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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU one year olds having happy meals

276 replies

Crazypetlady · 27/09/2015 01:26

Somebody on my Facebook posted that their one year old was having their first happy meal. Which I suppose is not great for a one year old but I don't know the circumstances and I'm a new parent so not my place to judge. I haven't been in her position.
Just wondering would you give a baby that age a happy meal?
And AIBU for finding it a bit odd? I hadn't really considered them eating them before.

OP posts:
TerrorAustralis · 27/09/2015 10:11

I've never taken my DS to McD's because I don't like it myself, and I would prefer that he doesn't eat it. DH swears that he's never taken him there. But when DS was about 2, we were driving along in the car and passed the Golden Arches, and DS started pointing and yelling 'chips, chips'. Hmm

When I was an au pair the kids I looked after told me they liked to get Happy Meals because of the toy. They didn't give a shit about the food. Up until then I had no idea that it was all about the toy - I had thought it was just an added bonus, rather than the whole point from a kid's perspective.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 27/09/2015 10:12

My kids have eaten at a MacDonalds once, a few years ago. NOt deliberately avoided it, but it's just not on our radar. The DC weren't impressed with the food and left quite a lot of it.

Yes the kids will like getting a balloon and a bit of plastic, but there's much nicer places to go to. To answer the OP, no I wouldn't give a one year old a Happy Meal, I just honestly couldn't see the point.

There's a reasonable soft play near us, with a really good cafe which serves handmade pizzas cooked in their own pizza oven. That's what we choose over MacD's. Cheaper, and the kids really enjoy the food.

iamaboveandBeyond · 27/09/2015 10:12

"McD's bought their suppliers and named them 100%..."

I love this kind of shite. McD's food in all of the UK is supplied by Golden West Foods.

Oh and re "eating this every day isnt good for you" i used to work 60 hr weeks and lived on 2 mcds a day. I was a size 10

WorraLiberty · 27/09/2015 10:15

Woohoo! It's been ages since we've had a Maccy Dees thread to get the pearl clutchers and food snobs out of the woodwork.

Thanks OP. I've missed this Grin

Snossidge · 27/09/2015 10:16

My kids cheer every time we drive past a MacDs.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 27/09/2015 10:22

It's been ages since we've had a Maccy Dees thread to get the pearl clutchers and food snobs out of the woodwork

Hmm

I'm neither. LIke I say, it's just not on our radar. I don't honestly care what anyone else does. It's only bloody food.

But yeah, that should ensure that that everyone starts slagging each other off good and proper.

choccywoccydoodah2 · 27/09/2015 10:23

Meh. My nine month old has had part of a happy meal. a couple of fries, half a fishfinger, water, carrot sticks and a fruit bag. I'm very careful about the salt in her diet but occasionally isn't going to harm her. I notice that a lot of people go from one extreme to another - puritanical diet when they are babies then any old crap they like when they're a bit older. I prefer moderation from the start, whilst being extra careful about sugar and salt levels in babies' diet - but overall diet, not a one off.

beautygal29 · 27/09/2015 10:25

Goblinhat yes it is actually! We try and eat organic fresh food as much as possible. I am not middle class have a modest income and live in a council house. We just don't eat junk food!

wankerchief · 27/09/2015 10:26

dunno about anyone else but all this thread has done is guarantee that me and my four year old go for a maccy D's when we're are in town today.

And you have to dunk your chips in a milkshake. Mmmm

LibrariesGaveUsP0wer · 27/09/2015 10:27

100% beef by naming the supplier 100%?!

Ha ha ha ha ha.

God, I bet companies wish labelling rules were that easy!

Notso · 27/09/2015 10:28

Manhatten the fact you felt the need to point out the pizza you choose is handmade and cooked in their own pizza oven says it's not all only bloody food.

choccywoccydoodah2 · 27/09/2015 10:29

My children go maybe once every six months. I don't like McDonalds, mainly the ethics of it - but unfortunately they flipping love it and it is cheap. Fed six of us for £20, including ice creams.

GardeningWithDynamite · 27/09/2015 10:30

DD was allergic to dairy as a small child. Fish fingers and a fruit bag were fine for her at that age. It was one thing we could guarantee that she was ok with when we were on a long journey. She still doesn't eat the chips now.

