One of the things that really peeves me about the food industry is their marketing techniques. They can get you to believe anything and they know just the right audience to target if they want you to buy their product; children.
Most people in this country will do anything for their children. As the apple of your eye, you want to do everything you possibly can to make sure they grow up healthy; listen to the latest nutritional information, absorb everything your doctor tells you, and buy products that toot the benefits of a healthy life!
The only PROBLEM with all of this is that most of these claims are not being properly regulated and marketers are telling you just about anything you want to hear! Your doctor falls for it too!!
McDonalds
After the movie Super-Size Me, McDonalds was facing some tough critics. People didn’t want to hear that their beloved fast food restaurant could actually kill them slowly! So what did McDonald’s do? They revamped their menu, made nutritional information available, and changed the way they marketed their product. No longer were they advertising BIG, BEEFY, BURGERS! Now the star players were their salads and “healthy” Happy Meals. But are people actually buying those “healthier” options or still sticking to the same old fair? (and how healthy is a “white meat CHICKEN NUGGET? It is still deep fried and processed!)
I ever read an article from the online Chicago Tribune about the current law suit against McDonald’s Happy Meal toys. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is trying to get California to ban all marketing of Happy Meal toys.
According to the article, McDonald’s has responded to “intense scrutiny” in the past several years by giving people healthier options, including alternative side items in those Happy Meals. Healthier? Maybe if you consider caramel dip for apples and “white meat chicken nuggets” healthy.
Aside from the fact that McDonalds Happy Meals really are not healthy, the argument against McDonalds is that advertising for Happy Meal toys is SO strong that they influence young children, who do not know any better, to want to go there every day or week. Kids will BEG their parents to the point of annoyance in order to go to McDonald’s to get their favorite toy. Because the toy alone costs more money than the whole Happy Meal, parents buy the Happy Meal and the kid ends up eating McDonald’s more than once a week. This kind of behavior leads to unhealthy habits that carry on later in life; contributing to the obesity epidemic and many other health problems.
To give you my complete and honest opinion without beating around the bush, I don’t think anyone should ever eat at fast food restaurants. I literally feel that they are so far removed from being REAL food, that they do nothing but give you a stomach ache and fill your arteries with a lot of cholesterol.
When we walked in to a McDonald’s earlier this year to use the restroom, Brandon and I noticed a bit of a trend taking place. We saw nothing but little kids with their parents mowing on burgers and fries. Ya know what each one had in common? They were obese. And the worst part? Some of the parents were not even eating the McDonald’s! Why would you feed your kids something that you wouldn’t feed yourself? I could never understand this.
One of the things that really peeves me about the food industry is their marketing techniques. They can get you to believe anything and they know just the right audience to target if they want you to buy their product; children.
Most people in this country will do anything for their children. As the apple of your eye, you want to do everything you possibly can to make sure they grow up healthy; listen to the latest nutritional information, absorb everything your doctor tells you, and buy products that toot the benefits of a healthy life!
The only PROBLEM with all of this is that most of these claims are not being properly regulated and marketers are telling you just about anything you want to hear! Your doctor falls for it too!!
McDonalds. After the movie Super-Size Me, McDonalds was facing some tough critics. People didn’t want to hear that their beloved fast food restaurant could actually kill them slowly! So what did McDonald’s do? They revamped their menu, made nutritional information available, and changed the way they marketed their product. No longer were they advertising BIG, BEEFY, BURGERS! Now the star players were their salads and “healthy” Happy Meals. But are people actually buying those “healthier” options or still sticking to the same old fair? (and how healthy is a “white meat CHICKEN NUGGET? It is still deep fried and processed!)
I ever read an article from the online Chicago Tribune about the current law suit against McDonald’s Happy Meal toys. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is trying to get California to ban all marketing of Happy Meal toys.
According to the article, McDonald’s has responded to “intense scrutiny” in the past several years by giving people healthier options, including alternative side items in those Happy Meals. Healthier? Maybe if you consider caramel dip for apples and “white meat chicken nuggets” healthy.
Aside from the fact that McDonalds Happy Meals really are not healthy, the argument against McDonalds is that advertising for Happy Meal toys is SO strong that they influence young children, who do not know any better, to want to go there every day or week. Kids will BEG their parents to the point of annoyance in order to go to McDonald’s to get their favorite toy. Because the toy alone costs more money than the whole Happy Meal, parents buy the Happy Meal and the kid ends up eating McDonald’s more than once a week. This kind of behavior leads to unhealthy habits that carry on later in life; contributing to the obesity epidemic and many other health problems.
source
To give you my complete and honest opinion without beating around the bush, I don’t think anyone should ever eat at fast food restaurants. I literally feel that they are so far removed from being REAL food, that they do nothing but give you a stomach ache and fill your arteries with a lot of cholesterol.
When we walked in to a McDonald’s earlier this year to use the restroom, Brandon and I noticed a bit of a trend taking place. We saw nothing but little kids with their parents mowing on burgers and fries. Ya know what each one had in common? They were obese. And the worst part? Some of the parents were not even eating the McDonald’s! Why would you feed your kids something that you wouldn’t feed yourself? I could never understand this.
Does THIS really look appetizing?
source
After careful contemplation, Brandon left McDonalds stating that we will never take our kids there. I was dumbfounded and could not have been more proud. He was finally getting it.
I encourage you to take a step back and look at health from a new perspective! Ignore the health claims and just ask yourself a few questions:
– Do I regularly eat fast food?
– Do I eat more meat than I do produce?
– Am I physically active?
– Do I eat out more than I pack lunch?
– Do I listen to my body when it is hungry or full?
– Can I cut back on dairy?
– How many sweets do I eat each week?
– How much soda do I consume (diet and/or regular)
– How can I be healthier?
You can make a change; change for yourself, for your kids, for the environment…whatever your motivator. Make an effort to be better in your life. One small change can lead to another and another. And it WILL make a big difference! Trust in yourself, not food industry marketing, and you and your family will be much healthier!