Should "Happy Meals" Aimed at Kids Be Banned to Help Curb Childhood Obesity?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Should "Happy Meals" Aimed at Kids Be Banned to Help Curb Childhood Obesity?

No. Parents letting their kids get fat on Happy Meals should be banned. It's not even the Happy Meals that make kids fat, it's the TV, the computer games and all the other ####### that keeps kids from being physically active as kids have a natural tendency to be. You can ban Happy Meals and still not get a single step further towards the goal of eliminating childhood obesity.

[The_Dude 1,142]

If it's unacceptable, then don't eat it...... Don't get it for your kids, it's THAT simple.

Every kid when I was growing up ate Happy Meals too and we were fine. The problem isn't the damn food, it's the lack of activity. We played, we were outside, we had fun, we had recess at school in elementary school, we did physical activities all the time, and especially after we got home from school. Kids don't do that today...

Stop blaming the 'fast food nation' on the problems of changing in activity. That's like blaming the policies of Grover Cleveland for the Great Depression.....

Sorry paul, there is a reason why we have an FDA, and food standards are not determined by parents.

[Jenn! 918]

It's a slippery slope and placing blame where blame is not due.

We were fed commercials on sugary cereals, mcdonalds, and all sorts of other ####### as kids and it didn't make a damn bit of difference.

It's not the foods... it's not the toys... Stop trying to blame them for it.

Ok, it didn't make a bit of difference in your (my?) generation, but that's no longer the case, obviously. I don't care who is to blame - the question is how do we fix it. Is it such an infringement upon your rights to not have a toy in your Happy Meal? Why make a mountain out of a molehill?

Just saying, "well I ate McDonalds and I'm fine because my parents were not idiots" does little to help solve the problem.

No. Parents letting their kids get fat on Happy Meals should be banned. It's not even the Happy Meals that make kids fat, it's the TV, the computer games and all the other ####### that keeps kids from being physically active as kids have a natural tendency to be. You can ban Happy Meals and still not get a single step further towards the goal of eliminating childhood obesity.

This is probably true.

So how does society get kids to be more active? Or is it not society's burden? Should we leave it up to all the idiot parents to fix themselves?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Sorry paul, there is a reason why we have an FDA, and food standards are not determined by parents.

The FDA is there to make sure foods/items are relatively safe. Happy meals are safe, putting toys with them is safe.

Now we're telling the government to come in/the FDA even to come in and say, "well some people might overdo this, so we need to ban this." - That's a load of #######. We might as well go ahead and make alchohol illegal again. We might as well go ahead and ban ice cream, cookies, candy, etc. as well. Everything needs to be a labeled white package that says "food" and "drink."

[chri'stina 190]

Well, some may judge me as a bad mom (those who are anti anything unhealthy), but I get Happy Meals for Kavi every once in awhile. Hey when they are only 1.99 on Tues and Thurs, they are an easy grab. I find the toys insignificant. I don't think the meals should be banned. I don't know about the toy thing either. If the toys are banned, people will still buy the happy meals because they are cheap. And who doesn't like indulging on their french fries once in awhile?? And I bet plenty of kids in soccer and running around all day, healthy and fit, are eating them. People need to make their own choices.

Edited November 8, 2010 by chri'stina

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Ok, it didn't make a bit of difference in your (my?) generation, but that's no longer the case, obviously. I don't care who is to blame - the question is how do we fix it. Is it such an infringement upon your rights to not have a toy in your Happy Meal? Why make a mountain out of a molehill?

Just saying, "well I ate McDonalds and I'm fine because my parents were not idiots" does little to help solve the problem.

and banning toys with kids meals does nothing to help the problem either.

It's still a nation of the 'easy' and lazy way out. Be it with food or parenting in general. It's easier to let a TV entertain your kids than it is to make them go outside and play. THAT is the problem.

[Jenn! 918]

It's easier to let a TV entertain your kids than it is to make them go outside and play. THAT is the problem.

A big part of the problem is that nowadays you can't let your children go out and play unsupervised - you'd probably get DCS at your door.

[The_Dude 1,142]

The FDA is there to make sure foods/items are relatively safe. Happy meals are safe, putting toys with them is safe.

Now we're telling the government to come in/the FDA even to come in and say, "well some people might overdo this, so we need to ban this." - That's a load of #######. We might as well go ahead and make alchohol illegal again. We might as well go ahead and ban ice cream, cookies, candy, etc. as well. Everything needs to be a labeled white package that says "food" and "drink."

