[Closed] Mcdonalds bad parent content...have you ?

It's not that bad is it? Once in a while. If we have to stop at services my son sometimes gets a happy meal if he's been good...
*dons asbestos jacket*

Everything in moderation!

We have a McDonalds once or twice a month.

Have you seen ..About A Boy ?

🙂

5 year old? that's fine!

Me and a mate stopped off at Cannock MacDonalds on the way back from the Chase once. There was a couple feeding a chicken nugget happy meal to a child who can't have been much (if any) more than a year old.

Using McD'c as a reward?
Blimey, back to the heady mid 80's we go :O(

Everything in moderation I guess but they do have a use when you need a clean toilet.

There was a couple feeding a chicken nugget happy meal to a child who can't have been much (if any) more than a year old.

If they're on solids and it's not [i]too[/i] regular an occurrence, then why not? There's nothing better than seeing your child wolf down some nutritious, home-made food, but sometimes getting [i]anything[/i] down is enough. When it becomes the main meal of every day you need to start worrying 🙂

It's just a cheap restaurant. No need to get all stuck up about it. Don't eat there all the time, but don't avoid it on principle. They've improved a lot as a company since the days of McLibel, and the different countries are run very differently in any case.

We've taken our lad there four or five times - he's now 8.

He never eats all the food and at last he's realised that the happy meal toys are total pants.

they do have a use when you need a clean toilet

This

We stopped for some grub on the way back from Wales last weekend. The toilets were spotless. I was very impressed.

I know someone who calls McDonalds 'the organic cafe' so that if anyone ever asks her kid (now 4) what he did on a day (not [i]that[/i] often) when they've been to McD's he'll say "we went to the organic cafe"!

It was a birthday treat for me (yep, 80s) and I love it, still feels like a treat every time I go (once every couple months, I guess).

Never taken Jr, but can well imagine that a motorway services will be her first go!

There was a couple feeding a chicken nugget happy meal to a child who can't have been much (if any) more than a year old.

Cheers,
Jamie

Wise words from fasthaggis

Now and then is ok; its useful to point out how unhealthy some of the Mcd clients look and discuss why.

If they're on solids and it's not too regular an occurrence, then why not? There's nothing better than seeing your child wolf down some nutritious, home-made food, but sometimes getting anything down is enough

Looking at an NHS baby development timeline it looks like the kid was much younger than 12 months as she had no teeth and was gumming the chicken nuggets. Didn't look like she wanted them to be honest but the parents kept putting them into her mouth, she'd make it a bit soggy and then drop it. Parents would give it back to her, she'd gum it a bit more etc.

Edit: Everyone saying "it's fine if it's not every other day"...I agree entirely, same applies for adults! But this couple looked like it [i]was[/i] every other day... That's me being judgemental and prejudiced so flame away, but when both parents are out of breath after walking 10 yards from the counter to their seats (taking up 2 each, must be the seats getting smaller) it's hard not feel a bit sorry for the kid that's going to follow in their footsteps.

As a driver in a previous life the golden archers were a God send. Cheap coffee and clean toilets which is more than can be said for most motorway services. The food is crap but as we all know crap food taste good. I have always gone there with my daughter, probably half a dozen times a year.

It's called baby led weaning, and is a great way of getting kids to eat a good range of foods. Giving them soft foods they can handle at the stage where they still just chew everything gets them used to the taste and mouth feel of all sorts of foods. It doesn't have to be chicken of course, but it could be. Said parents may have been feeding their baby carrots and broccoli at home - we were.

< sneaks hand up from back of class >

My daughter works in one. It is an out-of-town one in a reasonable area though, so the clientele is not quite as bad as some. Having inside knowledge is an eye opener - its spotlessly maintained, cleaned very regularly, lots of training for staff, and some of the food is reasonably healthy 'as part of a balanced diet'. She's a fussy veggie and there's enough options for her at break times to keep her eating.

I think you could do far worse eating regularly at Costa/Starbucks/Eat etc

It's not that bad, I went twice last thrusday....

Once with the lad at lunch time, then with my daughter after swimming in the evening.... so what ?

