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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think letting your kids eat McDonald's with you at least 4 times a week is disgusting?

333 replies

FourEyedFreak13 · 07/08/2020 21:12

Just that basically. I've recently noticed since lockdown has been lifted a neighbour heading out almost every night (sometimes afternoon) with their kids and coming back a short time later with McDonald's. It's been at least 4 times this week that I've. Noticed, I only noticed cause our dog is always sitting on the back of the sofa looking out the window and barks when the neighbours leave/come back. The kids are in and around the age of 7/8 (or there abouts) they did this pre-lockdown too, though.

I will add I am under no circumstances a Saint or healthy eater, I do eat takeaways, McDonald's etc. And feel bad judging but I feel like this is an awful way to feed your young kids especially at 9pm at night. So yeah AIBU? Happy to be called a judgmental bitch here.

OP posts:
BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 08/08/2020 00:22

And I'm only going off what I've heard and that is that this week is not the only week that theyve been eating McDonald's so much, from what I've heard it is a pretty consistent thing pre-covid

🤣

IAmTooBloodyHot · 08/08/2020 00:26

@PigglyWigglyWoo

They might only be getting a McFlurry or something which is okay every other day as a treat!
A McFlurry every other day? Jeez no wonder there are so many overweight children around.

YANBU OP, posters on here just like to be contrary, of course feeding your kids McDonalds four times a week is unhealthy.

Couchbettato · 08/08/2020 00:28

I think we had McDonalds almost every day for 2 months after I had my C section.

DH can't cook, and the only other takeaway round here was a chinese, and Chinese places are really hit and miss.

Also FIL had McDonalds a lot when he was having his kitchen redone.

Mind your own business OP

Tigerty · 08/08/2020 00:39

Those poor people having a dog bark at them every time they leave or come back to their house. I’ve been in that situation and it’s awful, sort your dog out.

Up to them what they eat. There may be reasons for it or maybe they just like McDonalds.

Sorberret · 08/08/2020 00:56

It's so easy for everyone to say mind your own business but we all judge. You're right op it is disgusting. It's unhealthy and full of salt. Why would you feed that to your kids four times a week. Every now and then as a treat, fine, but four times a week is not ok. We have a growing obesity problem in this country and judging by some of the comments on here I can see why.

IAmTooBloodyHot · 08/08/2020 01:13

I bet OP would get different replies if she posted this in the Food or Health section. The crazy people on AIBU just like to be contradictory. Nest of vipers, innit.

SemperIdem · 08/08/2020 01:18

@Couchbettato your husband can’t cook to the extent absolute basics like beans on toast, sandwiches, scrambled eggs/omelettes/frittatas, mixed plates of cured meat/cheese/fruit/veg are beyond him? That’s pathetic.

BetterEatCheese · 08/08/2020 01:20

Some ready made soups, meals, sandwiches, smoothies have more sugar and salt than a McDonald's! Bet you wouldn't be saying this if she walked in 4 times a week with a Starbucks or a cereal bar (massively high in sugar) in each of the kids hands. Would a high end deli sausage roll be more acceptable? I hope you don't give your children orange juice either, or desert more than once a week. And as for chips, I hope you don't cook them, devils food. Anti pasti and grissini ok, or maybe that's fatty salty processed meat. Jeez

ddl1 · 08/08/2020 01:24

YANBU to consider it not to be the healthiest diet imaginable.. YABU, however, to use such an extreme term as 'disgusting'.

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/08/2020 01:36

Haven't read the fucking thread.

Just wanted to pop on and say... those of us with children with additional needs don't tell our neighbours. Mine don't know (well one did but she's a friend). When you say, 'no additional needs' you have absolutely no idea.

Fortunately my DD's sensory issues don't extend to food, but they could have.

eaglejulesk · 08/08/2020 01:41

It's all very well to criticize, but just because someone doesn't feed their children on McDonalds food it doesn't mean they are eating healthy food at home either. Far too much judging on MN.

jessstan2 · 08/08/2020 01:43

"And I'm only going off what I've heard and that is that this week is not the only week that theyve been eating McDonald's so much, from what I've heard it is a pretty consistent thing pre-covid"

Your nosy dog sure does like to gossip. Nip that in the bud, buy a muzzle.

