I have a confession. We eat McDonald’s. A lot. Now there’s a part of me that would like to tell everyone out there who says I am a bad parent for feeding my kids McDonald’s to kindly suck it. My business is my business and that’s it. But I can’t. Because deep down, I know how awful that crap is. I know it’s crap and I know the only reason I ever feed it to my kids is out of pure and simple convenience. But that is my cross to bear and it’s a bad-parenting habit I can easily change.
That being said, I will not judge you for taking your kids there. End of story. I will not judge you partly because I try to avoid being a hypocrite and partly because I can’t stand moms judging moms. I think its tacky and petty and oh soooo 6th grade.
McDonald’s has been a hot topic over the last few days because of the recent ban of Happy Meals from fast food restaurants in the county of Santa Clara, California (see our own post, which generated some serious discussion). The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to ban Places like McDonald’s and Burger King from being able to pair their plastic toys with burgers, chicken nuggets, or other unhealthy meals.
I’ve wrestled with this as a mom of two who does eat at McDonald’s and has bins full of fast food toys. And also as a mom who can cross the Santa Clara county line after just a quick 20 minute drive.
And my feeling is: good for Santa Clara. So what if it’s just one small Board of Supervisors vote? So what if it’s just one county, just one small stone thrown at the huge Goliath that is the McDonald’s corporation? At least in Santa Clara, there are people who are willing to stand up and say, “YOU can’t attempt to bribe my kids to eat your unhealthy food. YOU can’t do business that way. Not where I live, at least!”
In the grand scheme of things, maybe it won’t mean much to McDonald’s. But maybe it will. Maybe this will be the slow start to towns and communities across the country taking back control of their lives by telling companies they have to be ethical. I hope so. And you know what? If they were to pass a similar ban here where I live, I wouldn’t lose much sleep over it.
I have enough McDonald’s and fast food toys to supply a small country. If they were to disappear from the world all together, I wouldn’t be too upset. And my kids wouldn’t really be missing much.
Let me put it to you this way: if cigarette companies were suddenly to start giving away Hannah Montana lip gloss and Iron Man figures with each carton of cigarettes, we wouldn’t shrug our shoulders and say, “It’s the parent’s choice to make.” No, we would stand up and say, “Keep those toys away from your cancer sticks and our kids out of your marketing campaigns.”
Santa Clara, for better or worse, I say Rock On.
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{ 45 comments }
You know, I think it's a good idea. I know my 2 year old asks for McDonalds all the time. Because she loves the chicken mcnuggets and fries? No! Because of the toy. So we have had many meltdowns because I won't take her to McDonalds every day for a Happy Meal. But, I also think it's the parents job to decide if they want to take their kids to McDonalds. And if someone goes to Mcdonalds once or twice a week, or once a month, or however often because of convenience or lack of time (which I do, don't get me wrong – how do you think my daughter knows Happy Meals come with a toy?) then they're going to go whether the Happy Meal comes with a toy or not. Just my thoughts. It will be interesting to see what comes from this.
I get my kid a four piece nugget several times a week. Just the four piece. Not the happy meal. I don't eat McDonald's at all, but he's three and he eats VERY little. So because he likes these nuggets, I get them. Often. Has nothing to do with the toy, just the chicken. Of course, if there's a FUN toy (Darth Vader, Toothless), then we'll get the happy meal.
i am in the process of reading the omnivore's dilemma, and i can safely say that i won't be eating those chicken nuggets anytime soon. they add so many chemicals to those nuggets it's ridiculous (i once thought they were the healthier choice at mcdonald's- i used to remove the outer crust and feed my toddler the 'meat.').
did you know that they add something called tertiary butylhyrdoquinone, or TBHQ, that is a chemical made from petroleum? it's sprayed directly on the nugget or on the inside of the box. TBHQ is a form of butane (lighter fluid). eating only a gram of it can cause vomiting, delirium, nausea, a sense of suffocation, and collapse. taking in 5 grams can kill you. but the government allows this to be sprayed on our children's food!
i had no idea. i'm sure a lot of parents have no idea what is actually in these 'happy meals.' mcdonald's is basically serving nothing but chemical-laden corn. chicken nuggets are 56% corn (and not the good corn on the cob with salt and butter variety- the HFCS kind- bad stuff!). i wish there were healthy alternatives out there that were convenient and kid-friendly. and don't get me started on school lunches! ay ay!
