Well I am shocked that this site would even have such a thing.
Junk food is not something we should be promoting as parents especially in this obese society we live in. I find this almost offensive! Just because McDonalds has apple slices(which I can’t even imagine the ridiculous price they would be) doesn’t make it a good place to go. When you promote junk, kids crave more junk.
So parents, stop for a coffee if you need it, buy the toy with your coffee instead of the happy(not for your bodily functions though) meal, and let them play.
Erin:
You said:
… I would like to tell you about the lunches I see at school. I will grant you that my school is rural. Lunch box contents: Jello pudding or just Jello; Snackables, Lunchables, Stackables (whatever), Ramen noodles; Joe Louis or Rice Crispy Square or other such “treat”, Kool-Aid Jammer or other sugary drink. Rarely is a piece of fruit or a veggie spotted. A sandwich is rare and is usually white bread with bologna or processed cheese.
Excellent comments and I 100% agree! I am a teacher in an poverty ranked suburban school and I see the same thing in lunch boxes. But, what is ironic is these same kids are often found wearing $100 running shoes and listening to a $300 iPod… maybe the family unit and values are a little messed up!
Furthermore, I come from a very rural part of Canada…there is no McDonalds , actually no restaurant at all in the town… yet, the obesity rate there is out of control… mmmmmmmmmmmmm???
So, in the end with or without McDonalds kids can be obese. A goal of the McMoms Quality Correspondant Program is: to inform people who do choose to go to McDonalds about the quality standards of the food that is used. And, for most of us Urban (or in my case suburban) Moms eating out at a fast food restaurant at times is part of society and lifestyle in 2010. So, I feel confident knowing that at McDonalds the quality of and production of the beef, chicken, potatoes, veggies, apples is the best in Canada, if not the world. No other restaurant as yet to prove that to me!
Mara:
You said:
I have never believed a word of the McMom videos. I think it’s naïve to believe everything they show you in the back, and discouraging that you then promote it.
Believe me it is true! For example, do you think 50 years of farming practices or a production facility (of 1000 of employees) could be completely changed for five visiting Moms ? I spoke openly and freely in each video and wrote in my own words about each visit. And, trust me we are not five niave mothers… we ask tough questions, we look around corners, and we take it seriously that we represent all the moms across Canada.
It would be more productive and beneficial to all us if you sent us constructive questions (and we will get you answers) than you criticize us.
Jen,
I did not mean the heroin analogy to be insulting. I guess you must think that I’m implying that feeding your children McDs is like giving them heroin. That is not what I meant. My point there was the idea that ingesting something “bad” for you is moderate if it’s only sometimes. I apologize to anyone who was offended.
Margo,
You have some great points about access. I think that fast food must be a lot cheaper in the US than in Canada because a McDs meal for 4 would cost $20 or more likely $30. The combos are $7 ish so I’m allowing for some Happy Meals in there. I don’t think that people think fast food is healthy but I wonder about what they think about all the other processed foods they eat. I really doubt a parent would send Lunchables or Mr. Noodle for lunch every day if they knew how nutritionally void they are and how the sodium levels might affect health.
I guess my overall point is about how we as a society accept that the food industry dictates what’s available to us in terms of availability and cost. Why is it that chips are cheaper than fruit? Why is that OK with us? It’s because we think that the “free” (not so free really) market should control everything.
Moderatemom, your post is not at all moderate, the soapbox comment is just mean. No one has said that McDs is solely responsible for the issues. I really don’t see how McDs is a part of the solution because they let moms see their operations. Maybe if they provided cheap, healthy foods they would be.
Like with all things “bad” out there – I believe it’s all in moderation. At a young age coming to Canada from a third world country – seeing the McDonald’s sign was comforting and relaxing – strange right? If I went to a McDonald’s it was a treat and at the same time a luxury that a lot of people didn’t get to partake in (at least where I’m from).
Basically I do feel that if a mom chooses to take their child to McDonald’s for an occasional (and I mean a few times a year kinda thing) meal or snack, that’s okay. What’s not okay is replacing a regular and healthy meal with a McCombo a day.
A lot of “bad” things are promoted on a daily basis – but we have to teach our kids what’s right and wrong and what we should and should not do, what we should eat and not eat or not eat too much of. I’m not glorifying McDonald’s but at the same time you can’t blame the brand.