It's not your business but there are seven days in a week and most kids eat three times a day, that's twenty four meals of one size or another, plus snacks. If four are Mcdonald's, that leaves twenty that aren't.

McD's is not the healthiest option in the world but they do sell some reasonably decent options. If the children seem quite fit and normal, why worry?

It's not your or your animal's business.

laudete · 08/08/2020 01:47

@Cam77 I take the point. I would say that if people are going to eat processed food, it is just as processed whether you buy a pack of supermarket burgers and cook one at home or whether you buy a burger cooked at McDonald's. There's no point believing that most people are going to shape their own burger patties from raw mince, etc.

The obesity crisis isn't about vitamins or minerals; it's about excess calories. I agree that food culture has changed society. We all know about "vanity sizing" but there seem to be "vanity portions" too. One egg makes 6 cupcakes. A small cake is 3 eggs. No one cuts a cake into 18 portions - I don't. So, is half a cake at least 9 portions... or, is it considered to be 3 slices these days? That is on us, modern society, and it doesn't make a McDonald's salad much less healthy than any other leaf salad. I hope the cake was lovely. x

Patsypie · 08/08/2020 01:47

You horrible goady curtain twitcher! You're horrible. Mind your own business!

Iloveyoutothefridgeandback · 08/08/2020 01:54

I think I'd be too embarrassed to admit that I'd noticed this, even on an anonymous online forum.

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 08/08/2020 02:00

Also I'm not usually here during the day so I'm only noticing this week, though another neighbour did say they do it often and have done even pre-lockdown

If your dog is in the house when you’re not, imagine the goings on that he sees with all your neighbours all day. If only he could talk. 🤣

jessstan2 · 08/08/2020 02:01

[quote FourEyedFreak13]@jackdawdawn I've said a few times for all I know the kids could just be getting the ice cream and drinks while the parents are eating the food[/quote]
Well then why the thread?

I can't believe actually look at what people are carrying into their houses and counting how many times they do it. Never mind their dog. Now I know what a 'watch dog' is.

LongAndWhiningRoad · 08/08/2020 02:03

Your dogs bark every time a neighbour comes or goes and you still look every single time? You must spend half the day looking out of your window.

Also, the fact that you made a thread about it is judgey and overinvested, even if we take your word for it that you just so happened to notice.

peakygal · 08/08/2020 02:04

@madamemeursault What a ridiculous statement. As the parent of a child with additional needs and extremely poor eating habits, you will try anything from anywhere at any cost so that your child will eat because believe me I would rather my child eat unhealthy food than starve to death. A child with food issues would rather starve than eat something they don't like. My DD7 has ASD and whilst she doesn't eat McDs she spent the first 3 years of her life surviving on toast and sausages and the last 4 years she has added a handful of new foods to her diet none of which are healthy.

jessstan2 · 08/08/2020 02:04

Also I'm not usually here during the day so I'm only noticing this week, though another neighbour did say they do it often and have done even pre-lockdown

Bloody hell, what kind of neighbours are you lot to gossip like that. I bet you're all as nice as pie to this McD-eating family's faces and they believe they are living in a nice community.

LongAndWhiningRoad · 08/08/2020 02:05

Also I'm not usually here during the day so I'm only noticing this week, though another neighbour did say they do it often and have done even pre-lockdown

And you even talk to your neighbours about it!

"Oh I just noticed because the dogs bark"... and then I gossip about it to other neighbours.... and start threads about it online...

Yeah, you're in too deep.

ThisShitDontMatter · 08/08/2020 02:44

Fuck sake I want a McDonalds now! Sigh

I dont even like McDs!

vodkaredbullgirl · 08/08/2020 02:51

I want a kebab, had a few drinks tonight.

ThisShitDontMatter · 08/08/2020 03:01

Lol @ Voddy

TehBewilderness · 08/08/2020 03:46

@FourEyedFreak13

I even said in my OP I eat McDonald's now and again. I just though 4 days in a week was excessive especially for young children. I don't care really, I just thought it a bit weird. Also I'm not usually here during the day so I'm only noticing this week, though another neighbour did say they do it often and have done even pre-lockdown
Four time in a week seems a lot to me too. I hope it is a treat week instead of a hard time week for them.
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