Fast food is relatively safe? Compared to what, swallowing strychnine. Sorry Paul, but all that ails this country and our society is not going to be fixed by a free market. Fast food is horrible quality that barely meets minimum standards for human consumption. Yes, it's cheap, and you get what you pay for, breaded chicken arseholes put in a fancy package with a toy so 5 year olds can't resist.

But back to my point. Nobody is infringing upon your rights paul. You don't have a right to high sodium, calorie and fat content mcnuggets. If you want to give your kids nasty mcnuggets at your house and with all the added sodium and fat that you remember from your childhood, go ahead, nobody is stopping you.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

This is probably true.

So how does society get kids to be more active? Or is it not society's burden? Should we leave it up to all the idiot parents to fix themselves?

At the end of the day, yes. Unless you are going to socialize the task of raising kids, parents ultimately bear the responsibility of making sure their kids are brought up right and are afforded a good start into their lives. If we let go of that principle, then what's next on the list? Monthly weigh-ins for kids and diet boot camps for those that pack a few pounds too much?

[chri'stina 190]

Fast food is relatively safe? Compared to what, swallowing strychnine. Sorry Paul, but all that ails this country and our society is not going to be fixed by a free market. Fast food is horrible quality that barely meets minimum standards for human consumption. Yes, it's cheap, and you get what you pay for, breaded chicken arseholes put in a fancy package with a toy so 5 year olds can't resist.

But back to my point. Nobody is infringing upon your rights paul. You don't have a right to high sodium, calorie and fat content mcnuggets. If you want to give your kids nasty mcnuggets at your house and with all the added sodium and fat that you remember from your childhood, go ahead, nobody is stopping you.

If McDonald's owns their buildings, why can't they do that within their building? Do you realize soooo many restaurants are serving high calorie, high sodium dishes? And those same nasty mcnuggets made at home were sold in a store, should the store be banned from selling them? Now McDonald's does display their nutrition info on each packaging. People can read it.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Fast food is relatively safe? Compared to what, swallowing strychnine. Sorry Paul, but all that ails this country and our society is not going to be fixed by a free market. Fast food is horrible quality that barely meets minimum standards for human consumption. Yes, it's cheap, and you get what you pay for, breaded chicken arseholes put in a fancy package with a toy so 5 year olds can't resist.

But back to my point. Nobody is infringing upon your rights paul. You don't have a right to high sodium, calorie and fat content mcnuggets. If you want to give your kids nasty mcnuggets at your house and with all the added sodium and fat that you remember from your childhood, go ahead, nobody is stopping you.

You're missing the point. Placing blame in the wrong areas fixes nothing. All it does is create one more not needed piece of over-regulation. Fast food isn't as bad as some make it out to be and safe for 'human consumption' these days is such a joke....

With a toy 5 year olds can't resist? Since when do 5 year olds make their own damn decisions?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Do you realize soooo many restaurants are serving high calorie, high sodium dishes? And those same nasty mcnuggets made at home were sold in a store, should the store be banned from selling them?

Two good points.

[The_Dude 1,142]

If McDonald's owns their buildings, why can't they do that within their building? Do you realize soooo many restaurants are serving high calorie, high sodium dishes? And those same nasty mcnuggets made at home were sold in a store, should the store be banned from selling them? Now McDonald's does display their nutrition info on each packaging. People can read it.

When was the last time you actually ate McDonalds? They don't display the nutritional info on the packages. Yes, I do realize that it's not just McDonalds, that was just an example. The point I'm making is that if you see this as some sort of government infringement upon your rights, it might be time to put your tinfoil hat back on.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

If McDonald's owns their buildings, why can't they do that within their building? Do you realize soooo many restaurants are serving high calorie, high sodium dishes? And those same nasty mcnuggets made at home were sold in a store, should the store be banned from selling them? Now McDonald's does display their nutrition info on each packaging. People can read it.

which was a regulatory step as well.

Also coming within the next year, all fast food menus must have calorie counts on the menu when you order your food. Which is fine.

That's completely different than the authoritarian crowd here wants to do in banning things outright.

[chri'stina 190]

Two good points.

I am mostly playing devil's advocate because of course I don't think McDonald's is a healthy eating option. Just trying to look at the bigger picture. It's not just fast food that serves unhealthy food.