Many people over here are up in arms against "fast food" establishments that serve "unhealthy" food such as french fries, cheeseburgers, etc. They'd like nothing better than to close them all down. I agree that the food is mostly junk but I cook healthy most of the time and I believe in moderation, not government intervention.
We take the girls out a couple of days (more or less) a month, usually after church, and they are allowed to eat those horrible french fries. I eat them too. Twice a month (one medium serving) is their french fry allotment.
The restaurants (most of them) are offering healthier choices on their kids' menus (such as the yogurt or fruit I mentioned. They're also featuring beverages other than soda. The kids choose the french fries every time. They don't get them at home - they do get lots of fruit and yogurt.
More later.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
16 comments:
Paul doesn't eat fast food very often. Usually it's when we're on the road and our puppy is along for the ride, and we can't go into a Cracker Barrel. I usually get a happy meal and an extra 4 piece nugget. Paul will have one nugget and a few fries, but also has a small apple for dessert. I usually eat the rest of the happy meal.
When we do fast food with Paul, we try to take him to the Chinese buffet at Wegman's. He likes that a lot more than Mcdonald's, since the food is more colorful and has more textures.
Hubby was a fast food fanatic until he read Fast Food nation and now he has our daughter totally brain washed. Although she had never eaten McDonald's until last November, she would tell people it tasted like plastic. Then she and I went to Animal Kingdom where McD's is a sponser and she tried the french fries. Her paradigm came crashing down around her when she looked at me and said (with a really pathetic look on her face) 'Mom, these taste really good.' So, I, of course, lied and told her it was only at Animal Kingdom that they tasted that good. That totally satisfied her and she even told her dad that when we got back. Bad parenting? Maybe, she can send me the therpay bill later.
Yup, moderation, moderation.
I hope Ray's doing somewhat better. I was thinking about you folks this morning. All my best.
I couldn't resist making my comment into a Blog post. You're right on the money, and I just spent the last few minutes on Blogger.com agreeing with you in my own 'refreshing' way.
Email still down, sorry. I'll keep you posted.
Ya gotta live, eh? Twice a month is more than resonable. In fact, once a week might be too. Deprive them and they might over indulge later. I think that's what I did.
People get up in arms about the dumbest stuff. I have cousins whose main food source is mcd's. its their parents fault they eat there, not ronald's. My kids eat food like that rarely- maybe if we travel. We usually like to get pizza if we are going to eat "fastfood".
people need to take responsibiltiy for what they eat and how often... being here for a few weeks, it's amazing to me just how many fast food establishments there are to choose from. but it does come down to choice...
Hell, yeah, Ann. Totally agree. We eat fast food once a week -- every Friday. I refuse to cook on Fridays, and feel that a freaking bag of fries or a big gooey pizza *cooked by someone other than me* is a blessed treat.
It's hard to want government intervention, isn't it? Although the ban on tobacco advertisments was helpful.
Many school boards in BC are banning junk food and sodas from the menus - I do support that.
Our kids had the odd junk food treat as they grew up, not much at home. Now they are great eaters, who love good healthy food.
Me? I had a plate of fries the other day that were heavenly. At a small restaurant though, not the mass produced cardboardy versions from A&W, McDonalds etc.
Remember when fast food was a treat? Sounds like that is what you're doing with the kids... teaching them the difference between "treat" and "lifestyle"... Treats are an important part of lifestyle. Deprivation leads to bingeing, as Anvilcloud suggests...
I just got the riot act from my doctor that I have gained more than half of my pregnancy weight already.
I blame the fries.. but then again... Fries don't fatten people, people fatten people!
Growing up in Louisiana, I sometimes think my family's own cooking was much more 'unhealthy' than anything McDonald's could ever concoct. That said, I still prefer a good hush puppy over a French fry any day! These days I don't each much fast food ... I just don't care for it. It was never forbidden in my family, but we all sort of felt like: Why have McDonald's when the food from home is so much better?
I like that McDonald's is now offering healthier choices. Actually, in Finland the children's meal automatically comes with fruit slices rather than fries--fries must be requested.
Oh shoot ... I should just make a post on this rather than cluttering up the comments box.
I'll end this in saying I really enjoy your blog and will continue reading it on a near-daily basis. You remind me, in many ways, of my own grandmother who raised me. :)
Have you tried the fruit & walnut salad at McD's? It's pretty good. And it's nice to know that if I'm out & about & my daughter needs a snack, I can get one of them.
Ok, without rocking the boat too much.... ;)
We do not do fast food anymore. Call it evolving tastebuds (or aging tummies), but we started going less when it would cause my IBS to flare up badly.
Then we watched SuperSize Me, and I did not want to go there again (and we haven't, in almost a year).
What was the last straw for me? When Mc*D admitted they'd been using a dairy derivative in their cooking oil for their french fries. And my son is allergic to dairy (as in, he needs an epipen). It moved beyond the size of my waistline--they risked my son's life, for the sake of $$.
I keep meaning to blog about this, sorry for such a long rant Granny!!
I have always loved your plan of taking the girls out for an allotment of the "treat" food only a few times in a month. It makes great sense.
I must be one of the last ones commenting. I have been extremely busy at home with my F-I-L hospitalised and all that.
Now i understand the concept of allotment :)
And I love the Danone strawberry laced yoghurt you get at all MacDs across Germany. Its awesome. Everytime I ate there (which was quite often till they stopped making their vegetarian burgers) I used to avoid the fries and stick to yoghurt! later I used to go back there only for the yoghurt. And Danke Shoen for this post :)
Post a Comment