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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

McDonalds every week?

150 replies

Butterflyflower1234 · 29/11/2019 17:42

I'm wondering AIBU to think giving children a McDonalds every week is too much?

My DP has three lovely DC and every week he takes them to McDonalds. Usually this is every Monday as he seems them for dinner but he missed it this week so he's taken them to McDonalds tonight 'as they missed out on Monday'.

The DC are coming home tonight so it now means that it's just us eating instead of us all eating together.

I have raised before that it won't harm them not to have a McDonalds every week but because they are used to it, they now expect it every week.

I think this is a classic Disney Dad move but of course I can't say too much as I'm not a parent. I just wondered what peoples opinions are?

OP posts:
redappleandaquamarinebow1987 · 30/11/2019 01:15

A happy meal once a week as long as they eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and veg is not the end of the world. Used to do it as a teen weekly when meeting friends to shop and do it now do it with fiancé after faith lessons as it is only a 5 minute walk away. We pick up any household items we need from the retail park after that. We eat healthy monday-friday but allow ourselfs the treat on the weekend. I do zumba, pilates or yoga and he does boxing and football. It's all about balance. If we have kids yes I will bribe them to behave at church with the prospect of mc donalds if they behave. I will also make sure they do 2 sports outside of school as being active is part of a balanced lifestyle.

1300cakes · 30/11/2019 01:41

They don't eat well generally.

Surely this is more the issue than McDs once a week.

Endspeciesism · 30/11/2019 02:58

www.mccruelty.com/

Of course murder and torture of sentient beings is not ok, not for a kids meal, not for anyone.

NowWhatUsernameShallIHave · 30/11/2019 03:10

I’m going to get shot here but I think it’s too much.

I really do think in these times we are normalising eating processed food as the norm.

I’m not saying not to take kids out but clearly it’s an problem if you miss a day.

It’s not really a surprise that so many people now are struggling with weight and health issues and it’s only going to get worse. The number of people being diagnosed with cancer is increasing at an alarming rate but as long as ‘kids get their treats’.

I think as a society we need to get away from using food to make us feel better and remember its to fuel our bodies.

Sorry but it’s true

ForalltheSaints · 30/11/2019 06:40

YANBU to feel that fast food once a week is too much.

Stegosaurus1990 · 30/11/2019 06:41

@NowWhatUsernameShallIHave

Exactly. Just normalising eating crap and making it sound cute. Kids won’t make good choices themselves. We should lead by example.

EleanorShellstrop100 · 30/11/2019 06:58

I mean it’s not great. Especially if their diet isn’t great the rest of the time.

EleanorShellstrop100 · 30/11/2019 07:06

I’m surprised by so many people saying it’s fine to be honest. It’s processed meat between some sugar-packed buns or some processed chicken and some greasy fries. I don’t think the one piece of limp lettuce on the burger makes it okay. Yes it’s only once a week but once a week EVERY week? It’s not for them and I’d argue with a PP who said ‘there’s much worse food out there’ - I really don’t think there is much that is worse than McDonald’s. There might be a few things that are AS bad, but I’d not be feeding them to my kids once a week either. I mean I’m only saying this because it’s come up in conversation - I wouldn’t actively judge anyone who did this or say anything in real life to make them feel bad. I’m just being honest as that’s the whole point of the thread...

EleanorShellstrop100 · 30/11/2019 07:12

@NowWhatUsernameShallIHave totally agree within you.

adaline · 30/11/2019 07:30

@EleanorShellstrop100 what is it about McDonald's that you think is so horrendous?

A kids meal is fries (potatoes), nuggets (chicken) and fruit juice (I think Tropicana). How is that going to fuel childhood obesity?

It's one meal out of 30 a week, not including snacks. If children visit McDonald's once a week and are overweight, then I'd say the other 29 meals are to blame!

Jenasaurus · 30/11/2019 07:49

my ex used to have one night that he did the dinner, or rather got Macdonalds, it was the night I visited my mum, so the DC got Happy Meals, they have survived but to be honest it annoyed me a bit as he could have made an effort once in a while to provide them with something he cooked. To be honest though his cooking skills weren't that great, when I broke my leg my 12 year old son cooked lovely meals, including a sunday roast rather then being subjected to a tin of soup or a hard jacket potato, although he managed to make a ham or chicken salad at times. All my DC can cook, (now adults) but my Ex just never managed to make anything very edible, hence the macdonald once a week on his night to cook

Stegosaurus1990 · 30/11/2019 07:52

It’s not likely to be in isolation. Is dad making healthy, nutritious foods the rest of the time? No. This is just an example of the worst meal he’s giving.

