While I realize it's tough to put the words McDonald's and healthy into the same sentence, there was just something about ordering a chicken nugget kids meal with whole milk and apples that made me feel a little less guilty about feeding it to my child. Recently, McDonald's has made a change to their happy meals: "The New Happy Meal - With fruit in every one. See how we're changing. Together." Instead of giving parents the choice to either order fries or apples with each meal, McDonald's has decided to give a kid-sized fry and a smaller bag of apples with their meal. While this may be better for the kids whose parents have always just ordered fries with their meals, as a parent who has always only allowed my child to have apples and milk with their meal, I find this change to actually be a negative change. I quickly realized, I can just take out the fries, but now they only give about 4 slices of apple in each bag of apples, which they used to give about twice that amount. I wonder if they would allow me to order 2 bags of apples and no fry with my child's next kids meal. To me, it's worth a shot!
What do you think about this change? Do you think it will actually get more kids to eat "healthier" when getting a kids meal, or will those apples get tossed aside and thrown out?
I will admit. I do not pay much attention to McDonald's Happy Meals anymore. Some may say I am foolish, but since I saw how the chicken nuggets are made and what they are made from I do not let my 7 year old eat them anymore. I feel If we must eat out there are so many healthier choices. I would actually see her eat a cheeseburger than eat one bite of a chicken nugget. As a family, we have really cut back on fast food eating.
ReplyDeleteSorry, to answer your questions. lol I don't think it is just up to the kids. If the children are given healthy choices than they learn to eat healthy. If a child has cookies, chips and french fries put in front of them all the time obviously the child will want those foods. Let's face it, I would too. lol I believe the parents need to take an active roll in giving their child a healthy environment.
Thanks! Julie
Oh I completely agree with you and appreciate your input. I, myself, try to stay away from the fast food as well, but as a young mom I am still trying to get in the swing of things and find myself on the run with my kids quite a bit. I do pack healthy snacks and such when we go on long car rides so that we don't have to resort to fast food, but the occasional trip to McDonald's does exist. I happened to run across an ad on google for McDonald's advertising their NEW & IMPROVED Happy Meals, so out of curiosity, I checked it out. And while I may not have my own children eating there that often, I do know parents who let their kids get happy meals fairly often and I am curious if this change will be good or bad for those who eat it more often than most. I guess the bottom line is, if you want your kids to eat healthy, don't let them eat McDonald's. Period. lol
ReplyDelete