Does kids actually like McDonalds food?

Loire

OK, I posted in another thread (Cooking) that we never eat takeaways or processed food as a family. Yesterday, we had a packed day and a spur of the moment decision had us down at the beach for an hour making sand castles! It was a super day and the kids liked like michelin men with all the layers on!. Anyway, on the way home we realised there was nothing ready for dinner and didn't really feel like cooking (although I had a roasted chicken made (which we're having tonight)).

Anyway, we decided to go to McDonalds and settled for the drive-through as we didn't want the kids to get sucked in (first time they've eaten McDonalds food). We got home and dished out the food onto plates (binned the McD packaging)....the 2 Kids had 2 happy meals...one with fish fingers, the other with chicken nuggets, both with fruit pots and 2 Tropicanas. A mad thing happened...they wouldn't eat the fish fingers or the chicken nuggets! They ate the fruit and drank the OJ no probs as they eat/drink these all the time. We ended up tearing legs off my roast chicken and they ate those.

I ended up eating the fish fingers and chicken nuggets and they really did taste like cardboard!

Eviledna

Interesting experiment - without the glossy packaging kids can actually taste how crap McD's is! Well done Loire, I hope they never gain a taste for it.

Where I lived as a kid there was no McD's, so it was always a far away treat if I ever got it. Always preferred the toys to the food that came with it!

the beer revolu

Yeah, in my experience, kids love going to McDonald's but are quite indifferent to the food. I think it's as teenagers they acquire a taste for the actual food rather than just the experience of going to McD's.

livinsane

Definitely agree that kids have no love for Mc Donald's food. My siblings loved going there as young children but wouldn't eat a scrap. Just liked the fizzy drinks and toys. My mother on the other hand could eat two big macs in one sitting!

I almost never eat fast food but went to cinema one night after work and without dinner. By the time I got there, I was famished. Boyfriend was going to get a Big Mac so I said, feck it, I'll try a Mc Chicken burger. Honest to god, at that moment it tasted like the best thing I had ever eaten in my life. I nearly choked myself to death trying to eat it so fast. But I know the illusions of hunger, and it'll be a long time before I eat there again.

Mellor

Kids are naturally fussy. I'm not surprised they didn't want something that they never had before. Be glad that its the right way around and not kids who never had fruit, juice etc.

I do think McDonalds gets a bad rep. I think all the negitives apply to all similar fast food places and burgers in general. None of it is what I'd want as a regular part of anyones diet.

Tourism

I read the book Fast Food Nation, it put me of McDonalds for over 12 months. Unfortunatley I was back in there yesterday eating their apple tarts.

Hunchback

Tourism wrote: »

I read the book Fast Food Nation, it put me of McDonalds for over 12 months. Unfortunatley I was back in there yesterday eating their apple tarts.

which are made from potato ( I heard)

huskerdu

CKonetheonlyone wrote: »

which are made from potato ( I heard)

I am not a fan of McDonalds, for loads of reasons, but they are very good for listing the ingredients of their products.

Here is the ingredients listing for the Apple Pie. Apart from the preservatives, it looks like a standard factory produced Apple Pie.

Water, Apples 23%, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Rapeseed, Palm), Modified Waxy Maize Starch, Salt, Dextrose, Spices, Flavouring, Cassia Extract, Citric Acid. Processing Aids: E535 (Sodium ferrocyanide), E170 (Calcium carbonate), E507 (Hydrochloric Acid), E500 (Sodium carbonate).

huskerdu

I only take my kids for fast food very rarely and I have told them that I think the food in McDonalds is rubbish and they dont disagree. They prefer Eddie Rockets or the local chippie for the occasional treat.

You cant control what they eat once they have a bit of freedom, all you can do is give them good example at home.