That said, I love chicken mcnuggets – I’ve loved them since I was a kid, I probably have them a few times a year. I’m not overweight. I’ve fed them to my son and he’s not overweight or unhealthy. I also wouldn’t take that childhood experience that I had away from my son.
What it boils down to is that we just have to be smart about how we feed ourselves and our kids – advertisements are advertisements. People and sites need to make money and of course, everyone has their own opinion.
I think that it is an oversimplification to say that people are not educated enough about how unhealthy fast food is. Everyone knows the vast majority of the choices at fast food restaurants are not healthy. The real stumbling blocks to eating healthy are access, time & economics.
Access: The LA Times did a survey a few years back & found that the “inner-city” areas had on average 10X as many fast food choices as fresh food choices i.e. grocery stores. Whereas “wealthier” areas have a much more reasonable ratio.
Time: The vast majority of people (particularly in “low-income” areas) who habitually turn to fast food do so because the time during the day is not there for meal prep (most families do not have a stay-at-home parent anymore).
Economics: A family of four can eat off the dollar menu at some of these fast food restaurants, for often times much less than they can prepare a meal at home with fresh ingredients.
In the fantastic documentary, Food, Inc., a family is highlighted in which both parents work 12 hr shifts with at least an hr commute each day, & they were shown ordering at a drive-thru for a family of four for under $12. They then went to the grocery store & tried get fresh foods alternatives to fast food. It was heartbreaking to watch the older sibling tell the younger one (who wanted pears) that she would only get 2 pears with her money, so she would be better off making an unhealthy choice (like chips or cookies) because she would get more for her money.
Until we as a society make both the access & economics of fresh food choices better (particularly in “lower-income” areas) we will continue to be plagued by the health issues (& costs) of obesity. It is very easy for me, or many of Urbanmoms.ca members, to make fresh food choices, switch to organic, & limit fast/junk food intake, because we have the time & money to do so. Many others have limited to no choice.
I have never understood why Urban Moms supports and promotes McDonalds. I have never believed a word of the McMom videos. I think it’s naïve to believe everything they show you in the back, and discouraging that you then promote it. Urban Moms is supposed to be supportive of our children and their futures both as individuals and as part of a world in which fast food and mass food production is so obviously a destructive force. I love Urban Moms, but I’m deeply disturbed by their blind support and promotion of McDonalds. Thank you for letting me voice this grave concern (finally).
Came here from Twitter and just have to say how sad this is. McDonald’s is trying to do something worthwhile here and you’re so focused on preaching from your soapbox you can’t even see it! You really think pointing fingers and extolling the virtues of your holier-than-thou existence is productive? Get real. Yes, there is a problem in society. Does McDonald’s contribute? For sure. But are they solely responsible. Obviously not. Are they a critical part of the solution. Absolutely. Is this space right here on this website a step in the right direction? I think so. I have been reading it and these McMoms don’t say anywhere that you should be eating McDonald’s on a regular basis. In fact, some of them say they cook most food from scratch but feel better having been behind the scenes and knowing the truth on those occasions when their children do end up at McD’s.
My kids go to birthday parties where there are chips and pizza and candy loot bags. Am I going to hold them back from a party? Not realistic or, IMO, fair. Can I help them understand what is healthy and what is a treat? Yes. Can I also guide my children to accept those that make different choices and treat them with respect and an open mind. You bet.
OK, come on, Erin. HEROIN? You can not honestly be comparing people who take their children to McDonald’s to people who take heroin?? For one major thing, it is illegal to buy or use heroin.
I understand that you have strong opinions but I would like to keep this open and respectful. Let’s try harder to support and accept each other without judgment.
Thank you Erin, and Jen.
Just some info for those of you who may not know.
