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?

Sounds yum

You are certainly PASSIVE aggressive - I'm not sure that's any bettern

[quote AudTheDeepMinded]@LadyMuckington I don't think that includes having the chips option though.
I've already conceded many points points posters have put forth here. But I still think that there must be a better way of helping people make healthier choices, not by banning items, but by education and by example. It is a fact that there is an obesity crisis but should we all should shrug our shoulders and think 'not my problem or responsibility'?[/quote]
Surely by this logic you’re outraged at lots of meals at the majority of restaurants then? I went to one the other week and got a burger with chips and onion rings. What about all fast food places? What about meal deals because you can get a sandwich with a carby filling or a pasta pot with a side of crisps? That can easily total over 1000 calories (and probably more than this M&S deal) if you’re choosing a cheesy pasta pot with crisps and a smoothie. So many places offer triple carbs as options- not sure why this one in particular is a surprise to you.

@Pythonista what are your thoughts on what would be helpful to help those who struggle?

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.

I’m a healthy weight, I’m fit and look slim. I’d happily eat a cheese toastie with chips in a cafe or restaurant as a treat. It is easily possible to do that and not be obese. People don’t need help to make better choices - all the help in the world is out there now, there is so much information. I know a lot about food and nutrition - no one has taught me any of it. It’s right here on my phone and I’m multiple television series. Calorie information is on so much food. People need to take responsibility for themselves, they are adults. Support in this is available from many places, and restaurants don’t need to be one of them. A restaurants job is to make food that people will enjoy - it is not their job to fix the obesity crisis.

M&S sells plenty of unhealthy shite. Not sure why you're so hung up on this particular item. They sell the food that appeals to the people that shop there.

Well not being patronised for a start.

Like I said. It's a complex issue. It has so many roots that there isn't a one size fits all solution. More mental health services could help. But monitoring what people can eat won't.

@Pythonista not trying to be, just not trying to be rude to someone I don't actually know and to respect their opinion. Again, arguing from behind a keyboard is so easy to misconstrue. We would probably have a more productive and less antagonistic chat in person. I'm really very nice and reasonable you know.

But your idea is too simplistic. Let's 'model' good diet and don't let anyone near anything that might be 'unhealthy'

Surely by this logic you’re outraged at lots of meals at the majority of restaurants then? I went to one the other week and got a burger with chips and onion rings. What about all fast food places?

It is a very flawed logic. Presumably restaurants should stop asking if you’d like to see the desert menu after eating your main - it’s akin to slow murder according to some posts on here.

Thanks for a great laugh OP 😂😂

@Pythonista honest question, do you think the active promotion of unhealthy food has any detrimental affect on people who struggle?

@Tinacollada you're welcome, happy to amuse.

@Pythonista I don't think I've said that people shouldn't be allowed near unhealthy food.

[quote AudTheDeepMinded]@Pythonista honest question, do you think the active promotion of unhealthy food has any detrimental affect on people who struggle?[/quote]
I think it makes fuck all difference.

honest question, do you think the active promotion of unhealthy food has any detrimental affect on people who struggle?

Shall we get rid of wine and cocktails lists too in support of those suffering with alcoholism?

@Pythonista fair enough!
Right I'm off to prepare tea. It could be mung beans and tofu, it could be KFC, answers on a postcard please.
Seriously, thank you to all those who have contributed, it's certainly been informative.

People go to Pizza Express and eat dough balls followed by pizza or pasta - have you complained to them? 😉
Eating out is rarely healthy imo and even healthy sounding found can be deceptively high in calories eg Pret a Manger
M&S is a business who are struggling atm so need to sell what customers buy. If that's triple carbs then they owe it to shareholders and staff to sell triple carbs.
(before someone asks, struggling as in often the source of ridicule when it comes to womens clothes and shutting many stores)

@BananaPB I've not complained to them, just voiced my thoughts on an internet forum. As I mentioned earlier, it would appear that my actual tea will be my own arse handed to me on a plate. Good job I'm not the sensitive type.

I wouldn't consider M&S to be a particularly good place to buy healthy food so I'd suspect that the cafes were similar. They are famous for ready meals with rich sauces, gooey cheese etc and every so often there are panicked people on here who have shopped for a convenience item assuming that it will be healthier than other supermarkets but it will contain a large whack of their daily recommended calories.

How to market healthy foods is an interesting question though.

[quote AudTheDeepMinded]@LadyMuckington I don't think that includes having the chips option though.
I've already conceded many points points posters have put forth here. But I still think that there must be a better way of helping people make healthier choices, not by banning items, but by education and by example. It is a fact that there is an obesity crisis but should we all should shrug our shoulders and think 'not my problem or responsibility'?[/quote]
So how would this help deal with the root cause of obesity such as trauma etc?

It is all well and good being holier than thou and telling fat people they should eat better because of course you subscribe to the notion that all fat people are just thick and just need educating on how to eat better.

A chip butty is a thing of beauty :-)

@SpiderinaWingMirror

Sounds lovely. I assume that before rolling it out country wide they have actually done some market research

@SpiderinaWingMirror Judging from some of the clothes they stock I’m not actually sure that M & S do any market research at all.

Are you one of the competitive under eaters who prides themselves on starving themselves or as it’s otherwise known on MN ‘intermittent fasting’?🙄 As if having a something like this as a treat once in a blue moon is going to cause an obesity crisis! Get a fucking life!

Growing up here in the S.W, chips, macaroni cheese and peas was a normal meal.