New Happy Meal...Thoughts?

[Wall-E1]

Elsewhere reading about this - "This isn't a change for the better this is just a way for McDonalds to cut the size of the servings down even more and still charge the same price. If I pick the 2 apple portions I get 2.4 ounces compared to the 1 I used to get that was 3.1 ounces.... if they let double the fries I get a max of 2.2 vs 2.4 in the old version... Cutting down the portions isn't increasing the nutrition of the food. This is a scam in the name of health."

How true. I'm guessing the price won't change....

Bingo!!!

If we could all take off our tin foil conspiracy caps for a moment... McDonalds used to offer a 2.4 oz serving of fries. They are now offering a 2.3 oz combo serving of apples/fries(1.1 oz of fries/1.2 oz of apples). I would hardly call the .1 oz reduction a "scam in the name of health". Offering a meal with fewer calories and saturated fat is not a scam, it is a step in the right direction.

Do you work for McDonald's? Or are you the one who is annoyed with those who don't agree with you? The thread asked for thoughts and I gave mine. And you are entitled to yours.

Right. It asked for thoughts and I have been giving mine. I am not annoyed. I am simply countering your thoughts which I do not agree with.

You & I just seem to share a fundamental difference of opinion in that you are okay with corporations making those decisions and I prefer, as an educated consumer, to make them on my own. And that's okay.

To me, this statement doesn't make sense. You say you do not want the corporations "making those decisions". Prior to this, the same corporation was making the decision to serve a 2.4 oz serving of fries. Why are you okay with the corporation making the decision to serve a 2.4 oz serving of fries, but when they add a serving of fruit to the meal, you are bothered and don't think it right for the corporation to make a decision on what to serve to the consumer. It makes no sense.

If McDonald's REALLY wanted to provide parents with healthier choices in their Happy Meal offerings, they'd ADD more choices, for example another fruit offering in addition to apples or carrot & celery sticks. They could go even further by providing a side salad (my boys have always loved salads) as an alternative choice to the burger or chicken nugget. Those are real choices and real change. But they haven't.

But look how upset you are over this minor "apple" change. If they made the changes you suggested, wouldn't you be arguing that they have no right "making those decisions". It seems to me that no matter what they do, you will not be satisfied. In one breath, you are saying they are not doing enough. Then, you are saying they shouldn't be "making those decisions".

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I would have been happier if they would have allowed parents to sub in a small ice cream sundae! It's a parent's job to make sure that their kid eats enough fruits and veggies, and if you are counting on McDonalds to help you with that, something is wrong. McDonalds should be an occasional treat, not a daily staple.

 

[LuLuO]

I think it is fine to do the combo thing but some apples aren't going to do much to combat the unhealthiness of the fries, burgers or nuggets. Seriously, I don't go to McDonalds to get my kids a healthy meal. We go there every now because it is fun for them and junk food in moderation is fine with me. If they eat the apples, great. If not, I'll save them for their snack the next day.

 

[LisaNJ25]

For the one or two times a month my kids may get Mcdonalds I will stick with the fries.

 

[Planogirl]

I would request fries for my son if this had happened when he was small. We never ate fried food at home and he ate tons of fruit all the time. McDonald's was a treat and eating fries was a part of that treat. I appreciate that McD's is offering choices but we would have passed.

 

[beaucoup]

hey you never know, the kids might actually turn out to like the apples. Try it. can't hurt.

So the kid gets some apples & less fries. Not going to kill them & its not the end of the world.

Seriously, there are way more important things than a few less french fries per meal.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I would rather read that they took the gross "pink slime" out of their burgers!!

 

[Tink888]

If we could all take off our tin foil conspiracy caps for a moment... McDonalds used to offer a 2.4 oz serving of fries. They are now offering a 2.3 oz combo serving of apples/fries(1.1 oz of fries/1.2 oz of apples). I would hardly call the .1 oz reduction a "scam in the name of health". Offering a meal with fewer calories and saturated fat is not a scam, it is a step in the right direction.