These are all from McDs.
apple bran muffin, 20 grams of sugar
bacon ranch salad, 16g fat(5 saturated) and over 1100mg sodium, over half your days worth
bacon, egg cheese mcgriddle 420 calories, 19g fat(8sat) and again over half day worth salt
cobb salad with grilled chicken almost 300 calories, high in cholesterol, 5g sat fat, and again over half day of salt
4 chicken nuggets(I am assuming this is for a happy meal but don’t know)
12 grams of fat 400mg sodium, so if this is for a small child, a lot of sodium
small cappuccino still has 7g(4sat) fat
small chocolate shake has almost 600 calories, 14g(8sat)fat and a whopping 84g sugar
grilled chicken flatbread(someone might think this is a healthy choice)
520 calories, 22g (9sat) and 1590mg sodium, which is pretty much what you would need for an entire day!!!
a child size orange drink has 120 calories which is 32g sugar, this is not juice, its the high c drink
ham, egg, cheese bagel your whole days worth cholesterol, and sodium all rolled into one, and almost half the days worth saturated fat.
crispy chicken salad 16g fat(and that is without any dressing!!!) and half the day of sodium
one pack of chocolate chip cookies, 270 calories, wow, 11g fat(6sat) 19g sugars
mclean deluxe with cheese 400 calories(not quite so lean) almost half day of salt, 16g(7sat)fat, and a good chunk cholesterol
1 oatmeal cookie has 150 calories, 6 grams fat and 13 grams sugar
small fries still have 11 grams of fat!!!
hamburger 9g(3.5sat)fat, 520 mg sodium
So if a happy meal has a burger and small fries, that’s 20g of not so good for you fat, and probably all the sodium a child would need for the day.
Considering veggies have a certain amount of natural sodium, odds are you are going over by a landslide.
Even the Mcveggie burger on a whole wheat bun has nearly your whole day worth sodium!!
If you are going to eat fat, it might as well be good for you like nuts and seeds, avocadoes, olive oils, etc.
So yes, I could go on, AND YES, I REALIZE THERE ARE BETTER CHOICES THEN THESE, SO PLEASE DON’T RESPOND SAYING SOME OF THE SALADS WITHOUT ANYTHING ON THEM OR APPLE SLICES ARE BETTER, THAT IS OBVIOUS.
Most people going, especially with kids, are not going to get a family order of salads with no meat or dressing, what would be the point of paying 5-6$ for a bowl of lettuce and a few other shreds of veggies(no, I don’t know what a salad looks like from there so I am guessing)
I tried to point out a few things that some people may think are alright, when in fact they are not.
Sodium is a real problem, there are very young children developing high blood pressure, and there are links to the sodium in ALL the processed foods they eat, not just McD.s
Going back to one of my original points, many people may only eat at McDs once a week and think that is moderation, forgetting about the things like Erin mentioned, lunchables, snack packs, etc that are all processed. And again not thinking about the sodas, chips, canned processed other foods they eat all the time.
I am so with the point of “treating” kids to things other then food.
My son much prefers a dinky car to getting a food treat. or a trip to the park, zoo, science centre, even going to Costco!! They just love being out doing stuff sometimes, we always take our own food.
We sat in the mall food court yesterday with veggie cups and an apple butter/Pumpkinseed butter sandwich, amongst some of the other people eating whatever. My family thinks it’s a treat when we have peaches or plums!! because the organic ones are so hard to find.
I am very glad to hear McDs has food safety handled, that doesn’t make it all healthy.
Please remember, I want our children to grow up, not out, happy and healthy, and have their parents around to see them grow up, not dying of heart disease, complications from overweight diseases, etc.
If this isn’t you, then you shouldn’t worry about it, and take pride in yourself knowing you are doing a good job.
This is great. A fabulous discussion. Trina, I applaud your commitment and dedication to live a lifestyle based on your personal beliefs. Thanks for sharing that with us. And to everyone, this is exactly what UrbanMoms strives to do and be. A safe and warm community where moms can share, listen and learn.
Awesome.
Jen
I agree with Trina. It’s McGarbage and why do we pretend it’s not, or promote it? The reality is McDonald’s is a huge corporation; its bottom line is to make money. Sure they listen to the McMoms and make minor changes, yes they keep clean establishments. Yet they spend billions of dollars to convince people to buy their food. Poor people here, and around the world who can’t afford it, still bring their kids to McDs because they get suckered by the image; catchy jingles, free toys made by Chinese slave labourers, and credible spokespeople like Olympic athletes and McMoms.
Many people don’t have the background knowledge to make healthy choices. Should we all feel guilty? I don’t know. I do know that I feel guilty when we eat there for many reasons. First, most of the “food” is clearly bad for us. Second, the farming of those cows is killing the environment. Third, the employees really make crappy money in a hard job (I know, I worked there). Fourth, they try to manipulate people into buying their food (as do all corporations). All of us are vulnerable to their products. We are busy moms and we do “deserve a break today” but should our break be unhealthy? Why not a break that is good for all? Why doesn’t our society work together to support one another physically and not just verbally/virtually online.
