Thursday, 07 April 2011
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In NYC: No More Toys in Kids Fast Food Meals?
I wonder how all the little barbies and toy cars feel about this.
Earlier this week it was announced that some New York City Council Members would like to place a ban on fast food restaurants including toys in their kids meals.
This is similar to a law that is set to go in effect in San Francisco December 1st. There seems to be a good amount of argument on both sides.
The City Council Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie, states that he feels this ban would help to get rid of the "allure" children have towards fast food and perhaps encourage healthier options. He also states he is aware these choices are mainly up to parents and caretakers, however he still feels this may help to "empower parents by making it harder for the fast food industry to target children with predatory marketing techniques."
Of course, fast food restaurants feel differently. The vice president and general manager for McDonald's in the NY region, Mason Smoot, says he doesn't believe this will stop childhood obesity. He states, "On average, kids eat at McDonald's about three times a month; that means about 87 other meals are eaten at home, school or elsewhere. That adds up to a discussion larger than toys."
For more information, check out the original article on Reuters.com here.
Personally, I don't know what to agree with. I definitely see both sides of the argument.
Who are you siding with?
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- From: aliconklin
- Name: Ali Conklin
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Comments (34)
Well I understand where people are coming from saying that the toys encourage kids to ask for McDonalds more.....
But I really don't think that's as big an impact as they're trying to make it seem.
Ultimately the people who WANT to go to McDonalds are the parents because it's simply less time consuming cheaper, and easier than cooking food at home or going out for better food.Make healthier foods cheaper and more accessible and I'm sure that will help out this child obesity problem a LOT more than removing cheap toys.
**An example: at my high school I ate school lunch because my family just didn't have time to make our own. What do you think I was going to choose when a coke was 50 cents and milk or juice was over a dollar?
So stupid. It doesn't matter how much "allure" these meals have towards kids... a 5 year old can't buy himself a happy meal.
Maybe it's just me, but as I child... I never wanted to go eat fast food for the cheap plastic toy. Even if I had seen something about some AWESOME toy on TV and wanted to go... my parents would've just told me no. LOLI agree with the VP of McDonald's... what these kids are eating at home and in schools should be of MUCH greater concern than what they're eating once a week when they go out.
So the government wants to raise our kids. What happened to personal responsibility?
NO. NO. NO. NO.
the government is ruining childhood.
it's the parent's responsibility to not be feeding their children junk food for every meal. children have to learn good eating habits from their parents, whether or not a meal has a toy makes no difference. parents say no to their kids all the time. the parents should be held accountable when a child is always eating fast food, not a damn toy! and why can't kids have a treat once in a while? the happy meal is more about the food than the toy, its a crappy little toy that is boring a week later, LEAVE THE TOY ALONE!!
don't even get me started on what they did to the cookie monster!
I for one am getting tired of all children being penalized because of a small percentage of overindulged, entitled children whose parents seem to be waiting for corporations, the government, television, and anyone not themselves to do what they bloody well need to be doing - raising their kid.
When I was a kid, the toy was the only thing stopping me from asking my parents to let me get an adult meal instead of a happy meal. :(
I think this is bizzurk. The toy is the most fun about the food!
@feelslikejuly@xanga - It's the Obamas. get them out of the white house and our life will be a bit more free.
NOOO keep the toys!!! They need to change the food they sell, not the toys!
@feelslikejuly@xanga - The LOCAL government, not Obama is at fault. Life won't be more or less free with or without Obama in office.
Getting rid of them is a dreadful idea. Kids can't buy themselves Happy Meals. Parents have to buy them. Stop claiming that toys are the reason for childhood obesity, and start blaming the parents who have no control over their children.
I'm so sure its the toys making the kids want the food, not the artificial flavorings they put in their that incites cravings. I know when I was a kid, the toy accounted for 20% of the reason why I wanted some MDs, and the other 80% was me wanting some of delicious fries
I used to eat McDonald's at least once a week as a kid.. and I've grown to be a health-obsessed adult. I've never been "fat" by any standards. We collected the toys to build elaborate playsets with them... ESPECIALLY when the pokemon craze was in and BK had new pokemon toys like allllll the time.
I don't think eating McDonald's even once a DAY can be that harmful to you considering that it's portioned. Portion size is really the bigger issue at hand, considering that many people don't understand what a single serving looks like. I know for sure if my mom made us macaroni and cheese at home we ate way more than the serving size allows for. People don't need to watch what kind of food they are eating as much as they need to watch how much of it they are eating.
I like the toys!!!
I think it is ridiculous that the government is concerned about kids' fast meal toys when they can't even come to an agreement on the budget. I see where their priorities are.
I think it would be a better idea if some of these politicians had some sense beaten into them. And I'm talking public floggings.
I grew up with toys in Happy Meals. Ban them? BLASPHEMY.
Okay no seriously, I don't think it has THAT much of an impact. It certainly might entice children more, but parents have to have the responsibility to say no.
I remember the toys in fast food outlets and wished I had not opened some of these toys.
The only thing I don't understand is that they do offer healthy alternatives in the kids meals. Your kid can still get the kids meal, and have apple dippers instead and a milk. Really, if they want to eat bad food, they're still going to eat bad food, toy or not.
Also I will admit when the hello kitty watches came out I was there everyday to get a kids meal even though I hadn't been there in almost a month, so really, the toys can persuade people/kids into getting one.they just need to get rid of the french fries.
mmmmmmmmmmmm
Thanks for your opinion. I totally agree with it.I like designer handbags as well and someone is looking for cheap coach handbags? People usually prefer handbags outlet, especially when they visit some ralph lauren polos. In some areas,people like to wholesale clothing. They will find some store doing very cheap or discounted cheap handbags. Certainly,designer handbags is a good way to earn money.
@DrTryHarder@xanga - bahahahaha. The ignorance of this statement made me laugh. Thank you!!
This is so ridiculous. Parents need to say no to McDonald's, not the government. By the way, how totally illogical is this when you really think about it? A kid is going to realize there's no toy in a McDonald's happy meal and ask his parents for celery sticks instead?
This is stupid. The toys change once a week and if you're only eating there once a week, it shouldn't have any effect on your diet.
My little cousin eats a happy meal every day and is as skinny as a stick. Encourage outdoor activities rather than just staying home would help. Honestly, it's not the happy meals that's making us fat ass, I as a kid watched television every day and end result I still am hahaha so how about that? Do exercise before someone such as myself, gets too lethargic to do it.