She can bash out 25m front crawl at the age of five and almost ate her own body weight in spouts yday

In our house McD is seen as the 'unhealthy cafe', so when we occasionally get a drive through we all sit there feeling guilty (kids included) whilst consoling ourselves wiht milkshakes and fries.

Worse, the household propaganda has worked so well that I almost have to make my kids go to McD, they mostly demand to be taken to Zizzi or Pizza Express.

[quote=allmountainventure ]Now and then is ok; its useful to point out how unhealthy some of the Mcd clients look and discuss why.
Then take your kid into the local Indian restaurant on a Friday night when he boozers are closing and repeat the exercise I suppose?

All things in moderation, they are OK if you go occasionally.

My youngest has just started college, and the thing I take issue with is the fact that there is a McD's almost opposite the student entrance (I blame the council) and that they offer free chips with any burger to the students.

This makes them cheaper than the college canteen and as a consequence for the first two weeks my son had McD's for lunch every day - he has only stopped because he noticed how lethargic he was in the afternoons.

I say stopped, because he tells me that he has, but I am sure that he gives in to peer pressure/ corporate marketing at least once a week.

Now and then is ok; its useful to point out how unhealthy some of the Mcd clients look and discuss why.

I thought we'd decided, as a forum, that pointing at fatties and laughing is a [i]bad thing[/i], no? Quite happy to start again if that's the way the wind's blowing.

She can bash out 25m front crawl at the age of five and almost ate her own body weight in spouts yday

I reckon anyone who ate their own bodyweight in sprouts could manage 25m front crawl. I could probably get across the Channel in those circumstances.

(Well done to her though!)

In our house McD is seen as the 'unhealthy cafe', so when we occasionally get a drive through we all sit there feeling guilty (kids included) whilst consoling ourselves wiht milkshakes and fries.

This is a beautiful image and almost perfectly describes the hollow feeling of shame after eating 2 big macs. 😳

It's OK every now and then isn't it.
It's no worse than proudly giving a child organic carrots and lettuce every day, whilst forgetting that kids need fats/proteins, as well as life experience....

DrP

I'm quite partial to their strawberry shakes myself. And their double sausage and egg mcmuffin. 🙂

'S funny how some see McD's as shite but will happily munch down a fry-up in a greasy spoon without a thought as to where the cheap sausages, eggs, bacon and black pudding come from. To me, they're all absolute shite, but there's a place for a bit of shite in life, as long as it's not often.

[i]Using McD'c as a reward?[/i]

Er yes, kids like it.

Sweets aren't good for them either, but they seem to like them.

I have to admit I was surprised at the cleanliness of the toilets. I actually went in after a previous thread, just to see for myself the alleged improvement.

I still find it vile to be honest after trying 3 different items in 3 different occasions. And that's a personal opinion, your allowed your own.

But yes, a reasonable place to stop for a crap.

william is 3 and a half. he's been three times. He likes it when we go.

It's easy, and sometimes you need an easy option with kids, no big deal.

To be honest if healthy food was cheaper, then more people would eat it. A Macca D's happy meal is fine if theres no Greggs or Subway around- then again they aren't always a healthy option are they?

EDIT: I am a fan of their sausage McMuffins in the morning though 😀

McDonalds double cheeseburger(s) and a milkshake is the ultimate hangover cure.

I wish there was a national network of say, Pret a Manger, close to major routes and with parking. A Jalapeno chicken hot wrap is £4.50, not much more than a top end burger at McDs.

It's a shame there isn't, though.

Then take your kid into the local Indian restaurant on a Friday night when he boozers are closing and repeat the exercise I suppose?

They would be in bed.

in a reasonable area though, so the clientele is not quite as bad as some.

See that’s another reason I like McD.... the diversity

In the first McD last thrusday, the lad and I were sat next to a super heavily tattooed and pierced lesbian couple with their kids and later in the day my little fish and I were next to a large family of African origin. My kids stared at each, my little girl more listening to the african family speak ... Nigerian/Ugandan/Swahili or whatever it was... and I took the opportunity to explain these "different" families to them.