I hear the argument about moderation and judgement. I think we do have to judge some things like the treatment of girls and women around the world, and ridiculous consumption that is polluting our planet, and much more. Are we being moderate if we snort cocaine or shoot heroin once a week or month?
I am struck by how personally many of the people in this forum take the criticism of the McDonald’s corporation. I wonder if this is because certain members have come to identify so closely with the corporation that they internalize criticism of the this multinational? If this is true, McDonald’s has really done a first rate job of PR.
To Trina’s point about the overall diet and fitness level of Canadians, I would like to tell you about the lunches I see at school. I will grant you that my school is rural. Lunch box contents: Jello pudding or just Jello; Snackables, Lunchables, Stackables (whatever), Ramen noodles; Joe Louis or Rice Crispy Square or other such “treat”, Kool-Aid Jammer or other sugary drink. Rarely is a piece of fruit or a veggie spotted. A sandwich is rare and is usually white bread with bologna or processed cheese. These are kids who, when they go to town, want McDonald’s for a “treat”. I think that the parents who pack these lunches are more representative of the “average” Canadian than the people who read this blog. The obesity rates certainly indicate this. As for gym….Ontario schools now require it daily…a step in the right direction. However, the best solution is playing outside after school and on weekends.
So, I think we have a duty as a society to protect and educate those who don’t understand good nutrition. Promoting McDonald’s (and other junk food products) does the opposite.
I think this is so great that my comments have sparked such a debate!!
Jennifer, you have proven my point exactly, so thank you. again please read all my posts, not just the first one.
Making one visit to McDs isn’t an unhealthy life, and nowhere did I ever state that. It is just an unhealthy food choice at that moment, and yes, that is yours to make, never did I say it wasn’t.
I am a little mystified though at how some of you seem to think I could be somehow judging you by stating my opinion, again, I don’t know you, so how and why would I judge you.
We comment on life, on how our own life is seen, through our own eyes, and what we see around us. I am commenting on what I see around me, that it, plain and simple. There are no judgments made to anyone personally, specifically on this site.
I am by far a supermom, and of course you are all right, because we all have the right to our own opinions!!!
So of course I agree with all the statements, about teaching children how to make healthy choices, so we choose not to go to McDs, not to have any sort of video gaming systems, we do not have cable TV, and my children are aloud maybe an hour of video a week. But they rarely ask for anything. It has been at least 2 weeks and we haven’t had the TV on. And yes, that is the same for the computer, I have no idea the last time they were on it.
As for the deep comments, again, of course I agree, and I am not blaming fast food or Tv for anything(not sure if that was what was meant or not)
We choose not to go to fast food restaurants, and as is everyone else’s right, that is simply our choice.
So, I hope this clears things up for some of you who seem to have taken MY simple opinion and turned it into something personal.
Again, I am glad it has sparked such great conversation on this board!!
Way to go moms of Canada!
Well, I’m currently training for my second half-marathon, and managed to get my family to sit down to a home cooked meal four nights out of five this week, so I think I’m setting a pretty good example for my kids. However, Tuesday at lunch I found myself (gasp!!) jonesing for a Quarter Pounder with cheese and I treated myself to McDonalds for lunch. It’s just one part of my overall balanced diet, and I resent that someone would judge me as living an “unhealthy life” based on that visit.
As mothers we are judged everywhere we look by others, why can’t we just give one another a break? Hey….you deserve a break today….that’s a catchy jingle.
MJ you said it so brilliantly. I wish I could have worded it so well. It is all about making choices and realizing that you can provide the knowledge and information to your children, so they can make smart choices, in food and in life.
As a mom, I believe that guiding and informing our children is one of the fundamental roles that we do as parents. So, when our children have to make choices in their life, when we are NOT there, that they can make ones that are smart & beneficial to them.
If we teach our children to place the blame, blaming everything on TV or fast food, etc., we are teaching them that the world controls our choices, and they are helpless. We need to empower them and tell them they are the one’s in the driver’s seat, and they are the ones that can make the changes in their life, if they do not like the outcomes they are experiencing now.
Wow, sorry there, got all deep for a moment. Not trying to preach but this is how I feel.
