Our society has changed drastically in the last half century, especially in the area of eating and nutrition. In the past, many women stayed home and took care of the family. This meant home cooked meals on a regular basis, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Over time, with women joining the workforce and many no longer being at home full time, convenience has replaced the home cooked meal for many families.
Since the first drive thru McDonald’s was opened in 1948 in San Bernardino, California, food has become faster to get, yet much less healthy. As our society grows, so do the fast food options. Fast food is some of the worst foods to feed your kids (and yourself). Convenience clearly has a price. In a typical hamburger Happy Meal, there are a total of 480 calories from the burger and fries. Depending on what drink is included, there is the potential of up to another 110 calories. For a 5-8 year old boy or girl, it is suggested that their calorie intake be around 1,200 to 1,800 per day, depending on growth and their activity level. One hamburger Happy Meal is just shy of 1/2 the calories needed for an entire day for a child who falls on the lower end of the recommended calorie intake scale.
Fast food restaurants are certainly trying to change their image by offering healthier choices. McDonald’s now has Apple Dippers, which are certainly better than fries. But many kids know that those Apple Dippers come with a pack filled with caramel, which have a whopping 15 grams of sugar. Maybe not quite the healthy alternative McDonald’s was hoping for.
Giving Your Child Healthy Options
A trip to a favorite fast food restaurant is probably okay once in a while, but for everyday nutrition, eating at home is much healthier. Burgers, fries, and soda are some of the worst things that we can feed our children. The sodium content of some of these products is through the roof. We are all aware of the obesity epidemic in the U.S., and convenience foods play a huge part in that, along with highly processed pre-packaged foods.
As parents, we are able to help our children make good choices by offering them good choices. We hold in our hands the ability to offset lifelong eating struggles and dangerous health problems by teaching our children how and what to eat to be healthy individuals. Many ailments and diseases can be positively influenced by eating good, nutritious foods. The key is our hands, but it is up to us to decide to use it.
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