And we got balloons in each .... so there 😛

My 2 year old has been once. "Chippies Daddy?" He does have a love for healthy stuff though - loves blueberries and nana's. Ice cream is "yakkie".

I don't mind it myself. Once in a while I'll get a couple of sausage muffins and they do "proper" coffee too (ok so it's not perfect but a bit of breakfast and a macchiato goes down well).

See that’s another reason I like McD.... the diversity

[img] [/img]

find the breakfast butties vile - too much salt

how ever - they do a nice granola / yogurt thing and fruit salad.

as a world wide worker who often works in places with food thats best described as "mush" - often the golden arches can be a source of salvation - clean toilets , hot food that i can identify and comunication with the outside world (wifi) - i know this might sound like a strange concept to an office worker in surrey but beggers cant be choosers.

I am such a bad parent

For treating your son!?! Get a grip FFS...

They sponsor both the World Cup and the Olympics, so they must be healthy.

I take my kids for a Maccy D's every couple of weeks. Binnerette number 1 loves a chilli chicken wrap after she's played footy on a Saturday. I don't really get some peoples irrational hatred of the Golden Arches. There are far worse things kids could be eating. The coffees good, and Mozzerella dippers are one of the most addictive things known to man!

Kids like a lot of things, doesn't mean it's any good for them.
My 6yo doesn't like sweets either. He didn't get chocolate till he was 3 and now only has a small amount occasionally. The small amount is "proper" chocolate not Cadburys and three squares can last him 10-15 mins.
At birthday parties he tries sweets and ends up spitting them out. We're not complete dictators as he's old enough to have a say and find out for himself now.
It depends on how you bring them up imho.

Actually, I haven't been in one for years so maybe my view isn't valid anymore.

I reckon anyone who ate their own bodyweight in sprouts could manage 25m front crawl. I could probably get across the Channel in those circumstances.

🙂

She normally waits until she's climbing all over my head during a Battle Royale to unlesh her by-product... Between that and the swimming, I don't know what I'm more proud of?

He didn't get chocolate till he was 3 and now only has a small amount occasionally

Cheers,
Jamie

I wish there was a national network of say, Pret a Manger, close to major routes and with parking. A Jalapeno chicken hot wrap is £4.50, not much more than a top end burger at McDs.

It might not be much healthier either 😉

My 2yo says chocolate all the time. He's never had any to my knowledge. It drives the MIL crazy as she really want to fill them up with it but at least she's playing by our rules on this one.

Isn't Pret part owned by McD's?

It might not be much healthier either

I'm not overly worried about its fat content but it's full of peppers and tomatoes which were good for you last time I checked 🙂

No problems with mcdonalds in Aus.

They have a cafe which has proper coffee and cakes reasonable toilets too so makes for a good rest stop.

God send when on the road as most places close at 5 and don't open really early. I don't eat the food unless there is no alternative but it's a lot better than many places I have eaten.

Mike Hall used McDs to get him round the world in a record pace.

as a world wide worker who often works

Swoons

😉

molgrips - Member
I wish there was a national network of say, Pret a Manger, close to major routes and with parking. A Jalapeno chicken hot wrap is £4.50, not much more than a top end burger at McDs.

They do wraps and salads in McDonalds....

They also do carrot sticks, bags of fruit and salads that kids can eat, if the occasional McD's is really that bad.

I don't get why McD's seems to get all the bad press when there are soooo many other places dishing out crap too.
People never seem to moan about kids in Costa being fed blueberry muffins and other junk.

I had a double sausage & egg McMuffin meal this morning with a white coffee. It was delish.

allmountainventure - Member
Now and then is ok; its useful to point out how unhealthy some of the Mcd clients look and discuss why.

