Just watched super size me!

[Tigger&Belle]

The movie surely helped put additional pressure on the chain, by raising public awareness like an esoteric set of lawsuits was unable to do.

I shouldn't watch tv and DIS at the same time--I read "like an erotic set of lawsuits".

 

[Aidensmom]

All things in moderation. The voice of common sense.

I agree. Anyone with the least bit of common sense would know that eating greasy fast food for every meal for a month would not be healthy. Nothing wrong, though, with the occasional fast food meal.

 

[LightBurnsBlue]

actually, it did. The "healthy food" options at nearly every Fast Food type chain increased tremendously after this movie.

The "us" I refered to here was me and my boyfriend. We can't speak for everyone (b/c it appears some on this board have been deterred).

If people choose not to eat at fast food restaurants, that's fine with me. Personally, I think they're great. They are a place where a family can stop in and eat a quick meal--when I was a kid it was a treat to go to McDonalds. Blaming your weight gain (or the nation's weight gain) on McDonalds seems like a huge cop out. McDonalds offers high fat and tasty (in my opinion) choices like Big Macs and Fish Fillets because people like to eat them. And they are FINE to eat every once in a while! McDonalds also has lots of other choices...grilled chicken sandwiches, small hamburgers, apple dippers, salads with yummy LF dressings, ice cream cones, snack size yogurt parfaits, that are perfectly fine for you. Blaming McDonalds seems like a cop out because you really should be blaming the person that makes the wrong nutrition choices in their life (it's about personal reponsibility!!!). When I was on Weight Watchers and lost 30 in the last 6 months, I ate at McDonalds all the time!

As far as McDonalds is brainwashing the kids...they don't brainwash kids any more than any other food or toy product that is marketed for kids.

I'm surprised some of you still like Disney...their counter service menues feature mostly PICTURES and COMBO MEALS! And Ice Station Cool BRAINWASHES your kids into drinking evil sugary beverages! EEK! (just kidding )

 

[Planogirl]

I agree that fast food isn't the culprit, excess is. It's easy to eat small portions at most fast food restaurants but people choose not to. It's all about choice and people making the wrong choices isn't McD's fault. The restaurant simply caters to it.

 

[PrincessKitty]

I agree. Anyone with the least bit of common sense would know that eating greasy fast food for every meal for a month would not be healthy. Nothing wrong, though, with the occasional fast food meal.

Common sense may not be especially commom!

 

[Sparx]

I didn't eat at Mcdonalds for a year after that.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

...-I just can't believe they would give their kids a couple of meals a day consisting of chicken nuggets,burgers, fries, and cokes, if they had any inkling how unhealthy it was).

Actually, I have a former friend (emphasize the word former) who cooked nothing healthy for her two kids. Every night it was macaroni and cheese (krafts), microwavable fries, and micro chix nuggets - not even a vegetable! She said it was because that is all they would eat. OF COURSE IT WAS IF THAT WAS ALL SHE EVER SERVED THEM!

I just watched SSM last night and it will be awhile before I eat mickeyd's again.

 

[PrincessKitty]

Actually, I have a former friend (emphasize the word former) who cooked nothing healthy for her two kids. Every night it was macaroni and cheese (krafts), microwavable fries, and micro chix nuggets - not even a vegetable! She said it was because that is all they would eat. OF COURSE IT WAS IF THAT WAS ALL SHE EVER SERVED THEM!

I just watched SSM last night and it will be awhile before I eat mickeyd's again.

I know toddlers can be very picky and I've known many who would eat only mac and cheese and chicken nuggets for weeks at a time. But I'm talking about women I know who feed their families like that on a regular basis--drive through and pick up french toast sticks and fried potato nuggets and a sausage biscuit with a coke for breakfast, a burger and fries and coke for dinner, etc. After seeing many women who do this, I've concluded they must not know better, because who would feed their families like that if they knew it was unhealthy?? Maybe it's a Southern thing??

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

I know toddlers can be very picky and I've known many who would eat only mac and cheese and chicken nuggets for weeks at a time. But I'm talking about women I know who feed their families like that on a regular basis--drive through and pick up french toast sticks and fried potato nuggets and a sausage biscuit with a coke for breakfast, a burger and fries and coke for dinner, etc. After seeing many women who do this, I've concluded they must not know better, because who would feed their families like that if they knew it was unhealthy?? Maybe it's a Southern thing??

These were not toddlers, but older kids. I know kids can be picky, but Mcdonalds, Burger King, Wendy's and frozen nuggets were their dinner about 5 times a week. The other 2 days was usually pasta. She knew better, but didn't care - it was too convient for her to buy than cook herself. This was one of the issues I had with her (among others, such as letting her kids get away with shoplifting, rudeness, backstabbing, the list goes on) that finally led to the breakdown of our friendship. My dd went through a phase of eating nothing but pbj for lunch for 2 months, so I know about the phases kids can go through. They can be pains about it can't they LOL!

 

[SEAlla]

those meals so prominent on the menu a big #1 #2 #3 etc. You really have to look to find the price of the individual items. Rarely is there even a description of the meals...just a photo...have Americans suddenly become completely illiterate?

Actually in our area many of the ff resturants employ non (or limited) english speaking employees. They do not understand unless you order by the number only.