Thank you urbanmoms for having the McMoms! You are not a website for elite mothers, but a website for real moms, every mom. I have a large group of mom friends and aquaintances and I cannot think of a single one who has NEVER taken their child to McDonalds.
In my opinion, singling out McDonalds is wrong, any food prepared away from home comes with excess fat and sodium. So the McDonalds salad has as much fat as a Big Mac? So do all the salads in nearly every restaurant. That’s why they taste so darn good!
I applaud Urbanmoms for taking on this program, and I applaud McDonalds for starting it. They have had an unfair reputation as being a bad choice for families, but they the same as everywhere else. Those restaurants though are not opening their factories and kitchens for all of us moms to see.
To the original poster, by saying this site should not have the McMom program, you are judging all Canadian moms who choose to bring their children there for the occasional fun meal. That is what makes us defensive.
Am I the only one who’s going to say it? OK. Let’s live in the real world here. McDonald’s is a fact of life and although I agree it should be a “treat” McDonald’s has higher safety & quality standards than any food producer in the world. There is no possible way that the local restaurants you eat at can guarantee the level of quality and safety McD’s has to meet. They are HUGE and would never, ever get away with anything less than the gold standard.
In my opinion your argument about whole & fresh foods is like keeping our kids away from TV or the internet or pop culture. It is here so may as well expose them to it, teach them and help them make good choices. Eating at McDonald’s regularly is extreme but so is the idea of a modern family buying, preparing, and eating fresh and whole foods at every meal. Two ends of the same spectrum and both are unlikely.
Obesity is a huge issue and yes, fast and packaged foods play a part. But, because of this, they have to be part of the solution and IMO McD’s is leading the pack. They can offer healthy options and educate consumers but it is bigger than they are too. What about video gaming? General lack of activity? School’s lack of physical education and health? All of this plays a part so instead of vilifying McD’s let’s work together to come up with a mutually beneficial solution.
We can’t turn back time but we can work together in positive ways to create a brighter and healthier future for our children.
Well I have really sparked some conversation!! That was part of the point
Again please remember, I have my opinions, and am not judging anyone. Please make sure you read my third post on this, not just the first one.
As for some of the comments from the McMoms and behind the scenes, thank you for the input, lets remember in not all situations are equal, when restaurants know people are coming, things change.
We have all scene the hidden camera events that no one talks about, and yes I realize it is everywhere, not just Mcs.
The majority of the world makes different choices then me, so I take none of what any of you are saying to heart, am offended, again because we all have our own thoughts.
As was pointed out, this is a forum for us to express our views to each other, so thank you for the feed back.
Do I ever eat out? well I have lived in my current city for about 2 years, and have been to 2 restaurants, a total of four times. Was it Mcs, no, was it fast food, no.
So yes I understand going out, having a break!
I never said anywhere moms should stay home every single minute of the day and spend all day preparing meals. Let’s remember to take things in context.
My OPINIONS, reflect the unfortunate majority of the population who are overfat or obese, and yes statistically it is now the majority.
Remember what I do, as written in the previous post.
All I am trying to do is get people thinking, making smarter choices, and being more conscious about their entire lifestyle choices.
There was an apology in the last post, I don’t feel I should have to do it again.
We are what we eat, (there was a comment about Canada’s food guide, well that is not the best thing either to go by. most other countries have done some revisions to make their food guides healthier, saying that it is a great tool if you are struggling with portion sizes and how much you should be eating of certain groups)
SO again, I see the bad side to the fast food industry, the people and children that suffer, and that is where I come from.
If you are healthy, visit Mcs rarely, teach your children about what junk food is and what healthy food is, then none of what I am saying really applies to you anyway no does it?
Trina you paint a lovely picture of cooking for a family. I cook everyday for my family and it’s a lot of hard work! Sometimes even a large burden. Often the meals that I prepare, even those that my children help prepare are not well received. It’s a time consuming chore that I sometimes need relief from. While we don’t often go to McDonald’s, we will visit from time to time. It offers me an escape from meal preparation, serving, and cleaning up. It actually allows me time to connect with my children. I am very conscious of my weight and that of my children. I try to keep my children as active as possible so that they can have the occasional treat. Please do not judge me because I have made different choices than you.
