To take DD 5 to McDonald's every other weekend?

[quincyquince]

She's gluten free, so has a portion of small chips and either a small mcflurry or orange juice or sauce with the chips.

We go after swimming.

This is ok, right? My friend thinks it's awful that she goes twice a month. But it's not like she's having the processed bread and cheese and stuff all the time?

Mine usually had an evening meal after swimming but thats because we went swimming in the early evening. Yes they’d eat everything on that list ( except the meat )

I posted the snack list for OP though because she’s looking for a snack not a main meal.

I used to take my DD and her friend to swimming lessons every Friday after school and afterwards i took them for a McDonalds. It did them no harm and they are both healthy 27 year olds who have not developed any weird food issues. It is fine.

Your friend's children will likely binge on junk food as soon as they get the chance. Everything in moderation is my motto. Ignore her.

Nope they’re not GF

Oh the joy thieves are out in force, I see.

An ice cream and small portion of fries twice a month is a hell of a lot better than the beige crap some people "cook" for their kids at home more than once a week and call dinner.

And now I am hungry for a QP with cheese!

It’s just potatoes and vegetable oil, right? a small portion once a fortnight. I think this is totally fine as part of a balanced diet.

if you feel bad maybe cut the ice cream/juice and have an actual orange or other fruit after the chips. I think they sell carrots too….!

Yes they are(in the UK)

No, they are not gluten free

Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Rapeseed Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Taste [Wheat and Milk Derivatives] , Citric Acid [Preservative], Dextrose, Salt Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Salt.

They are GF in the UK.

Yes they are in the UK.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Non-Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed), Dextrose (predominantly added at beginning of the potato season).
Prepared in the restaurants using a non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Salt is added after cooking.

Yes they are in the UK
that list is not a UK list of ingredients

Good to know!

Wow that all the fuss is about food purity or healthy choices and treats. Nothing about ethics of a business or supporting local shops. Odds are that today's children will have to work in McDonald's type jobs to fund education or meet rent, at least sometimes. It's not too soon to demonstrate that not all workplaces or businesses are equal. By positively choosing other places and saying why, not by lecturing the child, of course!

FWIW I was a keen and hungry childhood swimmer and would have eaten most things I was offered.

@quincyquince there's absolutely nothing wrong with what you're doing. You just lit a touch paper for the McD haters, that's all (I haven't RTFT because I know it would just piss me off, but I have read your posts).

Much to my horror, my mother gave my 3 month old a taste of her ice cream. DC lived to tell the tale!

Think I'm in the notion of a Maccy D for breakfast now...!

A portion of chips from McDonalds every two weeks is hardly instilling bad habits. In that fortnight, the kid is going to eat 41 other meals.

Personally I think that parents who completely ban anything resembling fast food, sweets etc will end up having older children who gorge themselves silly at every opprtunity as soon as they can afford to do so.

Forbidden fruit and all that.

This is so true. When I was little I didn’t see my dad a lot but, when he came to visit, he’d get me a happy meal from McDonalds and drive to a car park overlooking a local beauty spot to eat it.

Last month, I got married and we went on a short honeymoon to where I grew up. We booked a room overlooking the same beauty spot, my dad died when I was 12 so it’s lovely to have those memories to cherish still.

Of course its not ideal, you know that. Up to you to decide whether it makes your life easier or happier enough to continue to do so.

YANBU. You wouldn’t be unreasonable to even take her once a week imo- assuming she’s not having chips and ice cream everyday at home too and is getting some veg most days as well.

Imo once a child is fully weaned and eating full/balanced healthy meals regularly, then a Macdonalds is fine as a treat if they enjoy it as part of a general healthier diet - so I don’t understand the fuss 🤷‍♀️I’m just a bit sad for her that the gluten thing means she can’t have a Happy meal, as whatever rubbish toy they get in there often makes my 3 year olds day 🤣 (personally he always gets the fish fingers but rarely eats the fries).

Of course it’s fine 🙄

Mine are teens now and I realise that everything in moderation is key. Those who obsessed over everything organic and homemade with their toddlers don’t have teens that are any healthier or better.

My coeliac husband has the chips occasionally and they’re fine! McDonald’s will also do a bun-free burger in a little box (complete with knife and fork 🤣) which is very civilised compared to the annoying wrapping the normal burgers come in!

In Australia they're also vegan so the company must have the equipment to cook nuggets sesperate ?!

The ritual is nice and will create sweet memories, but if it were me I wouldn’t choose MacD’s. I also wouldn’t tell a friend she’s wrong for taking her child there, each to their own, it’s your kid.

I think you’re friend is right. I don’t really see why a 5 year old needs to go to mc donalds so frequently? A one off is fine, but I think there’s no need to normalise fast / junk food at such an early age.

Generally speaking the difference between kids that eat a healthier more well balanced diet avoiding ultra processed foods beyond toddler-hood and those that don’t is like day and night. Diet very much matters.