Sallystyle · 27/09/2015 10:33

I love a proper good burger I do. We went to GBK a few weeks ago and the burgers were good. Took the children there last week and my two youngest didn't like their GBK burger but love McDonalds Hmm

I don't understand why they love a thin crappy burger but not a decent one.

I'm pretty sure all mine had a happy meal around one years old on occasions.

TheFairyCaravan · 27/09/2015 10:33

My children had the odd McDonalds when they were little. They still do. Neither are obese, both are very fit and healthy.

It does make me laugh that people think it's such crap if you Google you'll find it has less fat and salt than a lot of prepared sandwiches and takeaway pasta meals.

WorraLiberty · 27/09/2015 10:35

But yeah, that should ensure that that everyone starts slagging each other off good and proper.

Well yes, which is often the purpose of these threads.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 27/09/2015 10:39

Manhatten the fact you felt the need to point out the pizza you choose is handmade and cooked in their own pizza oven says it's not all only bloody food

You missed the point.

My point was that I'm not bothered about other people feeding their kids a Happy Meal. In other words it's not poison, it's 'only bloody food.'

Save it for someone who's having a go at the Happy Mealer's, I'm not.

Wishful80smontage · 27/09/2015 10:41

My dd is 2.5 and has never been to macdonalds but she eats more chocolate than she should so I can't get all judgey

Witchend · 27/09/2015 10:42

Dd1 was a dream to wean. We made our own organic puree and she ate everything in quantity.

Dd2 was the opposite. Ate two bites and refused more.

When dd1 was 4.6y and dd2 was 18months we went to McDd. Dd2 for the first time in her life ate a full meal. I could have cried with relief.

Now aged 14yo and 11yo dd1is the faddiest eater in tiny quantities, and has been for about 6years, and dd2 eats almost everything in quantity.... Except she doesn't like McDs!
They're both slim, towards the underweight side of normal bm.

So on my small sample of 2 I can conclude McDs at 18 months is good for them. Grin

Neddyteddy · 27/09/2015 10:42

Worra - I can't be described as a food snob pear clutcher either. We live on a tight food budget yet eat widely, have second hand furniture and wear handmedowns.

KourtneyK · 27/09/2015 11:00

All these threads ever do is make me crave McDonald's. I think it's healthier to admit that you occasionally love a bit of dirty junk food than spend time clutching your pearls that not every child has kale and quinoa once a day.

lazycoo · 27/09/2015 11:00

Seriously impressed with your DS goblin!

LieselVonTwat · 27/09/2015 11:10

My general rule is not to proactively introduce stuff like McDonalds, or indeed sweet things. Can't see the point in teaching a child that they like very sugary or salty things any earlier than you have to. But I don't think it's a good idea to prohibit once they're aware of it, and also sometimes real life gets in the way anyway. So eg I never gave my eldest biscuits or chocolate, but at about 16 months she picked up a biscuit at a playgroup we went to and never looked back. She discovered them for herself. I wouldn't make the active choice to take a 13 month old to McDonalds, but if they were there because their older sibling were attending a birthday party for example, not letting them have anything at all is how you create a complex. And sometimes if you have to travel or unexpectedly visit someone in hospital or whatever, fast food might be the only thing available.

Mine have never had Maccy Ds at all, but that's because we don't either. But my toddler does like tandoori chicken if we have a takeaway, which I imagine is not full of goodness.

imwithspud · 27/09/2015 11:35

Dd1 had her first McDonald's at around 18months, she's had it a few times since, usually chicken nuggets, occasionally a cheeseburger and (salted, gasp) chips but she never ate the whole packet of chips. Even now at almost 3 she only gets about half the packet of chips and me and dp eat the rest. She eats healthily 95% of the time and gets plenty of exercise, so I don't see the problem with her having some junk every now and then. Sometimes if we get it from the drive thru I will cut up some cucumber at home for her to have with her happy meal.

As for the 100% suppliers thing, what a load of tosh!Hmm

Original poster
Crazypetlady · 27/09/2015 11:44

The purpose of the thread was not to cause people slagging eachother off was just curious. Also want mcdonalds milkshake with fries now dipped in of course.

OP posts: