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.

Right. DS graduated from happy meals towards the end of last year when he was just-8 because 4 nuggets just wasn't enough to fill him up. He now has 6 nuggets and eats about three-quarters of a box of medium fries with a bottle of milk and that's the right amount for him. He's skinny and tall and athletic.

And we no longer have to ignore the plastic tat.

My brother had hollow legs as a child and would have an adult size Maccy Ds at that age, and then finish my half eaten cheeseburger happy meal .

He was constantly hungry because he was destined for tall things. He's never been overweight, and is 6ft 4.

My own waif like 9 year old DD managed to pack away a quarter pounder meal for the first time the other day. Happy meals are cheaper though!

I often have a happy meal for myself a large meal makes me too full and gives stomach aches

Oh ffs I think everyone gets McDonald's isn't exactly healthy but it's fine as a treat

7yo DS was allowed an adult meal with exH so now always wants one. I tend to scoop out some of the fries to top my portion up (because I love them) and get a small drink, but the bit he likes best is the burger patty and they are pretty small in a plain hamburger. He likes a Big Mac but doesn’t eat all the bread.

My "frugal" DP orders a Happy Meal and he's 52. You can get a coffee as a drink with a happy meal, which I didn't realise until DP told me.

Lol, Aibu misreading there. First fun nutty post quite far in.
I meant he’d finish it competing with his friends so as to look cool, not he has some weird eating disorder where he is compelled to finish any amount set before him. Buying happy meals isn’t akin to food torture at home where children are punished if they eat to appetite and plates are stood over with threats.

Have a Happy Meal; Mackies is too boring to eat a lot of.

For DS2’s 8th birthday, we took all the boys in his class swimming and then for a Happy Meal. One very overweight little —brat— kid kicked off because we wouldn’t buy him chocolate out of the swimming pool vending machine, then threw an absolute fit when we told him he had to have a Happy Meal. He made such a scene I caved in the end as it was upsetting DS. I was absolutely livid.

@Passing4Human I’ve more a three item 99p menu kinda girl 😉

Never mind the small portions. YABU to feed kids at McDonalds, full stop.

That's a seriously unhealthy attitude to have towards food of any kind.

Ds is 8 and still eats a happy meal. He usually also has a muffin or mcflurry.

My 9 year old moved on from happy meals a couple of years ago.

Dd11 still has a happy meal (unless out with friends then it’s 6 nuggets and small fries as happy meals are for little kids). Ds13 ate them until 12 when he developed a teenage appetite!

It wouldn't have been enough for my kid when she was 8. This is Mumsnet though. Apparently a happy meal feeds a family of six and they're positively bursting afterwards 😂

If your last post was aimed at me, I think you may have misinterpreted my tone - I was just saying that I've never known my son to eat more than he wanted for any reason and his ability to self-regulate seems steadfast whether it's Weetabix or chips (he definitely doesn't get that from me and I'm kind of in awe of him for it!), so I try not to get too involved as he seems to know his own appetite pretty well.

It wasn't intended as a criticism and I'm sorry if it read that way.

My DS is 7 and a happy meal doesn't fill him up anymore (he still likes the toys though!) he's not a huge eater either.
Depends on the child I guess.

A happy meal for me would not touch the sides now. Dd nearly 12 graduated to Adult MacDonalds a few years ago, when she complained she was still hungry after the happy meal. She eats a large meal now, she is very slim and active. We do MacDondlds around 1 a month as a treat.

It wouldn't have been enough for my kid when she was 8. This is Mumsnet though. Apparently a happy meal feeds a family of six and they're positively bursting afterwards

Haha! True, but this being Mumsnet, people are also feeding their toddlers 3 Weetabix with bananas and then toast.

It stands to reason they're going to have an adult's appetite by the time they're 6 or 8 years old.

My DD8 had a regular chicken nugget meal yesterday, followed by a mini McFlurry. It’s a fortnightly post-swimming lesson treat.

She’s a tiny skinny thing but eats like a horse when she’s in the mood

I'm sure my two were still on Happy meals until about 10 and they were very tall and did a lot of activity (now 6'3 as young adults). However we usually got something extra for them to share about that age e.g. if they got burgers we'd buy a portion of nuggets between them or I'd split my chips between them. We'd usually only go after dentist trips though so not like it was a weekly thing. I think to be honest, it's more about the kudos/embarrassment about the toy in front of friends etc to get the adult meal rather than necessarily hunger. If it's just as a snack/lunch thing rather than a main meal, i'd maybe not go for the Happy meal but get them a £1 burger each (if they still do those) and then a couple of large chips to share. Though by the time you add a drink then you might be better off with the adult meal...

OP, tell me about the dumplings? What did you cook?

True enough Worra. I have no faith in any food thread on here to be honest. It's either competition undereating or cheerleading each other to eat three selection boxes. No middle ground!

*competitive

I was a stupendously skinny child with an enormous appetite (to the point the GP was concerned I might have a tapeworm - I didn't). At 8 year old I could easily eat a full adult meal.

As a slim, active adult a Happy Meal would leave me starving, but a proper adult meal fills me up (not that I eat it more than a couple of times a year due to high cholesterol).

Ooh. - normally the threads I see are about how MUCH the DCs eat and they are VERY ACTIVE and tall and VERY THIN. Nice to see one about DCs who struggle to finish a burger and who don't like fries