Sergeant

huskerdu wrote: »

Water, Apples 23%, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Rapeseed, Palm), Modified Waxy Maize Starch, Salt, Dextrose, Spices, Flavouring, Cassia Extract, Citric Acid. Processing Aids: E535 (Sodium ferrocyanide), E170 (Calcium carbonate), E507 (Hydrochloric Acid), E500 (Sodium carbonate).

Ah, Sodium Ferrocyanide and Modified Waxy Maize Starch - the cornerstones of any good apple tart.

huskerdu

Sergeant wrote: »

Ah, Sodium Ferrocyanide and Modified Waxy Maize Starch - the cornerstones of any good apple tart.

I did say it seemed to be a standard factory produced apple pie, not a good apple pie

Mellor

huskerdu wrote: »

I only take my kids for fast food very rarely and I have told them that I think the food in McDonalds is rubbish and they dont disagree. They prefer Eddie Rockets or the local chippie for the occasional treat.

do you actually think that the food in a chipper or Eddie Rockets is made from better quality ingredients. Or are you just avoiding casual association with fast food and keeping it for bigger treats like Eddie Rockets

In talking just basic quality not taste. As say cheesy fries taste better, but also have a worse profile.

Mellor

Sergeant wrote: »

Ah, Sodium Ferrocyanide and Modified Waxy Maize Starch - the cornerstones of any good apple tart.

The thing is they tend to lust everything in full, and give the technical name. Sodium Ferrocyanide, is normally called anti-caking agent. Very common additive. Found in table salt. A bakery bought apple would prob hide it by just saying salt.

I don't mean to come off like a McDonalds advocate or anything. I'm just trying to highlight that if their ingredient lists looks bad it's because they are honest. And it's prob no different to something sold in a "less evil" place

huskerdu

Mellor wrote: »

do you actually think that the food in a chipper or Eddie Rockets is made from better quality ingredients. Or are you just avoiding casual association with fast food and keeping it for bigger treats like Eddie Rockets

In talking just basic quality not taste. As say cheesy fries taste better, but also have a worse profile.

I don't think there is much difference in the quality ( or lack there-of) between McDonalds / Eddie Rockets / local chipper. Small differences like the chips in the local chipper being made fresh and not from frozen. I prefer Eddie rockets menu ( more salads / sandwiches etc) and the local chipper ( good chips and battered fish).

I agree with your second point. We simply don't ever consider fast food as a regular occurance in the house or an easy choice when we are late or have no plans for dinner.

Nonoperational

What's wrong with McDonalds? Genuine question. I'd get a take away once every 2/3 weeks as a treat. Why is McDonalds worse than a burger and chips from any local chipper? I think the McDonalds burgers are very nice burgers and I've been eating them on and off for 20 years. I'm perfectly healthy.

Looking at ingredient lists like that is a pretty pointless exercise. It's all about quantity etc. I understand eating it every day is going to cause problems, but that could be said about a lot of things. I appreciate you were asking a genuine question about whether children like the food or not, I just always get curious when people make out McDonalds to be the worst place in the world and this thread got me thinking.

emeraldstar

gpf101 wrote: »

What's wrong with McDonalds? Genuine question. I'd get a take away once every 2/3 weeks as a treat. Why is McDonalds worse than a burger and chips from any local chipper? I think the McDonalds burgers are very nice burgers and I've been eating them on and off for 20 years. I'm perfectly healthy.

Looking at ingredient lists like that is a pretty pointless exercise. It's all about quantity etc. I understand eating it every day is going to cause problems, but that could be said about a lot of things. I appreciate you were asking a genuine question about whether children like the food or not, I just always get curious when people make out McDonalds to be the worst place in the world and this thread got me thinking.

They're not any worse. I don't think anyone said they are.

Nonoperational

I suppose the point I was making was that I often hear people saying how McDonalds was some sort of monstrosity, while I would rarely hear the same about other chipper food. Was curious why some people seem to be so against it. Maybe it's just as easier target to criticise takeaway food in general as it's so well known.

the beer revolu

I'm amazed at how often you hear things like "their chips aren't even made with potatoes" or, as in this thread, regarding their apple pies: "which are made from potato ( I heard)".

