Giving babies junk food

[Amber-Jay]

I was out and about early this morning, and was really shocked and saddened to see 3 separate mothers giving their babies - no older than 12 months at a guess - McDonald's or Hungry Jacks, and I'm not talking a fry or a bite here and there, I'm talking a cheese burger or a McMuffin and hash brown.

One of them was only 6 months too

Look, I'm not judging, but I feel so sad that children of such a young age are fed such junk, when its just as easy to give them a banana to munch on instead. These foods are full of nothing but fat, something that I can only imagine would be difficuilt for children of their age to digest.

I just can't imagine why any one would give such a small, vulnerable child such horrible food when there ARE better alternatives. No wonder childhood obesity is becoming such an issue here in Australia, kids are being fed junk food way too early.

[MantaRay]

I agree that fast food is not a good food choice for anyone, but especially a child. However it can be easy to take things out of context. My boys have probably had McDonalds less than a dozen times in their lives (they are 6 and 4). But DS1 was probably not much over 1 when he first had it. We were stuck in a traffic jam at dinner time and were all starving. We happened to be at a standstill outside McDonalds so we did something we wouldn't normally - we went in and ate. I remember feeling mortified about what people must be thinking about us feeding our DS McDonalds at such a young age but sometimes you do what you have to do.

I know that the cases you saw this morning might be different but I try much harder now not to make assumptions.

[emc2]

It wouldn't bother me. It's more about quantity and quality to me, so looking at people's grocery trolleys has more of an effect, on thinking wtf are they thinking.

A cheeseburger though, if it's a treat once every few months, it's not that bad. Some supermarket food is a lot worse.

[*TripleJ*]

My DS has had maccas many times not very often but he does eat it we used to live in the country and it was only when we got out of town he loves cheeseburgers and with him being fussy sometimes thats all he will eat yep shoot me if u want but id rather him eat that than nothing at all

[*LittleMissSummer*]

I've seen this a lot too. Its not even just fast foods but lollies and chocolate. I NEVER had fast food growing up, i had maccas for the first time when i was 12. I'd never had hungry jacks until i met my DP. Pizza we didn't have ever until i met my DP. KFC we had once in a blue moon when we were kids.

My DD won't be having any kind of junk food until she is much much bigger (thats if i can help it) i dont see why packing food for them is so hard. Id sooner go and buy a banana for my child than give them maccas especially NOT at 6 months!!! I was looking through photos of a friends baby and the bub was not even 3 months and was munching on a milky way i was horrified.

[Indadhanu]

I was out and about early this morning, and was really shocked and saddened to see 3 separate mothers giving their babies - no older than 12 months at a guess - McDonald's or Hungry Jacks, and I'm not talking a fry or a bite here and there, I'm talking a cheese burger or a McMuffin and hash brown.

One of them was only 6 months too

Look, I'm not judging, but I feel so sad that children of such a young age are fed such junk, when its just as easy to give them a banana to munch on instead. These foods are full of nothing but fat, something that I can only imagine would be difficuilt for children of their age to digest.

I just can't imagine why any one would give such a small, vulnerable child such horrible food when there ARE better alternatives. No wonder childhood obesity is becoming such an issue here in Australia, kids are being fed junk food way too early.

Yeah, that's all true, about digestion and alternatives... but then, you never know the life circumstances... this MAY have been their first time giving their child McDonalds, this may have been one of those situations where it's cheap and easy, this may have been a "oh my gosh have a cheeseburger and sit down for a second you've both been up all night and I'm sleep deprived and not coping".

I like to think that moderation is key Every now and then, I can't see a huge problem. Others probably might, but honestly, it's moderation and attitude rather than wether or not you see a second in time of a random family eating McDonalds.... Most people do know that McDonalds isn't a healthy choice

BTW - I have a much bigger problem with seeing the everyday food people feed their children on a regular basis that they actually think is healthy and ok - like canned or tinned baby food, those frozen meals or pseudo-healthy snacks like roll-ups or fruit sticks or 'le snack' rather than whether or not a family choose to eat McDonalds once in a while (which may or may not be the case here, you never know).

[Astrid]

As has been said I think it is a matter of circumstance. Especially when travelling, often Macca's is one of the few places with cleanish toilets,baby change, parking and eftpos. Yes there are roadhouses, but you should see the rubbish they dish up for twice the price.

As for the Mc Muffin. Well break it down. An english muffin, an egg, bacon and cheese. All ingredients which you would probably feed yourself and your child at home. The ingredients are fine (well maybe not the plastic cheese). Even my MIL who is anti fast food, thinks a McMuffin is acceptable food.

It can be so hard not to judge though. I used to see it in food courts all the time when I was back in Melbourne. Kids eating a happy meal, when there were so many other choices. I then find out for myself though, that the other choices are so expensive and they refuse to sell you kiddie serve. Only yesterday I bought DD2 a plate of Japanese noodles. $7.50 plus a drink, so just under $10 Maccas is not stupid, they provide food the kids will eat at a very good price. If only other food providers would learn from that and offer half serves at half price.

[Miss.B]

I agree with the comments on moderation. My DS is 11 months and I have, since the age of 6 months, been giving him solids which have begun as porridge, banana, yogurt, very small amounts of cheese etc. He wasn't much interested in solids until he was just over 8 months old, and I have to admit I have given his a chip or two here and there and it all started in China as I just didn't trust their food and so we went into Hungry Jacks. At least I knew a chip was made from potato! lol. Now DS eats pretty much what we eat, but on occasions when we have been out shopping I have given him 3 or 4 chips to chew on and a bit of the beef from my big mac on top of what I pack for his lunch. He just needs to try whatever we're having! I don't want him to grow up on fast food, but I don't see a problem with having a few chips here and there. He is still getting plenty of milk, cheese, veggies, fruit, meat etc at home.