Again with the comments that anyone who doesn't see things your way must not be thinking clearly.


Right. It asked for thoughts and I have been giving mine. I am not annoyed. I am simply countering your thoughts which I do not agree with.

To me, this statement doesn't make sense. You say you do not want the corporations "making those decisions". Prior to this, the same corporation was making the decision to serve a 2.4 oz serving of fries. Why are you okay with the corporation making the decision to serve a 2.4 oz serving of fries, but when they add a serving of fruit to the meal, you are bothered and don't think it right for the corporation to make a decision on what to serve to the consumer. It makes no sense.

McDonald's offer fries automatically with their Happy Meal. If the consumer wanted apples instead, they could request and receive. Simple and seems to have worked pretty well since 2004. I said they should leave it as it is and let the customer choose what they want. McDonald's is not my source for healthy eating. My opinion. Hardly bothered.

But look how upset you are over this minor "apple" change. If they made the changes you suggested, wouldn't you be arguing that they have no right "making those decisions". It seems to me that no matter what they do, you will not be satisfied. In one breath, you are saying they are not doing enough. Then, you are saying they shouldn't be "making those decisions".

Upset? No. You see it one way, I see it another and other posters have an entirely different point of view and that's cool. At the end of the day, if I want junk food I'll go to McDonald's and if I want healthy food I'll go to my kitchen. I've got a whole bowl full of apples in there that I bought all on my own. Oranges too!

 

[GrannySkootch]

i'm thinking that if you were going for "health foods" you wouldn't be going "fast food".

 

[Chynaball]

hey you never know, the kids might actually turn out to like the apples. Try it. can't hurt.

So the kid gets some apples & less fries. Not going to kill them & its not the end of the world.

Seriously, there are way more important things than a few less french fries per meal.

 

[dawnandnala]

I would rather read that they took the gross "pink slime" out of their burgers!!

What?????????????????

 

[mjantz]

OK, after reading an article about this I'm now against it because they are taking away the caramel dipping sauce. I loved that stuff. IIRC, the apples & the caramel together was about 100 calories. With FF milk & the main thats not IMO a bad lunch. Not something I'd feed a kid every day but an acceptable option when eating out.

 

[Mickey527]

According to the news story i saw today McDonald's will be offering fruit or vegetables in exchange for the fries. They said it will depend on what the particular store has in stock, carrots, apples, pineapples, and celery were all mentioned on the NY station I watched this am.
I don't think fries are the culprit in the overweight children theory, I honestly think it is the chicken nuggets. The Mc'D's ones are junk, the worst part of the meat, covered in bredding and deep fried in the oil they cook the fries in. Of course the meat is not that great in the burgers either.
My grandson is 5 and always hungry after a happy meal so I don't bother buying them for him anymore. He likes the double burger and I get him fries and a fruit and yogurt, all from the $1 menu, and buy the toy if he wants it for $1.99. With a drink it costs me a little more than a happy meal and he is full. He does get alot of exercise so an ocassional McD's meal doesn't kill him, it is not the best but hey, he is a kid.
The main problem with the overweight kids is they are not getting proper exercise anylonger. Some of it is due to video games and some due to the fact that kids can't go out and have fun the way we did when we were growing up. I remember going outside at 8 am and staying out till it got dark and my parents never worried about our safety.

 

[Wall-E1]

Again with the comments that anyone who doesn't see things your way must not be thinking clearly.

I was merely pointing out that the difference in serving size between their old side order and the new revised side order was a mere .1 oz. By giving up the .1 oz, the calories and saturated fat of the side order are essentially cut in half. That's a pretty good deal in my opinion. You agreed with other posters that this meant that McDonalds was conducting a "scam in the name of health". I'm sorry that I can't see things your way, but .1 oz of a serving does not equate to a scam with me. Perhaps you can further explain this fascinating theory so that I may better understand this scam that McDonalds is perpetrating on the American public.