It’s attitudes on this thread that have led to the crisis kids are currently having. It’s frightening.

KatherineJaneway · 30/11/2019 07:55

Personally I think it is far too often to eat McDonald's weekly but plenty will argue it's fine.

adaline · 30/11/2019 08:16

It’s not likely to be in isolation. Is dad making healthy, nutritious foods the rest of the time? No. This is just an example of the worst meal he’s giving.

Then it's the dad's lack of care over his children's nutrition that's the problem, not the fact that they eat McDonalds once a week.

McDonald's is one meal out of 30, not include snacks. If a child is overweight it's not because they have a happy meal on a Friday night!

90schic · 30/11/2019 08:22

I’m a total nutrition nut so this would be an absolute no from me. But I don’t eat junk food myself... or see it as ‘treat food’. I also wouldn’t give it to my child or let him see junk food as ‘treats’ or a reward / good thing in any way. People might think it’s nothing or not a big deal but remember ... Obesity and obesity related illness’s are more likely to kill your child than anything else. One McDonald’s isn’t going to hurt, of course! But it seems he is constantly encouraging these kind of foods....IMO not good. I can understand your concerns OP. Xx

Runningonempty84 · 30/11/2019 09:18

A kids meal is fries (potatoes), nuggets (chicken) and fruit juice (I think Tropicana). How is that going to fuel childhood obesity?

Is that a joke?!
You honestly can't see the difference between chicken and potatoes, and processed shite?

adaline · 30/11/2019 09:26

What do you think is in them that make them worse than frozen nuggets and oven chips?

The cooking process isn't brilliant but McDonald's isn't full of some weird Franken-meat made from fake chickens. It's normal food!

LemonScentedStickyBat · 30/11/2019 09:45

the Dad could make a spaghetti bolognaise using cheap mince and white pasta and everyone would be happy that he cooked but I bet there’s little nutritional difference between that and a quarter pounder. If the alternative that they would get at home is organic chicken and 3 types of steamed veg then fair enough, McD’s is worse, but I doubt it is!

Juststopit · 30/11/2019 09:50

As someone who’s DS gets the Disney dad treatment once a week/fortnight I would be more concerned that’s what he thinks being a parent is. Can’t he take them to his home and cook? Perhaps do their washing and help with the homework ? A trip to Mac Donald’s is not great parenting.

backouch · 30/11/2019 09:56

Oh my god @chuck7 how bloody horrible. My husband sometimes takes our daughter to McDonalds after watching her football matches, I'd hate to think judgemental people like you are thinking nasty ridiculous things about him. I'm angry at your comment.

backouch · 30/11/2019 09:57

And my children are extremely fit, active and healthy.

Butterymuffin · 30/11/2019 10:01

It's him slacking that's the issue. Plenty of posters have said 'fine if they're active and have an otherwise healthy diet' but OP has said:

They don't eat well generally
and
I feel bad for the DC mum as I don't think she takes them out for McDonalds often due to money so it feels a bit bad for her.
Is he paying her enough? And how good is he at ever cooking for them and doing the drudgery of parenting? That's the stuff to be worried about. I share your concern about the weekly McDs becoming indispensable but the general parenting is the priority to tackle.

90schic · 30/11/2019 10:05

‘kids meal is fries (potatoes), nuggets (chicken) and fruit juice (I think Tropicana). How is that going to fuel childhood obesity?’

Omg comments like this make me cringe. No wonder people are dying in their millions. Please read a nutrition book

OlaEliza · 30/11/2019 10:08

You couldn't beat chippy chips after swimming on a Saturday when I was a kid! That was every week. 80's kids weren't fat 🤷

Once a week is nothing to worry about if the rest of the week is healthy. BUT this then means mum has that responsibility the rest of the time which isn't really fair.

hsegfiugseskufh · 30/11/2019 10:15

water i know exactly what its like actually. Dss mum doesnt cook anything healthy ever. I do. Doesnt mean we dont treat him. He isnt overweight as he plays a lot of sport.

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