to let DS have a McDonald's each week?

[Streamings]

DS is a swimmer and swims with a squad that's 45 mins away. He starts training at 6:30 and comes out at 8 (pm btw) and it's very convenient for this day. He is healthy and slim and on all the other days has a good, balanced diet.

Is this seriously so bad?

Is the American version really different? Bigger, I suppose?

Yes, it's bigger for a start, but everything tastes different, and the menu items vary greatly.

I have had several Americans ask me for items we just don't do, like a Double Quarter Pounder.

AndTakeYourHorseWithYou

I have a dream that one day I will go to America and try out your food. I have watched diners, drive ins and something else and it makes my mouth water.

I love eating spinach as well I had for dinner tonight. This thread is making me hungry.

I remember fondly of the weekends my parents took me for a McDonald's meal after my class! It was McDonalds, Wendy's or chips from the local chippie. Loved it.

I very rarely had mcdonalds growing up but when my parents seperated when I was 16 my dad and I would go for our food shopping on a Tuesday after his work and we would have a mcdonalds while we were out. Looked forward to it and now look back with fond memories. Laugh at the first time my dad tried to order mc chips and a mc coffee he thought mc was in front of everything.

Now as a parent myself my son was about 3 before he had a mcdonalds. Hes now 6. We maybe go about twice a month. He tends to have fish fingers or very occasionally the cheeseburger. He always picks milk and barely touches his fries. I tend to eat happy meals to ( mainly because he likes the toys )

Everything in moderation imo

Sounds like a lovely treat for kids, McDonalds after swimming. I probably wouldn't allow it every week, but certainly every other week would be acceptable. Swimming works up a big appetite after all.

IIRC the Happy Meal can be ordered without the toy in France! Think it's an extra 50cents or something. And it comes with a fruit pouch (squeezy compote) or yoghurt.

I'm not a fan personally, but DD3 usually has one between dance lessons on a Saturday as it breaks up the hour's free time between lessons in middle of the day.

Nope of course not. And I'm vegetarian!

IIRC the Happy Meal can be ordered without the toy in France! Think it's an extra 50cents or something. And it comes with a fruit pouch (squeezy compote) or yoghurt.

You can have a fruit bag, melon bag or carrot sticks in the happy meal instead of fries here in the UK.

And you don't have to have the toy! But you won't be discounted for not taking it, because Happy Meals are exceptionally cheap as it is.

Can just see my son turning up his small nose at carrots in lieu of chips

May try and get him some in addition next time we go know, I'm an optimistic little soul

I wouldn't feed my kids take a way once a week, especially McDonald's.

Just looked at French website - not sure if you can remove the toy (have to have an account to go to the order/price page) but the fruit pouch, yoghurt or fruit bag is as well as the fries (can swap fries for tomatoes or potatoes - don't know what "deluxe potatoes" are).

Capriana, I would hedge bets on Starbucks being worse. I was horrified when I realised they sprinkle sugar over there fresh fruit salad....

Eat what you want op and give your DC what you want, why would anyone else sorry about it - they wont

This discussion is quite fascinating. I am French and never would anyone in France consider Mc Donalds part of a healthy diet or to give it as a treat. The food culture, such as having crisps every week or even every day, the normalisation of fast food as part of not only a healthy diet but associating it to good memories is so strange.

OP, I have two YABU for your:

1. I think that by having it regularly you just hook your son to McDo for life. And this is exactly what these chains want. Their food is highly engineered to give a maximum pleasure and you come back for more. 2 ) if your DS goes to swimming once a week, he is not a swimmer, he goes to swimming on a Friday night . DS2 is in squads and goes 3 times now and after the Australian term holidays he will upgrade to 5 times a week as he has been moved up a level. And still I wouldn't define him a swimmer.

Go for an experiment. Skip the McDonalds for a couple of weeks and see your DS's reaction (addiction). What happens if he doesn't get it? What happens to you if you don't get it , as I presume, you eat there as well. Would he/you feel cranky or in a bad mood?

King Your attitude is thoroughly un-Australian. Swims up to 5 times a week and still isn't a "swimmer"?

Eating McDonald's once a week won't make you an addict. Don't be absurd.

American McD's is entirely different from European ones

Is this true? Genuine question. I thought the idea behind American fast food joints was to offer homogeneity throughout the world.

Is this true? Genuine question. I thought the idea behind American fast food joints was to offer homogeneity throughout the world.

It's true; American McDonalds is vastly different from ours, and other countries from each other's too.

When Americans come here, they are surprised by the complete difference in taste and items offered.

I wouldn't , but my kids don't do intensive excersise.

One a month tops here, but the children aren't as active.

I'd deffo get a take out in your situation.

This discussion is quite fascinating. I am French and never would anyone in France consider Mc Donalds part of a healthy diet or to give it as a treat

Thats weird, because there are McDonalds all over France. Who is eating there then?

Surely nobody has ever remembered mcdonalds fondly

I do! McDonalds in Golders Green Road opened in the late 70s and I THINK it was one of the first in the UK. I went with my (much older) sister. I remember we couldn't work out the fries, we didn't realise they came in different sizes and wondered why ours were in a white paper bags and everyone else's in a red carton. Happy days

There are MacDo in France, people eat fast food and other crap but don't label it as part of a healthy diet.
Real food is far more dominant in France. You would;t grab a takeaway home for dinner

Its absolutely fine

she has a bun with gherkins and cheese and the chips. I feel a bit daft asking for it

Like that TV ad with the pregnant woman craving gherkins!

There are MacDo in France, people eat fast food and other crap but don't label it as part of a healthy diet

They do the exact same as the people on here are doing, saying its not an issue in moderation.

And there is LOADS of fast food in France. The "french people only eat proper food" trope is old and not true.