Truthfully, how often do your kids eat fast food?

[Anonymous]

We don’t eat at McDonald’s/kfc/Taco Bell type places because we are vegetarian. My teen daughter actually just remarked today on how she remembers only getting like a biscuit or similar once or twice because a relative took her.

Now we do eat at subway, noodles and company and get pizza from various places. So she’s definitely not deprived. But doesn’t eat fast food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never. It has gotten too expensive for what it’s worth. I just have to pre plan travel meals and and snacks and that can be annoying but I can’t be paying $40-$60 to feed 3 kids when we are driving around. As a bonus, my kids stopped craving fast food and when they had some with a friend, couldn’t finish it.

This!

We used to do Chick Fil-A once every couple of weeks when one was walking distance. Now that we don't live close by to traditional fast food, with the exception of pizza, it doesn't make sense in terms of cost, taste, and convenience.

If we want something fast(ish) we'll order from a non-fast food restaurant.

We do have take out/delivery from non-fast food restaurants about once every 1 to 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

lol Subway, Chipotle, noodles and company etc. that's all fast food. Hot food items from your beloved grocery store... fast food. You people are delusional.

[Anonymous]

My kids eat Happy Meals probably three times a month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple times a week.

No such thing as couple times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lol Subway, Chipotle, noodles and company etc. that's all fast food. Hot food items from your beloved grocery store... fast food. You people are delusional.

I mean is sit down Chinese food much healthier?

Everything in your freezer that one heats up is not better either. How different are frozen chicken nuggets compared to chik fil a nuggets to McDonald’s nuggets? I love Japanese tonkatsu. Is that breaded chicken much better?

[Anonymous]

Several times a week if not more. My kids are in college so they eat whatever they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How often (if ever) do you allow your kids to eat fast food?

Honestly, once a month for us. My oldest never had fast food till he was 4 or 5. He’s 7 now. My youngest (1.5) had her first McDonald’s French fry around her first birthday.

We eat most meals at home and I’d say they’re fairly balanced but my oldest is so picky and chronically underweight. Sometimes I’m exhausted and want all three kids to eat their entire meal and go to bed and that solution is always McDonalds.

Sometimes I have feel guilt. I know we have friends who would consider a child even looking at a fast food restaurant child abuse.

My teen have never had McDonalds so I don’t know why you thinking your 1.5 having it for the first time was a long time to wait.

That’s not even remotely what I said. The opposite, actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are Cava and Chipotle fast food? If so, weekly. If you mean McD, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, etc, never.

Yes - they aren't fast food but just as bad. High fat and sodium. A granola bar vs a snickers bar. It is marketed as being healthier.

This.

People fool themselves into thinking these foods are healthy.

A typical meal at Cava is half rice, half lentils, chicken, red pepper hummus, lettuce, cucumbers

That seems a whole lot better than a quarter pounder.

But you do you. My kids are underweight by BMI, so I am fine with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We get them Happy Meals every 2-3 weeks.

+1

Our diets are overall pretty balanced and all healthy weights so I just don’t see the big deal.

It isn’t a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty often, 1 kid has sports practice 2x a week and a weekly game, and the other has a social skills group 1x a week but it’s about a 40 minute drive each way. I think it’s less harmful to kids than it is to us! Now that I’m 40 if I look at a greasy burger the wrong way I gain weight.

We split between McDonalds, Wendy’s, CFA, and Chipotle as our mains, switch it up with the sandwich places like Potbelly and Subway and occasionally ordering pizza if one of the kids has a friend over or whatever. Probably 1x a week for dinner and 1x for a weekend meal, more often over the summer when we get busy with camp schedules and going to the pool.

Same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty often, 1 kid has sports practice 2x a week and a weekly game, and the other has a social skills group 1x a week but it’s about a 40 minute drive each way. I think it’s less harmful to kids than it is to us! Now that I’m 40 if I look at a greasy burger the wrong way I gain weight.

We split between McDonalds, Wendy’s, CFA, and Chipotle as our mains, switch it up with the sandwich places like Potbelly and Subway and occasionally ordering pizza if one of the kids has a friend over or whatever. Probably 1x a week for dinner and 1x for a weekend meal, more often over the summer when we get busy with camp schedules and going to the pool.

Same

I’m first PP and I should also add I grew up like this so it’s normal to me. My parents both worked semi odd hours and my dad did night school for his college degree when I was in elementary school. So lots of pizza or Chinese (delivery) or KFC (walkable from our house) with the babysitters or with just mom or just dad or whatever. We have so many better options these days though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How often (if ever) do you allow your kids to eat fast food?

Honestly, once a month for us. My oldest never had fast food till he was 4 or 5. He’s 7 now. My youngest (1.5) had her first McDonald’s French fry around her first birthday.

We eat most meals at home and I’d say they’re fairly balanced but my oldest is so picky and chronically underweight. Sometimes I’m exhausted and want all three kids to eat their entire meal and go to bed and that solution is always McDonalds.

Sometimes I have feel guilt. I know we have friends who would consider a child even looking at a fast food restaurant child abuse.

While they lived with us, never. I don't eat it, why would they? Once driving, working and earning money, one used their wages for lots of Five Guys, Chick Fil A, and Chipotle. Same while in college. Still a never in our home. I haven't spent money on fast food since college myself (late 50s)

[Anonymous]

Never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t eat at McDonald’s/kfc/Taco Bell type places because we are vegetarian. My teen daughter actually just remarked today on how she remembers only getting like a biscuit or similar once or twice because a relative took her.

Now we do eat at subway, noodles and company and get pizza from various places. So she’s definitely not deprived. But doesn’t eat fast food.

If you are vegetarian you might want to reconsider Taco Bell. They have gotten certified vegetarian items on their menu. Much bigger selection than Subway.