Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

McDonalds Toys... Anyone else gobsmacked?

70 replies

Lilyofthevalley · 14/03/2006 00:05

I was in Toycity on sunday with DH and DD and stumbled across a range on McDonalds toys I'd never seen before:
\link{http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:McDonald%27s%2050-Piece%20Deluxe%20Mealtime%20Set%20:2000661381;_ylt=AhZ.nMx0vQkbVHRyL_ZCwpQzqrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTBvcGNiZ2wwBF9zAzc4NDcwMjQxNgRsdAM0BHNlYwNzcg--?clink=dmss//ctx=sc:736,c:749,mid:69,pid:2000661381,pdid:69,pos:5\here's one}

Sorry if I am over reacting, but I'm pretty outraged by this. Isn't it hard enough to encourage healthy eating habits for our kids without manufacturers coming up with this kind of crap? Anything that makes McDonalds or in fact any mass-produced fast food even more enticing to kids is wrong, surely? I just can't believe this kind of toy is allowed with all the talk of growing child obesity.
Like I said sorry if I'm over reacting, becoming a parent has opened my eyes to a lot of things like this recently!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

hannahsaunt · 14/03/2006 00:13

Not over-reacting - it's awful. We hadn't seen anything like it until we came here (Townsville, North Queensland). It is the town sponsored by Macdonalds. There are 15 for a town of 150,000. The tourist information maps all give the locations (even though not issued by Maccas, as they are fondly referred to). The hospital has large areas built by them. The toyshops have extensive ranges of Macdonalds play shops, kitchens (surely a joke), food etc. Going there regularly is just the done thing (except in our house...). Not sure what it would take to get the message through that they are not a good thing!

Chandra · 14/03/2006 00:19

Becoming the parent of a very allergic child has opened my eyes to a lot of things, ie. Mc Donalds is the only "restaurant" where DS can have a burger and chips free from milk, soya, nuts, egg, etc. IS the only rubish treat he can have away from his organic-cooked-at-home diet, he can not even eat a chocolate and... Mc Donalds provides him with a break where he can eat things other children can. Not that I use it very often at all, but considering how much he enjoys the esporadic visits to Mc Donalds I did consider, at some point, buying this present for him

Runs for cover...

threebob · 14/03/2006 00:25

I'm with Chandra. I would buy one for ds as it would be nice to have a play set were we could talk about what he can and can't eat and why.

Ds always gives my dad the egg and the bacon from his play kitchen as they are "not for Bob".

You don't have to buy it if you don't want to.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General parenting Toys

christie1 · 14/03/2006 00:26

I come from both perspectives. Have seen these before and agree, with childhood obesity through the roof, do we need to promote anymore mcdonalds eating than is already done. I have seen them with playdough kits where you sqeeze out mcdonalds fries and press out hamburgers wtih the playdough. Having said that, my child is also peanut allergic and, sadly, it is only places like mcdonalds that are safe for her to eat. More, upscale or healthy restaurants, or ethinic food like thai, are so nut based they are high risk. Really though, it is up to parents. We eat out maybe once a month if that so I don't think it's a big deal, it's a treat. I just read recently that the average family eats out 10 times a week. I couldn't believe it. Now I get why kids are gaining so much weight. I saw my niece recently who I had not seen for a few years and she was getting very overweight and not even 12. I do know they eat out with her at mcdonalds at least once a week. But really, we are the ones buying the junk for them aren't we?

getbakainyourjimjams · 14/03/2006 01:05

I'm with Chandra. Ds1's class did a trip to McDonald's fairly recently (school for children with severe and profound learning difficulties) and they used this type of stuff to practice on in the classroom. And Ds1 went to the till, ordered using his PECS cards-' I want chips'. Couldn't believe the photos- that is a huge achievement for him. And good on McDonald;s for setting aside a till for the class to do that. If we do ever go out anywhere as a family (not brave enough to try that yet) it would be mcD's for reasons Chandra has mentioned (ds1 has a restricted diet as well). And being able to practice before hand would be ideal.

pablopatito · 14/03/2006 08:50

I don't understand what is to be outraged about. More children are killed by cars than by McDonalds but no-one objects to buying toy cars. Buying a toy gun doesn't increase the chances of your child becoming a mass murderer.

There is nothing wrong with mass-produced fast food in moderation. When I was a kid we used to go to Kentucky Fried Chicken as a treat - but we went once or twice a year on birthdays - that couldn't have done me any harm.

Surely we need to teach our children about moderation, and balancing treats with healthy food? Banning toys relating to anything that isn't entirely healthy seems like a complete overreaction to me.

What about a toy cake - would you want that banned? After all, a cake is full of saturated fat and sugar - its probably worse for you than a cheeseburger.

lockets · 14/03/2006 08:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

7up · 14/03/2006 09:18

chandra if youre there, are mcdonalds really milk, soya, egg free? fantastic for my ds if they are as now hes getting more aware of others around him and wot theyre eating i was becoming a bit despondant about taking my elder one out for a burger and not being able to because of the lo wanting the same

milward · 14/03/2006 09:23

Less offensive than all the weapon toys that are available & all the horrid violent video games out there.

oliveoil · 14/03/2006 09:31

I wouldn't be bothered tbh, dd1 goes about once a month (depending on Happy Meal toys) and I don't see what is wrong in moderation.

