By PHOODIE
Fast Food. Is it ever okay to feed it to your kids?
I say yes.
Let me explain.
By answering ‘yes’ to the question above, I am not for one second suggesting that it is great (for kids, or anyone) to eat fast food. I’m not saying that I think fast food meals are something that should be eaten regularly and I am not saying that if you don’t eat them or feed them to your kids you are missing out. What I am saying is, in my opinion, and in my experience as a Mum, there are times when kids can eat fast food and no one needs to be shot over it.
Growing up, my grandparents used to be the ones who took us to the movies. Not often. Maybe two or three times a year. But generally when we went, it was with them. And whenever we would go to the movies, we would eat McDonald’s.
For me that meant a fish burger with small fries and for my siblings it was always a cheeseburger with fries as well. Those ‘movie dates’ make up some of my favourite memories as a kid. I remember the details well. I remember how excited my Nan was to get her McDonald’s coffee and Quarter Pounder and I remember how it all felt like a special treat.
If you dissect what we ate on those occasions, yes, I agree, it was not really ideal as far as the food pyramid goes, but in my opinion, my fond memories greatly override any negative effects that those few-times-a-year meals had on my body. And while I also have very lovely memories of healthy home-cooked meals that I ate at my grandparents house, the movies and Macca’s ones have not killed me and are special in their own way.