SUPERSIZE… After a little further research here is some info on this question:
Firstly, here is an exert from McDonalds official press release dated July 22, 2004
“This movie is not about McDonald’s — it’s all about personal responsibility and one individual’s decision to act irresponsibly. He chose to eat 5,000 calories a day – twice the recommended level for adult males – and deliberately limit his exercise, as a gimmick to make a film.”
Secondly, I am sure anyone could at stay home for a month, not exercise, double their calorie intake and experience the same adverse affects as this actor… no McDonalds needed! Just one week at Christmas with my family can be a disaster. And, most “reasonable” adults will stop stuffing their face before they become violently ill.
Furthermore, even before this movie appeared McDonalds made some very conscious efforts to offer healthier choices to fills its customers requests. I remember studying (in University) McDonalds pizza launch in the late 1980s… yes, way back then people wanted healthier choices. And, in 2002 McDonalds was already offering a healthier choice menu… customers want it, McDonalds offers it. And, as per my visits, menu development at McDonalds is a minimum 2 years process, that was long before this movie came around!
WOW What a day and so much passion all around!!!
Yes, another McMom here to weigh in on the debate.
Firstlly, I prepare about 90% of my meals at home… my kids love veggies and berries omg! My little boy (all of 5 11/12) is studying Canadas Food guide in kindergarten and is well aware of what is good and not.
Secondly, 10% of the time we eat out. I would like to be supermom, but sometimes I need a break. And, yes I (and the kids) love an occasional trip to McDonalds! Over this past year, my visits to McDonalds facilties proved to me that my choice is a good one… I am not sure the local restaurant as the quality standards of McDonalds… no, I am sure they dont! And, I stand by my belief that McDonalds burgers are safer than the ones I make at home.
Also, our obese society as as much to do about what we eat as what we do (or do not do)… too many people are completely inactive.
Trina, I am not “promoting” junk. But, I ask you to please read our journals and understand what we saw and reported before attacking this tread (and yes me (us) personally). We are average moms from all over Canada just trying to do our best!
Lynne, I adressed the SuperSize debate on a previous post, I will put that here shortly… interesting issue and movie…
So I just want to clarify a few things. We are all entitled to our opinions which is what you are saying to me, and that is what I am stating.
If you choose to take offense to what I have said, then maybe you need to look at why it bothers you, a lot of times people get defensive and uncomfortable because deep down they know, what ever is making them uncomfortable maybe needs to be changed.
I am by NO means telling anyone what to do or how to live their lives!!!
I come from the health profession, so I see first hand what happens to people who live with thinking things like having McDonalds once a week is in moderation.
They don’t account for the other 4 or five times a week they have eaten harveys, KFC, etc, etc,. The cost to our healthcare system for people who do not take their health or their childrens health seriously is insane. Canada has a beautiful healthcare system, we just have an epidemic of unhealthy people!!!!!
So if you are going to McDonalds and have your self a salad, great! Do you take off the horrible dressings that can make it as fattening as a Big Mac? Do your kids eat the artery clogging mcnuggets and fries? Do you look at the sodium levels in these foods? some items have enough sodium for 2 people in one day!!!!
Anything deepfried is NOT healthy, just because they decided to use vegetable oil(which most are still not good for you) doesn’t mean its good for you. I am pretty sure most people don’t go to McDonalds when the whole family is looking to have a good salad.
Again please understand I see these people who weigh 3 times what they should, their 8 year olds weigh more then me, and they wonder why their kids have no friends and self esteem problems(as do most of the adults)
I am not judging anyone, as I don’t know any of you. I am giving you the reality that I see on a constant basis, and it’s not good.
So yes, I feel McDonalds food is garbage, white flour is not food, it’s good to make playdough with.
My job is to make people see the world differently, so they can actually live a full active life, not an unhealthy one.
If anyone took my comments personally, I apologize for that, there are some people who need a blunt statement to make them think though.
I guess the reason why I wanted to become a McMom correspondent was so I could get the truth about McDonald’s food. There are so many myths about it that I too had not taken my child to McDonald’s. Then I had my second child and found that with everything I do, sometimes I wasn’t as organized enough or had enough hours in the day to do it all. The reality of the situation is that I went thru a drive-thru for some meals, and to McDonald’s occasionally.