I am no fan of McD's but the bulls***t you hear about them is just kind of annoying.

the beer revolu

gpf101 wrote: »

I suppose the point I was making was that I often hear people saying how McDonalds was some sort of monstrosity, while I would rarely hear the same about other chipper food. Was curious why some people seem to be so against it. Maybe it's just as easier target to criticise takeaway food in general as it's so well known.

I think a lot of people don't like the way they market directly at kids.
Also it is a lot easier to have something against a global faceless corporation than against your enterprising neighbour who runs a small fast food outlet, despite the relative nutritional velues.

The Lovely Muffin

I personally don't like McDonald's and hadn't eaten it for about six years until last Saturday when my boyfriend and I had to wait in Dublin airport for around two hours for our bus home.

I was starving so went to McD's as there wasn't anywhere else open (we were in arrivals) I got a cheese burger, chips and an apple and blackberry pie, I ate half the burger before putting it down, I had two small bites of the pie before putting it down, both of them were utterly disgusting. The chips weren't much better, but I could at least eat them.

I can honestly say I'd rather starve then ever eat a McDonald's again. It was a waste of money and reminded me (as if I needed reminding) why I never, ever go there.

cynder

In our house mc donalds fries rule. The kids only eat the burgers and fries they never order fish fingers and I love the wraps..

We only gave a mc donalds once ever 3-4 months.

Mellor

gpf101 wrote: »

What's wrong with McDonalds? Genuine question. I'd get a take away once every 2/3 weeks as a treat. Why is McDonalds worse than a burger and chips from any local chipper?

Its no worse than other chippers. I stated said that a few posts above yours. People agreed with me in general.

As a casual treat its fine and no different.
As regualr occurance is pretty bad (as is the local chipper)

the beer revolu wrote: »

I am no fan of McD's but the bulls***t you hear about them is just kind of annoying.

No chicken in the chicken nuggets is another I've heard.
Which is why I tend to defend in threads like this.

People just tend to believe anythign they hear when it coems to mega-corporations like McDonalds, Nike or Coca-Cola

See the latest here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056568359

rubadub

Loire wrote: »

A mad thing happened...they wouldn't eat the fish fingers or the chicken nuggets!

Was it something as simple as it being not warm enough? I find their food is less dense and does not hold heat well, and when it is cool it is not nice at all, while I would eat some other takeaway food cold no bother -some people prefer cold pizza.

I always figured this is these US fast food places do not deliver, there was a recent thread about dominos wedges not "travelling well". The food is also packaged "airy" so looses heat faster too. While a curry in a long tray is holding lots of heat for hours.

I love reading the myths about mcds. there is even a wiki page on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s_urban_legends

And loads on snopes
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&complete=1&sclient=psy-ab&q=mcdonalds+snopes&oq=mcdonalds+snopes&aq=f&aqi=g2g-j2g-m4g-bs1g-b1&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=256l2237l1l2379l13l13l1l4l5l0l146l862l3.5l9l0&gs_l=serp.3..0l2j0i18l2j0i5l4j0i8i10j0i8.256l2237l1l2381l13l13l1l4l5l0l146l862l3j5l9l0&pbx=1&biw=1848&bih=980&cad=cbv&sei=6ihXT7ibEo2q8AOQ7J2NDw#hl=en&complete=1&sclient=psy-ab&q=mcdonalds+site:snopes.com&oq=mcdonalds+site:snopes.com&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=241318l244951l0l245172l9l9l0l0l0l3l150l822l5.4l9l0&gs_l=serp.3...241318l244951l0l245172l9l9l0l0l0l3l150l822l5j4l9l0&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=85dc3ea557f8445b&biw=1848&bih=980

The other common complaint is people are not full, or hungry soon after -I think the main reason for this is that their portions are simply not that large. I estimated before a chipper bag of chips being about twice the kcal of a mcdonalds large chips. I got a 1/4lber burger in a chipper a few weeks back and it looked like a 5-6oz burger, certainly not 4oz. Indian & Chinese takeaways give ludicrous portions in comparison.

