Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A hop on the soapbox

NPR news today mentions a consumer group that is threatening to sue McDonald's because the toys they include in the Happy Meals program children to bug their parents to take them there so they can consume an unhealthy diet.

Obesity in children is not the fault of McDonalds. It is the fault of parents who are not feeding their children nutritious, healthy food at home on a day-to-day basis. Painfully obvious watching the now defunct "Honey, We're Killing the Kids," a BBC reality program we watched for a while about parents feeding their children horrible diets -- until we couldn't stand it any more.

On one of our trash picking up expeditions, I found the cash register receipt of someone who had spent $320 at a nearby Wal Mart Super center on food items. The only fresh fruit on the list was bananas. Everything else was canned foods or prepared frozen food (chicken tenders, etc), or processed meat, accompanied by  and bag after bag of potato chips and other high-calorie snack food. We were stunned. What was even more annoying is that this person was on public assistance, and could have spent those food dollars much more wisely.

Climbing down now, back to work

6 comments:

Oklahoma Granny said...

I right there with you on your soap box. Seems parents want to blame their bad parenting skills on everyone but who is really to blame.

Oklahoma Granny said...

Oh, and I might add, while I do not have a problem with those who TRULY do need public assistance, I think it should be mandatory for those who do receive it to take some cooking classes and some classes on nutrition as well. Now I'll get down of the soap box.

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

Hear Hear!!! The people who can least afford to waste money on wrong food choices....

Cloudia said...

*Clap Clap*






Aloha from Hawaii

Comfort Spiral

Far Side of Fifty said...

I am opposed to public assistance in any form..there should be only work fare..you work you get a check..if not you starve. :)

Tami Weingartner said...

Well I missed this on NPR...but I think it's hysterical that an attorney talked enough people into this to create a class action suit...how freakin crazy!