I enjoy all that is included in home cooked meals, from the prep to the table. But we have also enjoyed a breakfast, together, as a family at McDonald’s. I guess I shouldn’t take it personal but it hurts when other Moms think that they can do it all, what’s wrong with me? Why can’t I? Why are people making me feel bad about buying McDonald’s food?
I am not perfect. I try to be organized, to prep meals, and that happens, where we all enjoy each others company during the whole process at home. For the most part this happens but you can also enjoy a meal out and not have to feel like you have condemned your child to a life of obesity. My daughter likes nuggets, she also LOVES broccoli.
I believe in moderation with everything. I enjoy a balanced life. I do not know everything, I acknowledge that, but I refuse to judge other people’s choices or make a decision without getting all the real information.
That is why I was surprised that a big company like McDonald’s wanted to show us how everything is made and wanted to know our concerns. McDonald’s wants to know what we Moms think! They also understand a lot about food quality and nutrition and I was stunned that they have such high standards. Also, they want to provide choices for us, choices that are healthier. I LOVE their salads!
I guess that when you call McDonald’s-McGarbage, it makes me feel that you are judging everyone and anyone who goes there and labelling them as well. Do you really think that is fair?
As a mom who never at at McDonald’s before, I was actually really happy that I was asked to take part in this program. I was able to go behind the scenes and ask tough questions and see what the food is actually made of. I made my own choices after seeing what I have seen.
I would NEVER try to tell you what you should or should not eat, and I would never try to convince you of the choices that you make, but I am writing on urbanmoms.ca about my experience to give you my opinions and my reports of what I saw and what I think.
Honestly, I am impressed that a company like McDonalds would allow the five of us to ask our questions and to go behind the scenes.
I’m not saying I agree or disagree but what I take issue with is the harshness and judgment of your comments. Is it necessary? Is it productive? Tolerance and understanding are key. Not every mom has the same resources, information, or belief system. Regardless of the topic we need to understand that we’re all different.
I have read a lot of the McMoms stuff and have been impressed. These are intelligent, real women who obviously take their role as an ambassador of information seriously. I keep an open mind and always try to see that my way is not the only “right” way.
That is why I love UrbanMoms. This place encourages conversation and information sharing and is always supportive. I suggest that you feel free to share your knowledge in a way that is respectful. You will likely get a lot more people listening that way!
Lynne, thanks for your comments too! I am glad someone out there is like minded!
Oh what a world it would be without fastfood restaurants!
Can you imagine the chaos(sarcasm) of people actually spending time together, shopping, preparing, laughing, learning about home cooking and the wonderful experiences family and food could bring, instead of a society where people can’t even think straight because of all the chemicals and sugars they consume, and all the time and money wasted in the drivethru.
Hi Trina.
Thanks for your contribution. The great thing about UrbanMoms.ca is that we encourage everyone to express their views and share their knowledge. We are a diverse group of moms with a wide range of experiences and parenting philosophies so it is a fabulous opportunity to learn from each other. We do ask that this is done in a respectful way as we are already so hard on each other! We want to inspire and create community. In order to do this we need to be open to listening to other people’s perspectives and experiences. We can only learn from this.
The McMoms section is all about 5 regular Canadian moms and their experiences over the last year getting behind the scenes at McDonald’s. Some of these moms had the same questions and concerns as you do which is why they became involved. They wanted to see for themselves and pass what they learned on to other mothers. I have my own opinion about McDonald’s as a parent and I have learned a lot about the food and the company through these McMoms. Their job is not to sway you or promote McDonald’s but to provide information. You can then decide how you use it.
I am glad to see people discussing concerns and issues anywhere on UrbanMoms.ca but we hope that people will do it without judgment in the spirit of bringing value and information to your fellow mothers. We are a community so we will not always agree but we should respect each other and our differences.
Thanks again for your contribution. I look forward to seeing more questions and insight from you elsewhere on UrbanMoms.ca.
Sincerely,
Jen Maier
Founder, UrbanMoms
Funny that this should come out now. I recently viewed Supersize me with my daughter and she was shocked. We never take her to McDonalds, the food is very bad for you and why waste money. She loves the taste of home made burgers and fries. I think that everyone in todays society has forgotten how enjoyable an at home meal can be. Think of it this way, if there was no Mc Donalds (what a treat that would be!) then what would you do? I plan weekly meals and actually visit the grocery store and buy food that has colour aka veggies and fruit!!!