How often do you eat at McDonalds?

[TumblingTower]

Just interested. I think DH visits too often with the kids, he would take them even more if it wasn’t for me asking him not to.

For context he takes them once a fortnight, he would take them once or twice in a week if it wasn’t for me putting my foot down.

It annoys me as I do 90% of the parenting (he works away often) and I feel I can’t give them a lazy tea as they’re already having enough crap.

I know I’ll be criticised for that and not too interested - just wonder what other people do?

I have it about 3-4 times a year. DH never, DD (only 13 months!) never and will continue that for as long as possible.

However, I don't think once a fortnight is terrible tbh. If they have to have one other quick, unhealthy dinner that week, so long as all the other days have been healthy and they are active children it really shouldn't make much difference.

Peak Mumsnet

Sometimes once a week. Sometimes once a month. Sometimes everyday for three days. Highly variable. Fancy one today now 🤣. I won a quarter pounder and McFlurry on the monopoly which needs to be utilised by the end of October 😋.

Once a fortnight wouldn't bother me. I used to take mine much more then I should. DS was very difficult as a young child and being stuck at home with the kids was very hard work so I would thrown them in the car and drive to McDonald's. It was one of a handful of foods he would eat back then, and it gave me some time where I could relax without having to have my eyes constantly on him as I did at home. He was strapped in, safe and always happy in the car.

Oddly neither one of them chooses to have McDonald's now as adults, they pretty much stopped eating them in their early teens.

Mine are teenagers now with their own money so as often as they fancy it which varies from daily to rarely depending on what other food is in the house and which shifts I am on/if I am cooking.

When they were younger they would have a happy meal once a week when they visited their grandparents. TBH, I was just glad that a) they were spending quality time with their GP and b) I was getting free childcare. I couldn't get hung up on what they were eating while they were there. They also got sweets and chocolate while they were there.

I have it once every few weeks now, usually when I ma hungover but I'm not that keen on Maccies, tbh. I refuse to admit how often I Uber Greggs for lunch or breakfast.

Probably once a month, kids like the toasties at Costa so often get those instead

I don't have kids, and I probably get a McDonald's breakfast maybe twice a year on a road trip with DP. However, I guarantee you that most of the (many) meals I eat every year that are cooked from scratch in decent restaurants are much more unhealthy than anything I've ever eaten in McDonald's.

It annoys me as I do 90% of the parenting (he works away often) and I feel I can’t give them a lazy tea as they’re already having enough crap

They're having one fast food meal every two weeks. That's very little 'crap' and they're not going to die if you give them 'a lazy tea' once in a while.

You're worrying over nothing, honestly. If they were eating McDonald's every day, that would be a concern. But once a fortnight with their dad as a treat? Not a problem.

We don't plan for it but probably end up having it about that often through disorganisation (not having any food in/being on the road at lunchtime).

I have a sausage McMuffin breakfast occasionally, maybe once every two months. Delicious.

I have to watch my weight and blood pressure so generally avoid fast food. In my perfect world I would be able to eat McDs/Burger King/KFC/Five Guys and Krispy Kremes every day of my life. But it's not a perfect world and so I stick to my healthy eating. 🙁

Never for us. DC8 never had one.
Couple of people we know go once a week, others maybe once a month/every other month.

It’s rubbish generally so I go once a year probably, this year in June for cheese quarter pounder meal and last December for same.

I did used to get a sausage and egg McMuffin meal, about once a month or so for a year, great for hangovers. But was over 10 years ago!

Agreed, a year ago at a weekend with my then boyfriend we both fancied a McD’s breakfast on a Saturday as it was a treat. Plus we were driving somewhere so wanted to eat on the move (it wasn’t a drive through). I waited almost an hour whilst they prioritised Uber and Deliveroo drivers.

I’m similar to you re cardboard food and apart from Greggs vegan sausage rolls and the odd Cornish pasty you get at stations I don’t do fast food!

I still mourn the bean burger Burger King did in 90s!

Once a month is my limit but I wouldn't say once a fortnight is particularly harmful so long as their other meals are healthy and well-rounded on the whole. McDonald's is fatty, salty and sugary but surely it's fine as an occasional treat. My neighbour's kids seem to live on pizza and chicken nuggets with no sign of veg so I am sure you're doing fine!

@IDespairOfTheHumanRace

Never - I had one once and swore never again would conveyor belt, cardboard food pass my lips

Ditto KFC, BurgerKing, Nandos et al. You can make much nicer versions at home, more cheaply, better tasting and decent portion sizes

When you say 'you can...' that doesn't include me. I can't replicate a Nando's at home. Or a KFC etc. Not a chance. I can barely manage to heat up a prepped oven meal these day, so going to Nando's for me actually does taste batter than anything I could make at home. I'm not convinced I'm the exception either; there are many households where people are not skilled in cooking. I muddle my way through and do my best, but it's not the case that I could easily put together a better version of fast food at home.

About once every three months. That's how long it takes me to forget the last experience.

The burgers look pretty enticing on the pictures, but when you get a kind of flat splodgy one that is over-relished/mayonasied with some limp soggy lettuce and some dry tasteless fries it reminds you why the trip there isn't on a regular basis.

Prefer chip shop style cod and chips, or even doner meat and chips.

MN tends to skew pretty middle class, and also older (not like older older, I just mean not teens or 20 somethings). Middle class 30 and 40somethings are probably not McDonalds prime demographic.

I would class myself as middle class, late 30s and love a Maccys. Sitting in one now 😬😂 also love a Nando’s and cannot be made the same at home.
KFC and BK can do one though.

About once a month. I would be ok with once a fortnight though.

I have it 3 or 4 times a year. I would not let my child have McDonald's more than that.

About 3x per year

I suppose it depends on what you're after. I'm a pretty decent cook, imo, and could definitely knock up a better homemade chicken burger and chips than KFC but if you want something that tastes exactly like KFC but made at home, then no, KFC does better than me.

Sometimes you just need quick and dirty, greasy fast food and nothing you make at home is going to hit the spot quite like KFC/Maccies, etc.

If you want to give it a go Slimming World has lovely recipes for KFC chicken and Big Mac sauce that are easy to follow and almost, but not quite, like the original. They're close enough that you wouldn't miss KFC/Big Macs if you were dieting but too much effort to replace a hangover cure meal.

Never.

Honestly as long as their diet is balanced overall can't see the problem with it now and then. We don't have it hardly ever as DS prefers a chippy tea, but we eat plenty of fresh veg, fruits, pulses and whatever else so not fussed on a takeaway every fortnight or so.

I agree about Nando’s. I’d never had it before and ordered in through Deliveroo a little while back Lemon and herb chicken flatbread. It came with salad and fries and hot mixed nuts. Finger lickingly delicious - expensive but boy is it worth it !!