My personal pet hate is the current ad for Bling Bling or something doll - WTF sort of message is that sending? Or Bratz belly dancer ones!

dejags · 14/03/2006 09:37

What's life without the occasional happy meal.

The downside to completely withholding any sort of fun activity involving a moderate amount of junk food on an occasional basis is that it becomes forbidden fruit.

Not sure I would go out and buy a MacDonald's themed toy for my kids but I have no problem with a Happy Meal toy.

Does this mean that toy kitchens, kids popcorn makers et al are also out?

dejags · 14/03/2006 09:40

I'll stick my neck out and say that my DS1 goes at least once a month to MacDonalds.

He has never once finished the food - he nibbles on a few chicken nuggets and drinks a fruit juice.

He loves going because he gets to play in the play area, choose his own meal and he gets a balloon and happy meal.

The world's going mad with all evangelical attitudes towards Edwardian childrearing methods.

harpsichordcarrier · 14/03/2006 09:40

no I don't get the big deal either.
McD's is a good place for a cheap rainy day treat. Fruit bags and carrot sticks all round
and, bizarrely enough, it is easier to buy healthy food for children there than almost anywhere else on the average high street.

ggglimpopo · 14/03/2006 09:42

Kentucky Fried Chicken are just opening here in Bordeaux

Impeccable timing, what with bird flu 'n all

The french are all very sniffy about 'Macdo', but they are everywhere here and always heaving.

I once rejected a school on the grounds that a) they had stated that the plural of "scarf" was "scarfs" on a wall poster, and b) that every toy on a counter in the nursery section had a macdonalds logo on it....

SPARKLER1 · 14/03/2006 09:45

Nothing wrong with it in my opinion. It's a toy!!! And yes, I take my children to Mcdonalds too - not embarassed to say. They went twice in one week once - should I be shot????!!
It's not as though they eat it every day - they eat a balanced, healthy diet. They are happy and healthy children.

Angeliz · 14/03/2006 09:45

Nope i'm not bothered either.
I wouldn't buy them it but would find a gun or a violent game much worse for a child.

There is an Add on T.V at the moment about these new Witch dolls. There are a few 10ish year old girls in a bedroom and they say about doing witchcraft and the window blows open scarily. Now THAT to me is a wierd toy i would not want dd to have. I'm not talking little witches on broomsticks, seems more like magic and spells.
Very strange and not my cup of tea for my daughters!

TinyGang · 14/03/2006 09:46

Absolutely agree with OliveOil - learning moderation and self discipline with food is the key to healthy eating. We occasionally have McDonalds. That's an occasional deviation in a world of regular meals heavy on the broccoli and veg

I get far more steamed up about anything overtly sexual infringing on their childhood ie clothing, TV and some toys, as OO points out.

harpsichordcarrier · 14/03/2006 09:47

the last twice I have been to McD's i have met my dead posho neighbour there with her children.
once in school time
the look of guilt on her face when she saw me come through the door - priceless

Angeliz · 14/03/2006 09:48

Yes i agree with that too about moderation.
DD has always stopped eating when she's full and even if it's something she loves like chocolate, she'll stop and say "i don't want anymore".
I really beleive that's because she knows it's available, you don't have to make yourself sick on it.

carlk · 14/03/2006 09:48

I often go in and buy the happy meal toys (for myself) but i havent eaten there in months
believe the odd happy meal is part of life's rich tapestry

TinyGang · 14/03/2006 09:51

Actually..I think the McDonalds happy meal toys are rather good

harpsichordcarrier · 14/03/2006 09:51

yes you're rght Angeliz, I agree. Important to teach moderation. much more important in tacking obesity than "banning McD toys" - learning when to stop eating because yoyu're full.

harpsichordcarrier · 14/03/2006 09:52

hold on

is this a "McDonalds is not too bad" thread???
wtf?
have a passed into an alternative reality?

SPARKLER1 · 14/03/2006 09:53

I am trying to chose my words carefully here as my aim isn't to upset anyone - just to try and understand. Why do some people find it so shocking that some parents allow their children to have fast food, drink fizzy drinks eat ready-made frozen foods and non-organic produce. My children have all these things - obviously in moderation. I have come across parents out and about that don't allow their children many things (I understand some children have allergies) but some people just completely ban it.

Angeliz · 14/03/2006 09:53

Harpsichorder, when my dd started Nursery i discovered that dp had taken her to K.F.C in a buggie (she was nearly 4 and never uses it but wraps Daddy round her little finger) and he had seen another Mum from Nursery. I was mortified until he said "well their child was eating there and in a buggy too!"

Tut keeping up with the Jones eh?

Flip

1 2 3