McDonald’s makes me sick.
I don’t know if there’s a restaurant – and I use that term loosely –
that I hate more in the world.
Not that I remember the particulars of the movie, but I do
remember the message that I got from Super-Size
Me: stop eating at McDonald’s. The
horror of that movie has stuck with me for years.
I used to be a big McDonald’s fan. I grew up in McLean, Illinois, and the
McDonald’s along the highway is by far our biggest economic asset. My best friend and I used to request a trip
to McDonald’s every day after school. We
would order two super-sized French fries and ask that they be made fresh so that they
were extra greasy and extra salty. Of
course, we got what we asked for every time because my friend also worked
there!
We didn’t become obese from this diet, but we surely didn’t
do our cholesterol readings any favors. What were we thinking? (Probably something along the lines of, “Your
waistline is only 13 years old once, so live a little!”)
It’s been nearly five years since I have eaten a single
thing from McDonald’s. If memory serves,
I don’t believe I’ve even had a drink from their restaurant. I’m that friend you don’t want in your group
when everyone has to choose one place to eat – I’m the squeaky wheel every
time.
My favorite comedian Jim Gaffigan once said that he never
ate a Hot Pocket and later thought it was a good choice. I’ve never eaten McDonald’s and later thought
it was a good choice.
I bring all of this up because I just read an article that
quoted McDonald’s Senior Director of Completely Absurd and Impossible to Defend
Media Statements telling a reporter that he doesn’t see anything unhealthy on
the McDonald’s menu. Oh really,
sir? You don’t think a Double Quarter
Pounder with cheese will have a negative impact on someone’s health? Clearly this man’s office is located in Big
Mac Land next to the Parfait Mountain that’s filled with Shamrock Shake lava. What
is he thinking?
Countless numbers of people have told me that I must be
insane if I believe that my son will not beg me to go to McDonald’s. I’m sure that he might try. And I’m sure that many of you are wondering
where I do go for fast food since McDonald’s is blacklisted. I enjoy a Dairy Queen cheeseburger on
occasion and I am a major sucker for Arby’s curly fries. I readily acknowledge that these foods are not
particularly healthy nor are they foods that I should feed to my son. He hasn’t had any of these on my watch –
yet.
My issue with McDonald’s is that their monarchical reign
over all things fast-food is part of the problem with obesity in this
country. Yes, there are millions of
parents who have busy lives and need to get their kids a quick meal, and there
are just as many parents who don’t like to or don’t want to cook. But I feel a duty to do the best that I can
the lion’s share of the time to make better choices for my body and for my
family’s. I come from the Michelle Obama
school of nutrition. We can allow
ourselves indulgences, but we need to try harder to eat well more often than
not. McDonald’s is not a default dinner
plan!
Just the other night, I had Oreos for dinner. My husband was out of town and I wanted to
play with Auggie so I skipped dinner and had a few cookies with a small glass
of 1% milk before bed. Undoubtedly, the nutritional
impact of that “meal” will register directly in my rear end region. So last night, I made grilled chicken and
peppers and white rice for the whole family.
My message to McDonald’s can be summed up in one word: balance! Try harder.
Your oatmeal and yogurt don’t cancel out your Big Mac and your
McRib. I seriously can’t even say McRib
without gagging.
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