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?

I think we should be trying to reverse the idea that fast food forms a regular part of a normal diet, as opposed to an occasional and irregular way of eating, so I don't think children should be taken to McDonalds as part of a fortnightly routine.

That's because it's different in the US. It's not some kind of hidden agenda, they just use different recipes.

In the UK, they really do only have four ingredients.

But it's just chips and ice-cream. What do you think is wrong with it?

Why are people such wankers?

McDonald’s USA ingredients are VERY different and much, much worse than McDonald’s uk ingredients. Our fries here are potatoes, oil & salt.

Yes and you can say that about pretty much all food in US

@quincyquince

The only mistake you've made is to ask on here!!

Ignore your friend she's being a loon!!

Quite.

The fries are made from (checks notes) oh yes, erm, potato and the ice cream is, well, ice cream.

Some people like to suck the joy out of everything.

🤣🤣🤣

I think you’re mixing up the US and UK

Good news re different in the UK, thanks both

It's normalising junk food. The DD won't always be of an age where her mum can monitor what she is eating, and good habits should be formed before it's too late.

Let’s assume 30 days in a month
3 meals a day
Of which 2 are this Maccie’s treat
That’s 2/90 = just over 2% of meals

Yep definitely setting her up for a lifetime of obesity, disordered eating and heart disease by the time she’s 40

I assume Macdonald's has changed and is healthier now. When I was growing up it was processed food full of trans fats. I've seen adverts on TV which talk about it having improved, so I'm sure it's fine now and again.

But what's wrong with chips and ice-cream twice a month? I genuinely don't understand why you think that's going to cause any problems.

Honestly, the MN attitude towards McDonald's is just batshit.

It's crap for a child who has to avoid certain foods. If she anything like mine they could rarely have treats due to lack suitable availability of foods. It makes them feel they are different. If she can go to mcdonalds and enjoy something then even weekly would be fine

When your child has dietary restrictions , it's a relief to find something they enjoy from a ace selling food. So enjoy your fortnightly treat.

Having seen my DC to adulthood, I'd say it's those children who had their junkfood intake restricted completely who went mad for it as soon as they were let loose with their own diets/money. Those who learned to eat it in moderation seem much more sensible.

Treats after swimming are essential no matter the child's age. I remember my treats from nearly 50 years ago!

My DDs loved a packet of crisps - zero nutrition there but swimming drains you (no pun intended ...).

She’s gluten free - bought cake is asking for trouble. McDonald’s chips are just potato, oil and salt. Much safer.

This is my (personal) experience too. My parents were huge on healthy eating - no junk in the house, never allowed fast food or a glass of coke with a meal. As soon as I had my own money, it all went on junk. It took me a long time to stop associating the taste of junk with the freedom/choices that come with adulthood.

People are so predictably ridiculous. Come on! I have a friend who used to swear that his son had "never tasted McDonalds in his life". Yeah right, the child was 18 at the time, sure he hasn't!

When I think of some of the stuff we ate as kids! My mother would send me to school with a container of sweetened condensed milk. Good energy for the brain she would say!

Omg some people are insane. As if a small treat once a fortnight is going to do any harm ffs. I look back fondly to my trips to McDs as a child
It hasn't done me any harm and I'm not a junk food addict. I take my dcs about once a month, it's such a treat for them. They love the happy meal and mc flurry for dessert. Keep taking her!

Out of interest I just compared Waitrose higher welfare beef burgers to a McDonald’s quarter pounder burger, they are quite similar in nutritional values - but the McDonald’s burger has far less salt… so much snobbery when it comes to Maccies on here!

this is written quite often on fast food threads that people who don’t eat it ‘suck the joy out of everything.’ But that doesn’t account for the many - very joyous 😜- people who don’t see it as a ‘treat’ at all, because it tastes like crap really, and leaves you feeling shit.

i do eat McDonald’s, but I don’t consider it a treat.
you are welcome to of course.