You could say this about almost anywhere - some of the 'clients' at the gym I go to look like they can barely make it from their car to the treadmill, let alone the salad aisle at Tesco.
Therefore the gym is unhealthy??

nope in that context it would be "who rarely works" 😉

This thread has kicked off a bit of nostalgia for me - on the rare occasions that my dad would take us shopping in Brum, the mac d's milkshake was a very rare occasional treat (he is a proper fitness freak, so we knew it was a real treat for him too). I don't think I actually had a full meal there until I was in my teens. Now I'm veggie, the menu is pure shite for me but I've got no qualms about going there inspite of the (mostly drastically outdated and originating in the US) negative propaganda.

everyone has stopped for a McDump, surely

No sign of any posts yet from some bearded, lentil eating hippy claiming they vomited their intestines up after one mouthful of their one and only Big Mac?

Oh, McDonalds is so frightful and unhealthy. We prefer Costa, where we buy an enormous bucket of hot milk with some coffee in it, a cheese-filled panini and a giant muffin. Much healthier dontchyaknow?

🙄

In our house McD is seen as the 'unhealthy cafe', so when we occasionally get a drive through we all sit there feeling guilty (kids included) whilst consoling ourselves wiht milkshakes and fries.

Worse, the household propaganda has worked so well that I almost have to make my kids go to McD, they mostly demand to be taken to Zizzi or Pizza Express.

Are you a middle class Catholic family? How very unpleasant to make kids feel guilty for something you are buying them. As for the alternatives they seek - they are such 'nice' chains without the common feel of a convenience food establishment, aren't they?

its useful to point out how unhealthy some of the Mcd clients look and discuss why.

No it isn't.

It would be far more useful to use positive role models (like Olympic athletes for example) and explain how they achieve what they do. Through good diet, exercise and hard work.

But pointing at fat people and using them as convenient negative role models to look down on is easier I suppose. 😐

Can never quite work out If folk are actually serious on this site sometimes. For anyone appalled by taking there kids to McDonalds occaionally I think you really should get a grip. It's probably not any worse than going to the chip shop once in a while and certainly not as bad as Subway.

We had lunch in a Yate's Wine Lodge on Thursday - fed five of us for about £20 and nobody died.

Back in the late 80's, early 90's Mr and Mrs Howard wouldn't take me to McDonald's/Burger King/KFC as 'they send money to people who make bombs'.

This has always stck with me, right though my employment at McDonalds, the 3-6 times a month I eat their food.....

Your kids are going to eat it eventually, like it or not....

Can never quite work out If folk are actually serious on this site sometimes.

Are you new around here? The usual suspects never miss an opportunity to loftily voice their thunderous, righteous disdain for your plebby, contemptible lifestyle choices, as they look down their noses at you from their free-range, organic, soil association approved, wholemeal, smoke free ivory towers. 😉

Greggs shut then binners?

Variety is the spice of life, 'n all that 😀

I ate a McDonalds once. I thought I had gotten away with it, but when I woke up I was dead 🙁

Love McD's, but then I am a fat synt.

were i come from its normal to smoke weed in front of ur kids, this thread is hysterical.

were i come from its normal to smoke weed in front of ur kids, this thread is hysterical.

There's just too much bait on that hook.

Very STW this thread, parents, class, nutrition, angst, snobbery, it's got mileage.

Very STW this thread, parents, class, nutrition, angst, snobbery, it's got mileage.

patriotpro - Member
I am such a bad parent
For treating your son!?! Get a grip FFS...

I was taking the proverbial !

Are you new around here? The usual suspects never miss an opportunity to loftily voice their thunderous, righteous disdain for your plebby

People should know their place.

it's got mileage

best hope its not in an unnecessary 4x4

McD's did part own Prett but have divested . If you want true middle class hippy angst Crankbrat age 2 keeps eating meat at parties despite our Faux vegetarian beliefs.

best hope its not in an unnecessary 4x4

The [s]worse[/s] [s]wurst[/s] worst kind of 4x4.

The tiramisu cake and white hot chocolate from Mc Cafe here in Austria is divine.

Given that quite a few farming acquaintances say they get a fairer deal from McDonald's than they do from Tesco, and they are in the top 10 companies to work for in the FT(?) survey, I stopped worrying about them a looooong time ago.

I rekon ive spent a few hundred quid in Mc d's this year alone 🙁

Greggs shut then binners?

Banned for using the American competition more like. 😉