McDonalds Toys... Anyone else gobsmacked?

[Lilyofthevalley]

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!

I honestly don't know how those Bratz things are allowed. Vile.

yes they are awful

but I try not to get too wound up by toys tbh

I always feel sorry for kids who are only allowed to have wooden things

pmsl!! i saw a programme once with a woman showing round her big posh house and she only allowed wooden toys on display in the kids bedroom - all the plastic stuff was hidden cos she hated it!

Agree there is a balance to be struck enid, achieve inner serenity about Bratz/assault zoids etc by not encouraging/enabling rather than actively offering...dd will have to make a good case for a Bratz!

Some of the children's worst designed and useless (gift) toys have been badly made wooden ones. Plastic toys like Playmobil and Lego cannot be bettered...

oh yes, I would never BUY one

a 'friend' bought it for her

We rely on aunts to provide really rubbish toys, because then we can diss the givers in a robust fashion and the dcs are happy. Childless rellies good suppliers of guns, terrifying dollies etc.

we ahd a drive through ds2 loved

we rarely go

once a eyar maybe

DITTO wiht he wooden crap
kids hate em

Life is too short to get stressed over things like this. If you don't like MCDonalds, don't buy it.

Also, what's wrong with plastic toys? Have I missed something? My 2year old DTS have both wooden and plastic toys and they play with the plastic stuff the most. They also each have a machine gun that their grandparents brought them for christmas. They bash each other with them. However, their older cousins (girl age 5 and boys age 7) enjoyed playing a commando type game with the guns when they last visited. Harmless, childish fun which gave them more exercise than sitting in front of a computer playing games.

7up. Allergy information in Mc Donalds is located at the back of those paper sheets they put over the trays. I have never seen such a thorough list, it even tells you if you which part of the burger you should not have!

Wish many other restaurants could follow their example, but considering that we have been told by some that they don't care if DS has allergies, that they won't cook anything especially for him (fair enough) but that DS can't either have anything from his lunchbox in the premises even when we are buying several adult meals at the same time... I think we are light years from an allergy tolerant/understanding society.

Many times I wonder if those who are extremely harsh on Mc Donalds do really avoid frozen food, fish and chips, Kids drinks or even tinned soups. Many of them, especially products for children are as unhealthy or even worse than McDonalds food. There is much more junk food around appart from Turkey Twizzlers... Jamie Oliver won't have enough time in a life time to point them all...

I sell loads of plastic toys, I tried selling wooden toys but although people say they love them..in fact only a tiny minority spend money on them

and the cheaper a toy is surprise surprise the more sell

I think children like the burger idea because it's simple and children appreciate simplicity

I have always been a slight defender of McDonalds because back in the days when DS1 (mildly autistic) was quite hard work and very ahrd to feed, we could at least guarantee that if we took him to McDonalds he would eat a reasonable amount of food. He liked (and still does like) the non-messy texture of the food. So we were grateful for small mercies.

And now that I can see my DS3 going the same way, it's pounds to pennies we'll be back there soon .

I'm not a fan of McDonalds, I prefer Burger King, Wimpy and KFC. For me and DH, going to these places are a treat because we only go about 5 times a year and imo, that is how these places should be frequented, as an occasional treat (if you like that sort of thing of course)

Before I had the twins, I met DH in London for our last meal as a DINKY. We went to the KFC in Leicester Square and it was smackyourlipicious. We both remember that occasion and believe me, it was tastier and better value for money than many of the fancy, pretentious restaurants we have been to.

wow maybe because my son is young, a year, he loves wooden toys much more than the new fangled baby ones! he has a stupid pull around duck thing and a wooden shape sorter, wooden bricks etc and he much prefers them! got nothing against plastic toys though just pointing it out! we have been to macdonalds and he has had a fry or too no big deal if i dont want him to go when he is older i wont take him!

Your right, Lilyofthevalley, I have never touch any thnig to do with any fast food places + toys. Rubbish! As if it is not hard enough being a parent, they start advisting Rubbish like that! I have tought my boy to hate those food places! BAD FOOD!

Well, ds goes there maybe three times a year. He loves getting a happy meal, for the toy. He has the fishfingers and fries, but always has milk or 'proper' juice, not fruit shoot...although he always wants a fruit shoot!

I see no harm in the occasional fast-food meal, as long as the child eats fairly healthily at other times.

Funny to find this thread as I've just pencilled in a v. exciting trip to McD's this Wednesday for tea - we probably go about 3 - 4 times a year!! Dp has just started work 3 evenings a week - this is her first week and already I'm shamelessly using McDonalds. Ds1 can't wait and I'm keeping fingers crossed they've got some power rangers toys left...

Hey all. I used to work in Maccy D's when I was 16 and I lasted about 4 weeks. I have never gone into an establishment again. Knowing what I saw and had to do in my role there is no way I would ever let my ds eat in there. I too have read fast food nation, although I think a lot of it is propaganda and they dont really back the stories up with anything concrete. With regards to happy meals and toys, I believe that children have a right to make their own decisions and I think establishments like Maccy D's need to re evaluate the way they distribute toys. Sure, if a child wants a burger and chips then an apple pie for his tea fine, but dont you think that toys should be distributed when the child chooses to have fresh fruit or carrot sticks with his meal? We need to encourage our children to choose, only if occasionally, to eat healthily, and the best way is by rewarding them. I do not see how these places can be considered a treat when the majority of the food has no nutrional value whatsoever. These companies work on bribery to make the next buck.

Runs and hides, shaking in boots!