confusing information

[quote AudTheDeepMinded]@Mrsjayy But do they have a moral obligation not to condone something that is blatantly unhealthy?[/quote]
No, if they did 99% of restaurants and fast food places would shut down. We might have a few vegan cafes or juice bars left but not many people would want to eat there.

I agree that take away/ restaurant portions can be enormous and it can be hard to find healthier choices but it is what people choose to buy. I would support measures the government has talked about limiting the size of meals or taxing them though.

Here is the mac meal from a local take away, you can wash it down with a unicorn milkshake with an oversize cake for dessert.

This sounds like my perfect meal!
On the other hand I don't like those dessert places (Creams?) and they do exactly the same in their advertising don't they, normalise really unhealthy food?
I don't think anyone buys M&S food thinking it's healthy.

I think it’s a treat
A bit like my coffee out
I have a latte because I wouldn’t dream of making a milky drink at home ,so it’s a treat ,to pick me up ,having a coffee out somewhere nice.
I think the toastie is maybe the same

@Wombat49 most definitely not, my Mum is an amazing cook that puts my efforts to shame.

again, I don't think I've mentioned banning any foods, just helping people make better choices. Normalising and promoting unhealthy food as a regular choice is not something that achieves that.

Neither does patronising people and telling them how unhealthy their choices are, though.

By all means, advocate for better education around foods, but restricting private businesses and telling them what they can and can't promote or sell isn't the way to go about it.

[quote AudTheDeepMinded]@Pythonista not obsessed, just not blase with my head in the sand. I would be grateful if you could quote where I have stated I hate fat people so that I can self report to MNHQ and get it removed, as that is not my opinion at all. I'm sorry you are taking this personally, it is not my intention to offend or upset anyone. For me it has been a useful discussion.
@icedcoffees again, I don't think I've mentioned banning any foods, just helping people make better choices. Normalising and promoting unhealthy food as a regular choice is not something that achieves that.[/quote]
You clearly think fat people are stupid - adults don't need food eating 'modelled' to them. Children have things 'modelled' to them.

People understand what overeating or eating the wrong food does. If you closed down all the fast food shops on the planet overnight, it would make fuck all difference.

You do know that shops aren't why there is a crisis? You do know that a number of complex psychological issues can contribute to someone being overweight?

@AudTheDeepMinded

Good grief, no wonder we have an obesity crisis. Was in M & S cafe for a mid morning coffee and spotted their latest menu. Included is a mac and cheese toasted sarnie, with which you can have a side order of fries for an extra £2. Can't believe they seriously thought this was a good idea. Should probably have posted this in AIBU! what's the most bizarre offering you have seen on a menu?

Get over yourself

People treat this as a treat, not an everyday event

Who made you the food police?

Oh and I'm not taking it personally. I may be overweight but at least I don't treat whole swathes of the population like they are thick.

And look on the bright side - I will probably be dead before I am old enough to collect my pension - that will save the NHS some money

[quote AudTheDeepMinded]@Pythonista not obsessed, just not blase with my head in the sand. I would be grateful if you could quote where I have stated I hate fat people so that I can self report to MNHQ and get it removed, as that is not my opinion at all. I'm sorry you are taking this personally, it is not my intention to offend or upset anyone. For me it has been a useful discussion.
@icedcoffees again, I don't think I've mentioned banning any foods, just helping people make better choices. Normalising and promoting unhealthy food as a regular choice is not something that achieves that.[/quote]
Normalising and promoting unhealthy food as a regular choice is not something that achieves that.

It's not actually that unhealthy. And where do you get they are promoting it as a 'regular' choice? It's just an ad!

If you have never created a thread about McDonalds advertising, YABU to create a thread but a healthier meal than McDonalds offer.

I'm not British and when I first moved here I found the concept of eating things like lasagna with chips a bit weird. I still don't eat thing like that.

But sometimes only carbs will do. Carbs are not Satan, they are part of your diet. And sometimes when life is tough, carbs are a little slice of comfort. Someone might walk into M&S having had a really shit day and that dish might just bring them out of it. That's good enough for me.

*create a thread about

@AudTheDeepMinded

I know I'm not required to order it. I'm objecting to a high street shop with a massive presence normalising something obscenely unhealthy.

You are entirely correct.

@Pythonista I agree that it is a complex issue, but there is no denying that the increasing availability of unhealthier processed foods has gone hand in hand with the rise in obesity, and so the two are not unrelated. Why do you think that I think fat people are stupid? I judge people on their behaviour. If they can have a respectful non-aggressive discussion I judge them better than if they are rude.

Oh and you know they don't actually force the food down you?

Why should someone with no weight issues lose out? It's a free choice

Wouldn't eat it personally as I hate mac and cheese, but there's nothing wrong with it if eaten as part of a balanced diet.

It might not be eaten as part of a balanced diet but the same goes for any fast food - no reason to single out M&S.

[quote AudTheDeepMinded]@Pythonista I agree that it is a complex issue, but there is no denying that the increasing availability of unhealthier processed foods has gone hand in hand with the rise in obesity, and so the two are not unrelated. Why do you think that I think fat people are stupid? I judge people on their behaviour. If they can have a respectful non-aggressive discussion I judge them better than if they are rude.[/quote]
But if it wasn't processed food, it would be something else. You don't seem to understand that fat people aren't that way because they don't know how to eat healthily.

Hi @Choemol if you read the entire thread you will see there has been quite a debate with many useful points raised and which I have conceded. Thanks for your contribution.