‘Healthy’ Fast Food Kids’ Meals: Are They Really Worth It?
July 1, 2008 by Liberty Kontranowski
Filed under A Mother's Wisdom, Diets and Dieting, Food and Drink, Junk Food That Isn't, Nutrition, Obesity
Image details: Fast food meal. served by picapp.com
Slow to hop on the bandwagon of apples vs. french fries, Burger King will soon be unleashing a massive ad campaign directed at parents. Their goal? To entice you into their eating establishment by way of offering “healthier” fast food choices for your rugrats.
In theory, this sounds nice. In actuality, it’s a joke. Why? Because their “healthy” kids meal consists of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, apple fries, and milk. For $3.49.
$3.49?!? Are you kidding me? I could buy 6 boxes of mac-n-cheese for that! I could buy a whole bag of apples for that! I could buy a gallon of milk for that!
While I guess sometimes you can’t put a price on convenience, my thoughts are, if you’re heading to a fast food joint, indulge in a little fast food. Otherwise, stay home. Make your mac-n-cheese with whole wheat noodles. Serve your apple slices with yogurt, rather than processed caramel. Give your child skim milk, rather than whole or 2 percent. Stuff like that.
Now, I guess I appreciate that the fast food conglomerates are making the effort. But is it really necessary? Or should they keep doing what they do best? Making burgers, fries, shakes and other indulgences, while we as informed consumers make better choices about what we put in our bodies (and those of our kids’)?
What do you think? Should fast food stay true to its roots, or should it hop on the Healthy Lifestyle movement? Whose responsibility should better nutrition be? Weigh in. I’d love to hear your thoughts…
they are SO WORTH IT to me.
but I have a Toddler who would never nap (ever. but thats a different rant) and sometimes I just need to bring her somewhere INSIDE in this raging heat.
so yes!
I live in Australia and McDonalds have been massivly successful with the inro of a healthy choice menu. The food is actually very good. Maccas got a whipping when subway came into the Australian market and they knew they had to do something. I think its good if people have healthy choices.
Fast-food companies should have healthier choices, but come on! Mac n cheese? I can’t believe they are touting this as healthy. I swear, once something gets a green or healthy name or label, people jump on it like crazy. Healthy is whole, unprocessed food. Healthy doesn’t come in a box or a bag
It’s sad but true, there are some people–possibly a LOT of people, who only ever eat fast food. You may not believe it if you live in the country, but I see it a lot in the city. So for their kids to have an option of actual vitamins (yogurt parfet, apple dippers, milk). It’s a good thing. Otherwise, those poor kids are out of luck. They’re already out of luck if they think Mac-n-cheese is a healthy choice, LOL.