My DH always orders by the name of the meal (double cheeseburger meal, chicken sandwich meal, etc.) and the majority of the time when he gets it, it is the wrong thing. I am constantly having to remind him to order by the number.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I admit I was already anti-fast food when I watched Super Size Me. Personally, I know how fast food can wreck your diet. I ate a lot of it when I was going to college and I had many extra pounds to show for it. One of the main things I cut out was fast food, and it did the trick. Yes I did start eating healthier and I did workout a little more, but I am telling you the best thing was cutting out the grease.

Fast food used to be an occassional treat. It is now pretty much a part of our everyday lives. I believe that people don't really realize how much fast food they are eating.

Did anyone watch the extra on the DVD with the fries that would not decompose? SCARY.

I do think the fast food industry took this documentary seriously and decided to offer more "healthy" options. But there are still pitfalls. Most of the salad dressings are loaded with sugar and fats.

 

[Geoff_M]

I didn't eat at Mcdonalds for a year after that.

The notion that McDonald's fare is inherently "bad" is an irrational reaction. Any nutritionist will tell you that, in moderation, there's nothing wrong with fast food. That's the key... "moderation".

As for other points mentioned here:

The "Big Tobacco"-like law suits that were filed against McDonald's were thrown out of court.... as they should have been.

The "healthy trend" at McDonald's pre-dates the movie. Several years ago McDonalds sales were as flat as one of their hotcakes and they realized that they needed to diversify the menu beyond burgers and fries. That's when they started adding things like salads (and the McGriddle) to their menu. The move worked and sales picked up again. Since then, they've only continued the trend.

There's also nothing that stops you from ordering the smaller sandwiches and side items that still exist on McD's menu. It's still possible to order an original hamburger, small fries, and a Coke for less money than one of their bigger "value meals". Often times, that's all I order at McDonald's and I still walk away full. Dittoes for Wendy's... My usual meal there is a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and I share a large order of fries with another family member. I personally started ordering "smaller" after I noticed that I was often throwing away fries that I couldn't eat. I thought "This is stupid!" and started ordering less unless I was really hungry.

The problem isn't the food... it's the mindset.

 

[bicker]

The notion that McDonald's fare is inherently "bad" is an irrational reaction. Any nutritionist will tell you that, in moderation, there's nothing wrong with fast food. That's the key... "moderation".

I'm all for moderation, but there is no question that some foods are better for your health, in moderation, than other foods, in moderation.

The problem isn't the food... it's the mindset.

Some foods, themselves, work against the goal of moderation (french fries are a notable example). In those cases, a substantial part of the problem is the food, itself.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

think you might have some health problems and put on some pounds??? DUH.

I don't see why this movie is any big revelation to some people.

It is because you are young. When you get older you try to eliminate anything that makes you feel sluggish and feel sick.

I never realized how horrible fast food made me feel until I quit. Supersize helped me see that.

ETA....

Weight had nothing to do with it for me.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm all for moderation, but there is no question that some foods are better for your health, in moderation, than other foods, in moderation. Some foods, themselves, work against the goal of moderation (french fries are a notable example). In those cases, a substantial part of the problem is the food, itself.

Several fast food restaurants offer other items besides french fries now. Wendy's offers a side salad or a half baked potato or chili if I remember right. No one HAS to eat any fries.

Back when I lost weight, I ate at fast food restaurants frequently. I always ate salads with just a dab of regular dressing (hate diet) and the pounds came off steadily. It's when I started eating fries and the like again that the weight loss stopped. It's my fault and only my fault.

 

[Geoff_M]

I'm all for moderation, but there is no question that some foods are better for your health, in moderation, than other foods, in moderation.

Unless you have an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, the notion that some foods are "better" than others doesn't make sense.

 

[Planogirl]

Unless you have an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, the notion that some foods are "better" than others doesn't make sense.

I would think that a bowl of salad would be better than a bowl of potato chips. That's the way I'm reading his comment.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Unless you have an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, the notion that some foods are "better" than others doesn't make sense.

It makes sense if you are speaking about "Processed Food" VS "Real Food". Most fast food is processed. I believe that is why "Steak and Shake" makes their claims of "steakburgers" and "real milk shakes" vs the processed burgers & the slurm shakes of fast food joints, which are loaded with sugar and other stuff.

Heck even at the restaurants you go to now, the burgers are processed and not real burgers.

 

[bicker]

Several fast food restaurants offer other items besides french fries now.

But none have ever removed french fries from their menu, and that's the concern. They sell their food via the attractiveness of the french fries. Sure they pay lip-service to health consciousness, but in the end, this is how they present themselves to the market:

So not only are they still there in the restaurant for folks to order, but some of the chains are still using those french fries as a key part of attracting business.

And they should. They're not in business to make people healthy. They're in business to sell customers what they want to buy.

However, that's not the same as their offerings being considered a healthy choice, as they present it.

Note that McDonald's has substantially changed their online marketing due to the criticism. You have to dig hard to find french fries on their web site. While in their print advertising, where the criticism isn't so heavy, they are still the major draw.

 

[bicker]

Unless you have an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, the notion that some foods are "better" than others doesn't make sense.

That's a myth. While, given the exclusion you outlined, there may not be any foods that are unequivocally "bad" for you, there is a very clear difference in the healthfulness of the various foods. Some are definitely better than others.