McDonald’s announces new Sad Meals

Yes! This is a great move business-wise. And, it is also the "right" thing for them to do. I think this is good news in every way. Of course, I am speaking as a parent who has had to decide whether or not to take an unhealthy portion of fries away from a cranky kid.

Good job McDonalds! (and I don't think I have ever said that before)

They are certainly doing it from outside pressure. I'm more annoyed that in some cities they can't use the toy as a lure for kids anymore. No pun intended, but I prefer the carrot to the stick method. I would have preferred they made a healthier kids meal with a hamburger on a whole grain bun, a few fries, fruit and a non-sugary drink PLUS a toy, I think they would have made a better product which would mean happier parents, healthier kids and a good bottom line.

Yeah, there was a discussion on here not long ago about the apple vs fries issue - I think Hawk might have started it, but if not, he certainly contributed. I don't remember all that much about it (the thread) since I don't eat there, don't have little kids, and they're not doing that in my neighbourhood. Plus, it was some time ago and my mind is a sieve, but I believe McD's were basically being coerced into it and the whole topic was about whether that was fair and whether that was the best way to stop obesity in children. Something along those lines anyway.

For me personally, when something healthy, in this case apple is substituted for 1/2 the fried, it's a turn off because jeez, I can grab an apple at home.

I'm not going to attempt to make french fries as home, #1 reason being too much clean up. And no I'm not talking about "oven fries" which I've tried to make and was disappointed.

Ususally when I buy food outside of the home, I pick something I'm not going to bother making myself.

If you want healthy food, fast food joints certainly aren't the place to get it... go to a cafe or restaurant. Or Subway. If you want a greasy burger (and who doesn't, from time to time?), that's where you'd go to get one. I'd be pissed if they served the healthy food you mentioned and removed the Quarter Pounder just because a bunch of people around me are obese. If and when I want that burger, I should be able to buy it.

If it proves to be a bad business decision, it will soon be rescinded. No amount of interest group pressure can make corporations abandon their slavish (and understandable) devotion to the bottom line.

This may be to what you refer.
www.able2know.org/topic/163561-1 from hawkeye10 titled The Dietary Control Zealots Strike Again

(and if it's not the one you meant, it's good reading anyway.)

I actually thought this genius on McDonald's side of things. Realistically if some kid starts whining they want more fries (than what is provided in the Happy Meal) then many parents will end up ordering a Happy Meal and an order of fries.

Win-Win for McDonald's - they look good for trying to make their kids meals more healthy (at least on the surface) and they sell more fries increasing their bottom line.

I agree with many others - you don't go to McDonald's to eat healthy and throwing in a few apples isn't going to help solve children's obseity.

Yeah I read through some of that - and they whole toy thing.

But this is McDonald's actually changing everywhere - not a city banning giving of a toy. Supposedly they took the initiative without anyone banning them.

I dont think its a good move business wise because McD's is known for fatty salty tasty cheap food. APPLES dont fit the business model(unless they deep fry the apple slices coated with sugar and serve them with a "Gloppy cream cheese sauce" a Mc APPLEY bun

I don't buy into the notion that they are taking the initiative or doing this out of their concern for the well being (although, long term they may realize, feed the people healthier now and they'll be coming back for decades so business will have longevity). I think it's pressure from the la-di-das, the ones that want to pretend they're doing a good deed. It's nonsense, all they are doing is dictating what a person can or cannot have. These are the same people who feel monkey bars/jungle gyms, metal slides, see-saws, and many other things mustn't be in parks and that parks must have 3 feet thick mats for the children if they fall the 2 inches off the....well, there's a problem, they don't allow there to be anything in the playground for the child to fall off of.

(The most ludicrous playground comedy I've seen is a local area a few blocks from here. there's a tiny park, a play area which you go down a ramp into. It's about 2 feet below the street level. Yup, all these parents and do-gooders, have their children playing in an area where car exhaust is right at the childs face/head level but it's okay, because the child eats fresh veggies and bottled water .)

There is also pressure from several corners of the dictatorship we still pass off as government, where they've decided we mustn't have A, B or C and only small quantities of D, E and F are allowed.

People know when they enter a McDonald's what the deal is, they know it's quick, affordable and in general not the healthiest for eating 7 days a week.

Guess what? Take Junior or Juniorette or the whole brood to McDonald's less often. If it's once a week tops, then it's most likely not going to be causing the harm to the child (unless they have severe health issues already). If the child is fed properly at home, at school in the caferteria and in their food bag when they are with the cub scouts or viking scouts or girl scouts or other extra curricular activities (little league, pee-wee bowling, swimming club etc.) then the occasional visit to McDonald's and a Happy Meal isn't going to be the end of their healthy life.

If the children walk to the McDonald's or Burger King or if they drive, they park a few feet further from the eatery, then they'll have added exercise which will help their overall health.

Taking toys away, taking fries away and putting in apple slices is not the solution. The solution is to give the child a healthy lifestyle from the start.

As for the apple slices, what are they to be coated with? Better be something because exposed apple turns rapidly. Of course then we'd have a chemical chewing at the child's inside so that might not be such a good idea, better leave them with the slices as they turn a lovely brownish orange.

I'm really in favor of this. What toddler can eat a whole order of fries, anyway? I can barely finish them all. I also wish they'd serve half a burger...at half the price lol.

Oh...and whoever suggested whole wheat buns...that would be AWESOME!

Lemon juice generally does the trick for apples.
I agree a healthy lifestyle choice is the best. But where does that begin? If parents are taking their kids to McD's and their kids are getting fat obviously the message is being lost or ignored. These are the people that aren't buying apples or vegetables, or so it would seem. So while some of us need a greasy fry date others are existing on this crap, and it shows.
This is probably not the brightest idea but it is a step. If people are really that incensed or hungry then I suggest a further order of fries. That'll cost less than a buck in Canada. Please don't say some can't afford it... For even less money, you can eat at home, it's normally healthier too.

That wouldn't be difficult, it's just an aspect of portion control, allegedly invented by McDs for the fast food market (although i don't believe that). Sliders, the steam grilled burgers from White Castle, are half the size of McDs smallest burger--i usually order at least a half dozen when i go there.

I'm p.o'd because they're going to decrease the size of the apple slice serving. A few times a year I pick up a Happy Meal because it's the right size of meal (and some of the toys are great). I always ask for the apple slices.

Last year at the fair they were giving away bags of the McD's apple slices. We each ate about four bags of them with samples of soy butter from some other vendor - they were great snacks for on the run - now I'd need more than 8 of their apple packs to get through the evening.

If you're a kid it's not a matter of the food, it's a matter of the place. When my nieces were little they begged me to go to McDonald's and it was usually for the godawful playground and toy that ended up broken by the end of the day. The children are being sold a brand and they want to be like their friends. A trip to McDonalds always resulted in them telling their friends where they went, not what they ate. I don't care at all what the grown-ups chose to eat and I'm not suggesting McD's should force healthy food on the grown-ups (do you really like that spongy white roll?) As you know, the best food at the best price is your own kitchen. Kids have a different view of it.

But they are even taking away the carmel dipping sauce for the apples. They are just plain old apple slices.

Well that is what I suspect is going to happen - the kids whine and parents buy a separate bag of fries.

For the real little ones - the toddlers - they typically don't even really eat it - they just get it for the toy.

My kids now just get the quarter pounder (on the rare occassion we bring them) - no fries.

Yes it takes the choice away.

So you are part of that 11% that orders the apples?