To get an 8.5 yr old a happy meal?

[QuickSloeGo]

Obviously irrelevant if you don’t eat McDonald’s...

Twice recently I’ve had friends kids out and about and for ease I’ve resorted to McDonald’s. Not the days main meal.

I still buy my 8 yr old a happy meal, even I rarely buy an adult full meal unless I’m starving or I’ve eaten little else. For lunch I’ll happily get a wrap.

Both times his friends have been incredulous at the happy meal, I’ve bought them full meals and their parents have confirmed they always have a full meal. One laughed and said she lets him make it large.

I will always follow rules for other people’s kids, but am I out of step with 8 yr old boy portions? It seems plenty to me for lunch. He doesn’t complain, his 6 yr old sister doesn’t finish them. They are slim but a healthy slim and full of energy. I’m a very normal about 22ish bmi so mid range healthy and I don’t diet.

Grown up daughter has a Happy Meal still,never stopped

My 5 year old DD has a happy meal and something extra like a burger and fruit and ice cream. Kids appetites are all so different. I am in awe of hers!

What is there to be in awe of when she is over eating?

Probably once a year I get a drive thru and my three: 6, 7 and 9) want a happy meal and only eat half. Probably because they don’t really like the food, they just want the toy and the milkshake... but my 9yo eats a adult portion of pasta when we eat in a restaurant.

Why are people shocked by normal appetites? I know someone who shares a muffin between four from Sainburys (not home made) sticks a candle in it for a birthday cake and claims their children still don't finish their quarter. I have to say they are normal looking so they must get their calories form somewhere. I can't comprehend it at all and I'm genuinely in awe of them abstaining from sugar and small portion sizes!

Is she over eating, or is she eating to get appetite, you don't know.
and I bet she is tall, skinny and active

Jeez mine had happy meals until about 12/13!!

all children have different appetites though. my 3year old nephew has a chicken nugget happy meal and a cheeseburger and he often eats it all (apart from a few chips) he doesn’t eat mcdonald’s every day it’s a treat once in a while after nursery. he’s not overweight and he eats plenty of fruit and vegetables

That is excessive for a 3 year old!

If Happy Meals had tofu nuggets the skinny/sporty/studious kids would snaffle down 20 and ask for more.

Still buy my 18 year old daughter a happy meal. She doesn't like the 'gunk' on adult burgers. And we still have to scrape off the onions!

Not that it's a problem if she likes a Happy Meal, obviously, but you do know you can order a plain one? (and then it is usually fresher, too ;-) )

I'm 52 and I eat Happy Meals!

This whole big thread comparing intake and skinny kids!

I think the nub of the matter in the OP is to do with money. Most of us are on a budget, and taking a child’s friend out to eat who demands expensive meals and milkshakes can double what you expected to spend!

Also giving in to the child’s demands sets you up for the fallout of your child expecting lavish spending the next time.

Be prepared for these occasions! Offer kids club meal, or to go home and eat there. Some kids are just greedy, see them off at the pass!

Qualifier, some adults are greedy too!

I think someone said it above-that you can't really use the words portion control in relation to take away if you only go there for the odd birthday or school holiday (so a few times a year if even). We usually go on the way of a long journey and so would get a happy meal but also maybe a portion of chicken nuggets or something extra cos we know we're going to be starving in under an hour. So our kids do but I think they just haven't realised yet that there's McD's outride of happy meals! I wouldn't take other kids to McDs just cos people who hate the idea seems to seriously think it's the devil's work (even if you say you only go about three times a year!) and also the cost adds up so quickly!

I’m a bit depressed that after 9 years of mumsnet this is the longest running thread I’ve started and the only one on talk round up, and it’s an inane one about McDonald’s.

@mantlepiece to be honest... yep

QuickSloeGo, Not so. You and I have had a lovely side chat about Russian/Ukraine dumplings and I've now got a heap of lovely recipes to try. I'm surprise that more posters haven't joined in instead of blethering on about McDonalds...

We need a dumpling emoji, doesn't cut it.

I always love a how much a child eats thread on MN.

you either have a 4 year old eating 1kg of pasta, sauce, a cuciumber, three bananas, a pint of yoghurt (full fat) - as a mid mornig snack.

or the Kids on this thread (who are normally the adults on the thread) who can barley manage a nibble of grape, and if it's Christmas, they'll have a suck on a slice of orange as well. afterall, it's the season to indulge.

but no matter the appetite, MN kids are tall and slim (always tall)

in a similar vein to the dumplings. I made gnocchi for the first time ever last night.... delicious!

but slightly faffy - i'm looking to see if they can be frozen....

My ds (almost 11) is an oddity for his age. Won't eat McD at all. Any version of anything in on the ment.

Is very so so on chips (even proper chip shop chips).

He won't eat pizza. Will cheerfully horse into sushi (his favourite is eel) (not envy) and will eat noodle dishes till the cows come home.
He's a big fan of broccoli and asparagus but won't touch a mushroom unless it's soup. Kids are weird and fabulous

The OP mentions portion size and slimness of herself and children so perhaps posters assumed that there was some relevance to the AIBU rather than it just being about expenditure at MacDonalds!

(my ds is slim and not tall) He will never be Tall (the be and end all) - his genes are from my side (medium sized/slim people)
He might arrive at 5'10 but he has beautiful green eyes, great hair, high cheekbones and a sparkling wit and humour. He won't be short of attention.

Since I'm rambling, I might as well add that I hate the word 'meal'. It's up there with 'moist'.

ahhh that's better. Happy Friday vipers

00100001 yes they can freeze before cooking.but freeze on a baking tray first til solid then transfer to your bag or tuperware. ALWAYS cook from frozen though.

I wouldn’t have dreamt of buying an 8 year old an adult meal. No wonder we are surrounded by obesity. You were perfectly right to buy a child a child’s meal.

My 6 and 9 year olds have a Happy meal but that’s probably more down to budget than anything. I’ve never really offered them bigger. They like the toy to. My eldest did ask for adult meal a few times as her friends get them, but she soon went back to happy meal. Controversially though in the day time whilst it’s been cold my youngest has a hit chocolate with hers and the eldest a tea. If we go in the evening I only actually let them have milk or a bottle of water. Daytime I let them chose a drink. Eldest has just started to enjoy a Diet Coke but will sometimes get a tea. I’ve stuck to my rules even when we’ve been with friends. In the summer I will offer them an ice cream cone for afters too! Lol. They once got a McFlurry but wasted it. Milkshakes are also filling!

When we go to other restaurants I always give them the children’s menu. Caused issues when on holiday with my sister and my two for kids as they got children’s meals for about £6 each which included starter, main, desert and drink. Her child wanted the adult sharing platter (around £15) so she could pick at it and then they ordered drink and dessert for her. I couldn’t justify that cost for my kids if they’d asked (they wouldn’t have eaten it anyway). I’ve one salary and 2 kids. They’ve 2 (very decent) salaries and 1 kid. A lot was wasted and also passed to other adults.

Each to their own. I stick to my budget and if I took my childrens’ friends Out with us they would be offered the children’s menu too, unless we got a big pizza or something to all share. I teach my kids to have manners when out with others so if offered kids then it’s kids bit if offered other sizes then be sensible.

Mine started to move over to double cheeseburgers around then. I've eaten happy meals as an adult. Portionwise, unless he's claiming hunger afterwards go with what he eats. Ask for it in a plain bag. I've seen friends kids eat more in restaurant than most adults could...and they end up fat...