And the supersize me film could have been done in any typical hotel or restaurant in Ireland and you probably would have ended up fatter (certainly in mcdonalds ireland where the largest portions are not as large as the US). i.e. go to the hotel for a full irish breakfast (the biggest choice on offer), full lunch, and full dinner, and never refuse "upgrade" offers from waiters -the same criteria he used.

cson

I think thats a very interesting point you made there at the end rubadub, the chances are if you ate 3 full meals a day from a Michelin star restaurant for 30 days you'd probably trigger health effects not a million miles away from what Spurlock experienced.

You can probably take a look at those who frequent the dinner circuits as evidence for that; a lot of rotund exteriors knocking about.

Loire

rubadub wrote: »

Was it something as simple as it being not warm enough? I find their food is less dense and does not hold heat well, and when it is cool it is not nice at all, while I would eat some other takeaway food cold no bother -some people prefer cold pizza.

We heated up the food before giving it to the kids so I don't think that was it. By the time I was eating it though it was kinda cool alright.

MissFlitworth

Loire wrote: »

We heated up the food before giving it to the kids so I don't think that was it. By the time I was eating it though it was kinda cool alright.

It wouldn't have been very nice reheated either, McD/Most fast food is only good fresh from the fryer or grill.

I liked McDonalds as a kid as long as no one put a pickle or onion near it. For kids whose tastes in food run to salty-bready-plain meaty-ketchupy it's tasty heaven As I got older though and started liking food that isn't 'plain' and enjoying vegetables I stopped liking McDonalds as much

Old Sage Brush

I got McD's verrry rarely as a kid, but used to demolish the fillet-o-fish. And these days, at 25, and as someone who likes to cook good food and eat in fancy restaurants, I still think (some of) the food there is delish! Double cheeseburger. Nom.

OldeCinemaSoz

I love them double cheeseburgers

but they curiously COST LESS in THE UK

NORTHERN IRELAND included?!?

:eek:

Seomra Mushie

Health-wise, local chipper chips are likely no healthier than McDonald's, gram for gram. In fact, the portions in local chippers tend to be massive so you'd probably be worse off health-wise if you ate these regularly as opposed to McDonald's.

But for my occassional chipper treat, give me local chipper chips ANY day. I don't enjoy McD's food at all.

Nonoperational

The Lovely Muffin wrote: »

I personally don't like McDonald's and hadn't eaten it for about six years until last Saturday when my boyfriend and I had to wait in Dublin airport for around two hours for our bus home.

I was starving so went to McD's as there wasn't anywhere else open (we were in arrivals) I got a cheese burger, chips and an apple and blackberry pie, I ate half the burger before putting it down, I had two small bites of the pie before putting it down, both of them were utterly disgusting. The chips weren't much better, but I could at least eat them.

I can honestly say I'd rather starve then ever eat a McDonald's again. It was a waste of money and reminded me (as if I needed reminding) why I never, ever go there.

God I love the Cheeseburgers Double Cheeseburger and Twisty fries with diet Coke mmm... Each to there own but obviously billions of people around the world don't find them "Utterly Disgusting". In fairness the food in T1 isn't great...

Treanor2011

Loire wrote: »

OK, I posted in another thread (Cooking) that we never eat takeaways or processed food as a family. Yesterday, we had a packed day and a spur of the moment decision had us down at the beach for an hour making sand castles! It was a super day and the kids liked like michelin men with all the layers on!. Anyway, on the way home we realised there was nothing ready for dinner and didn't really feel like cooking (although I had a roasted chicken made (which we're having tonight)).