Wow, thats disgusting. My 5 YO son was right when he said that McDonalds was "not good for me" after upchucking the chicken nuggets.
California is bloody nuts to do this. What right does any government have to tell individuals how to live their lives? Absolutely terrible and wrong, and should be reversed
It's not California as a state, it's just one county. And it's not "The government" but one County Board of Supervisors. And no one is saying that we can't buy this food for our kids. In fact no one is telling us anything. They are putting restrictions on marketing practices. How is it different than when a county regulates where or how cigarettes can be sold? I think marketing towards children is ludicrous as it is. Do you ever watch TV? I'm tired of commercials, marketing campaigns, and promotional toys trying to get me to spend more money by attempting to influence my kids to bug me until I go crazy.
I say down with unethical marketing tactics! Bring on morality & truth in advertising!
I buy the toy alot of times by its self because my kids want the toys we take the toy home and eat a healthy meal. Its fine to buy the toy by its self. I would be mad if they took the toys away! Its our choice not the governments choice, They NEED to stop telling us what we can and can't do.
cigarettes, soda, alcohol, certain foods, candy, gum with saccarrine, splenda, tanning beds, driving drunk , drugs, these things are all bad for you. YET people still do them. I mean lets be serious. Its all ones personal choice. I would be more worried about things like violence and abussive people, drugs. Thats more serious of an issue!
Great post. This ordinance has been unfairly attacked as somehow taking away choice. In reality, what it does is simply require that toys (read: rewards) are limited to only those meals that meet minimal (very minimal) nutritional standards. Parents can still buy happy meals to their heart's content (and their kids health's demise), they just don't get rewarded with a cheap lead encrusted toy from China.
As a parent, I'm sick to death of the Madison Avenue marketing types pegging my kids for their profits. Hooray to Santa Clara for calling these folks out on this. Just wish my county would do the same!
Great post. This ordinance has been unfairly attacked as somehow taking away choice. In reality, what it does is simply require that toys (read: rewards) are limited to only those meals that meet minimal (very minimal) nutritional standards. Parents can still buy happy meals to their heart's content (and their kids health's demise), they just don't get rewarded with a cheap lead encrusted toy from China.
As a parent, I'm sick to death of the Madison Avenue marketing types pegging my kids for their profits. Hooray to Santa Clara for calling these folks out on this. Just wish my county would do the same!
Great post. This ordinance has been unfairly attacked as somehow taking away choice. In reality, what it does is simply require that toys (read: rewards) are limited to only those meals that meet minimal (very minimal) nutritional standards. Parents can still buy happy meals to their heart's content (and their kids health's demise), they just don't get rewarded with a cheap lead encrusted toy from China.
As a parent, I'm sick to death of the Madison Avenue marketing types pegging my kids for their profits. Hooray to Santa Clara for calling these folks out on this. Just wish my county would do the same!
I agree. This is no different than when the cigarette companies were told they could no longer use cartoons in their advertising. They are trying to keep their customer base young and fresh to keep the dominos falling. Its all corporate greed.
No growing child should be getting their nutrition from a MSG filled Happy Meal period. That said, there is also the fact that the toys are junk from 3rd world countries where the workers are exploited and the toys just end up breaking and filling up our landfills. I wish they would ban this sort of stuff nationwide.
i agree 100%, Mcdonalds is obeseity in a box! why should you give someone the choice to ruin their childs health Mcdoalds just wants money,they want to lure children in, they dont care about what their giving them!
100% Stuped. That is McDonalds!
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