[*Sparklez*]

i see you point, but i also agree with others.

My son is extremely picky with food and when i say picky i doubt anyone has seen anyone like him.. He isgoing through a phase now that just to get him to drink anything is an ordeal. I have a thing at the moment if he asks for it ill get it or cook it, cause i know he will eat that way. and if its macca's ill get it without even a single thought of health wise cause i dont want my son to starve just because its not the ideal food.

i agree with the post its qauntity not quality.. if its once in a while then ok but if its everyday then i think they need to revisit their food choices.
but in saying that i dont think that we can say that these mothers arent doing the best they can, motherhood and food is hard these days.. and fruit and etc arent always on hand or right in front of you when your child is hungry...

[Phteven]

If we're on the road we tend to give the boys McMuffins for breakfast.
Egg, plastic cheese and a muffin. It might be a bit heavy on carbs and salt but it's not going to harm them to have it every now and then.

It's the happy meals that do my head in - the bloody toys. Once my boys realised there were dreadful little toys on offer they nagged me every time they saw a Maccas for a toy meal.
Did you know that McDonald's is one of the world's biggest retailers of toys? I think that if they gathered together all the McDonald's toys that have gone to landfill in Australia they could fill the MCG with them*.


*wild geusstimate based on absolutely no evidence.

[~Hestia~]

I think the other thing is when they want what you're eating. I know my Moo could have his own healthy, yummy lunchbox all packed - but he wants what Mum is having & everyone hears about it! So I have given him some not very healthy things to get a bit of peace

[sneakysparkle]

Amber-Jay - I would be horrified too, if I was seeing such little ones eating whole maccas meals.

I do understand that you never know the circumstances, but I too find it hard to think that way when I see a tiny child being fed junk!

Not saying Im perfect, my girls have had maccas, but definitely not as a baby.

[beansbeans!]

I am not a fan of Macca's or any other fast food place. the only time we ever ave fast food is when we are travelling. I will always choose maccas over the other fast food places, mainly because their loo's are the cleanest, which is scary considering some of the ones we have been in.

DD1 knows that she only gets fast food when we travel, her fav is the choc milk, the apple, and nuggets (I think, and even then she normally leaves the nuggets).

For sure, I dont like the idea of a 6 month old eating maccas.

I suppose, I would be more worried if you go past everyday, and see the same families eating there most days. That would concern me most.

[~clover~]

I agree with the shopping trolley thing. I'll never judge anyone feeding a baby macca's, coz I've done it. Not often, but I have.
My kids love macca's, its cheap & thats what I do with DS once a week & for a special treat for the girls. DD1 has a wrap, DS & DD2 have nuggets & chips.
I might not have given them more than a nugget or 2 before they were 1, but I cook nuggets at home all the time too. They are usually the kids Saturday lunch.

I've seen shopping trolleys loaded to the brim with coco pops, nuggets, pies, pizza, soft drinks, bikkies, chips etc etc. Thats what those families are eating EVERY DAY!

I hardly take the kids to a friends house, because their DD eats chocolate, lollies & crap like that all day. Then only drinks flavoured milk, soft drinks & juice or cordial.
We got there at 10am yesterday. She handed DS a lollipop. Then they gave him some coco pops (he'd only just woken up & not had breaky yet). Then chocolate milk. Then she went to hand him something else, a chocolate I think, I said no. Told her to go eat it in her room, or outside away from him, coz he'd had enough crap.
This child is 7 & has had teeth pulled out & too many trips to the dentist to count. And they wonder why???

[Cherished]

Look, I'm not judging

Heck I'll put my hand up and say that I'm judging! That is disgraceful, and the parents are being abusive in my book. They are babies FFS! If they were older and it's a treat then sure but a baby my mind boggles how anyone can think that it's ok to be feeding babies junk food.

[Amber-Jay]

The 6 or so month old was eating a sausage and egg McMuffin! Egg! At 6 months old! Can a baby that old logically be expected to chew the 20c sized pieces? Is be worried about choking.

[onthefly]

What's wrong with egg?
Sounds like a pretty good eater to handle a mcmuffin like that...

[starangelk]

We went OS recently and arrived at midnight their time, woke up the next morning in our apartment with no food. Sent DH to get some bfast and he went to a fast food type place and used the credit card because we also hadn't exchanged much money at this point in time. We weren't particularly organised! I had some dry biscuits for DD but that's pretty much it as we had to give the rest over when we went through customs. He came home with a big breakfast style thing, a sausage and egg mcmuffin and a hash brown and I gave DD some of the egg from the muffin and part of the sausage. He also got a yoghurt from there that came with strawberry topping and muesli. I scraped off the strawberry topping and muesli and gave her some yoghurt too. Not ideal for an 8 month old but at the time, we didn't have a heap of options for a baby who had drunk her milk and was ready for food. We do BLS so we are very into giving her whatever we eat but on this particular occasion it did cross my mind that this wasn't the best meal for her. She was totally fine though and I think the food is okay in small amounts on a very rare occasion like that. I am cool that people will disagree with me, it's a judgment call.