Anyway, we decided to go to McDonalds and settled for the drive-through as we didn't want the kids to get sucked in (first time they've eaten McDonalds food). We got home and dished out the food onto plates (binned the McD packaging)....the 2 Kids had 2 happy meals...one with fish fingers, the other with chicken nuggets, both with fruit pots and 2 Tropicanas. A mad thing happened...they wouldn't eat the fish fingers or the chicken nuggets! They ate the fruit and drank the OJ no probs as they eat/drink these all the time. We ended up tearing legs off my roast chicken and they ate those.

I ended up eating the fish fingers and chicken nuggets and they really did taste like cardboard!

Your right mc donalds is horrible.

BarackPyjama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T67DvoH2H3E

Mellor

BarackPyjama wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T67DvoH2H3E

Also not true.

Another story circulated my email.
Nobody appears to be sure what that pink slime is. Also the chicken isn't treated with amonnia. (sometimes beef is, but mechanically separted beef isn't used in food).
Mechanically separated meat does exist. But the process involves grinding up the carcass.
Importantly, its used to make things like sausages not chicken nuggets. McDonalds nuggets are made from breast meat. As are most frozen nuggets. They want that white colour.

jimmycrackcorm

Loire wrote: »

We heated up the food before giving it to the kids so I don't think that was it. By the time I was eating it though it was kinda cool alright.

I think that was it. Heating up fast food never makes it taste the same, and kids are particularly food-critical. I think the general prognosis is that kids do like McD's. Probably a lot of it has to do with the toy association, but I also know that the only meat my young son will eat is chicken nuggets because of the mcD's visits.

dubh101

Burger King are beter.A flame grilled XL bacon double cheese burger,delish.Very naughty though.

OldNotWIse

CKonetheonlyone wrote: »

which are made from potato ( I heard)

Well at least something on their menu is... :eek: lol

the beer revolu

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Well at least something on their menu is... :eek: lol

Do explain, please.

Mellor

Let me guess, the chips are made from flour and milk :rolleyes:

Chuck Stone

The great thing about McD's is the choice they offer...

...take it or fn leave it.

Simples.

amacachi

Mellor wrote: »

Let me guess, the chips are made from flour and milk :rolleyes:

That's why ya don't get vinegar in McDonalds, it would dissolve the chips.

I would've thought Calorie-wise at least that McDonalds wouldn't be half as bad as a "proper" chipper given the smaller portions and ludicrously skinny chips.

Mellor

amacachi wrote: »

That's why ya don't get vinegar in McDonalds, it would dissolve the chips.

I would've thought Calorie-wise at least that McDonalds wouldn't be half as bad as a "proper" chipper given the smaller portions and ludicrously skinny chips.

A bag of chips from the chipper has way more calories than a Mcdonalds portion.
Nothing to be with being skinny chips though. Purely down to weight.
(I think rubadub has info for how heavy a bag of chips is - its a lot)

amacachi

Mellor wrote: »

A bag of chips from the chipper has way more calories than a Mcdonalds portion.
Nothing to be with being skinny chips though. Purely down to weight.
(I think rubadub has info for how heavy a bag of chips is - its a lot)

Actually per gramme McDonalds might be worse, most surface area per unit mass for the oil to get in.

Mellor

amacachi wrote: »

Actually per gramme McDonalds might be worse, most surface area per unit mass for the oil to get in.

I considered that. But its not a deciding factor. Weight is going to be a much higher contributor to total calories.

If you were to comapre 100g vrs 100g, then yeah, I'd expect chunky to be better

dubh101

If you were to comapre 100g vrs 100g, then yeah, I'd expect chunky to be better[/QUOTE]
Its a knowen fact skinny chips absorbe much more fat than chunky chips.

Mellor

dubh101 wrote: »

Its a knowen fact skinny chips absorbe much more fat than chunky chips.

And who said they didn't?

Try reading it again. We were talking about serving of McDonalds vrs a chipper serving. The portions are very different. So, any slight extra in calories is completely dwarfed by a portion at least 3 times the size.