McDonald's offer fries automatically with their Happy Meal. If the consumer wanted apples instead, they could request and receive. Simple and seems to have worked pretty well since 2004. I said they should leave it as it is and let the customer choose what they want.

McDonalds now offers fries/apples automatically with their happy meal. If the consumer wants only fries they could request and receive it. Simple and seems to work pretty well. This will let the customer choose what they want. They are simply being more responsible by offering(not making the decision for the customer) the healthier option up front.

And your comment about the fries being offered automatically... that was in fact a corporation "making the decision" for you to serve a 2.4 oz order of fries. Now, this same corporation has chosen to serve an apple/fries combo "automatically".

Upset? No. You see it one way, I see it another and other posters have an entirely different point of view and that's cool. At the end of the day, if I want junk food I'll go to McDonald's and if I want healthy food I'll go to my kitchen. I've got a whole bowl full of apples in there that I bought all on my own. Oranges too!

I still don't understand why you are okay when a corporation "makes a decision for you" by giving you a less healthy, full order of fries, but then are opposed when a corporation "makes a decision for you" by giving you a healthier combo order of fries/apples. They are simply showcasing their healthier food option. You can still have it your way. I would be interested to hear how you reconcile this in your head.

Enjoy your apples and oranges!

 

[Family Fun Mom]

I think it's ridiculous, lots of apples will end up in the trash, and lots of poor cashiers who have no control over this will be getting reamed out by ticked off moms of whining kids who want fries.

And Burger King will see an increase in sales.

 

[poohbear22]

I think it's ridiculous, lots of apples will end up in the trash, and lots of poor cashiers who have no control over this will be getting reamed out by ticked off moms of whining kids who want fries.

When it is the moms fault for not telling the cashier that she wants to order the happy meals with a full order of fries since that is still an option, just not the default.

 

[Christine]

As an adult, I order myself a Happy Meal whenever I go to McDonalds. It is great portion control for me when I need to get fast food. They used to serve the All American Meal, which was basically a Happy Meal for adults (you got no toy, no cute box, but your drink was a tad bit bigger) but they did away with that.

I do not like those packaged apples. I think they taste weird. So, I will be ordering my meal the "old" way. My kids (who are grown) never liked those apples either but I get that many kids don't mind them.

I don't care, though, if McDonald's wants to make a change and it works for them. I always think "who goes to McDonald's expecting healthy food, when I go I *want* junk" but I realize that there is a whole arm of society that relies on McDonald's for their basic meals so it it helps them, I'm okay with that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

There was a time when McD's made the choice for you...and it was just fries. So why the upset now?

Nobody goes to McD's for a healthy meal, so I personally think apples are stupid as a side.

I can't remember the last time I had a burger, nuggets, or anything breaded/on bread. If I want unhealthy, I'll get a tuna melt at Dunkin Donuts . But when I want to eat healthy, I do go to McDonald's. The oatmeal is filling and warming, salads are excellent and nutritious, and if you dress your fork instead of the salad, you cut way back on calories.

 

[DisneyCher]

I haven't eaten at McDonald's since 1990 or 1991, so I really don't a have a horse in this race, but I think it is a stupid "feel good" kind of idea from McD's corporate. They can feel less badly about the alarming number of obese children if they remind themselves they are only serving (as the default) a half order of fries and some fruit with those Happy Meals.

Frankly, when I heard about the "big announcement" coming down about Happy Meals, I thought it was going to be that they were doing away with the toys.

 

[Jennasis]

I can't remember the last time I had a burger, nuggets, or anything breaded/on bread. If I want unhealthy, I'll get a tuna melt at Dunkin Donuts . But when I want to eat healthy, I do go to McDonald's. The oatmeal is filling and warming, salads are excellent and nutritious, and if you dress your fork instead of the salad, you cut way back on calories.

I don't eat salad or oatmeal. I also don't eat fruit of any kind, which is part of my disdain for this whole idea of apples in a Happy Meal. As a kid (and now as an adult) I would've been distraught over being given apples. So my own personal hangups color my view.

Apples are yucky.