Happy Meals aren’t so happy anymore…

Danya Proud, a McDonald’s spokeswoman surprisingly told the media that McDonald’s were not a fan of the idea,  “We are extremely disappointed with today’s decision. It’s not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for.” But a sponsor of the new programme, which will come into effect in December 2010 warned, “Our children are sick. Rates of obesity in San Francisco are disturbingly high.” Obviously blind to the reasons behind the change in law, McDonald’s, if they really did care for their customers’ wellbeing, would support the idea by either rethinking their menus or step down and let other, more healthy establishments feed America’s children (highly unlikely).

Foods chains like McDonald’s use free toys for no other reason than to lure in children. Children who get free toys with their chicken nuggets, burgers and fries will come to associate junk food with free toys, fun, happiness and, as any parents will know, this will make them want to keep coming back for more. Speaking of parents, there is an enourmous amount of responsibilty on their side when it comes to how they react to this temptation. As a young girl (before the Anorexic days, of course) my sisters and I had McDonald’s probably about twice a year, maybe not even that. I only remember getting chicken nuggets and fries after I had sung in the annual concert at Stockport Town Hall – as far as I know, we never asked for it at any other time unless we had been stuck in a car for hours on end and we had no choice. When we ate out, we would go to a restaurant, and that would be a treat. I never longed for a greasy burger. But then I had friends who would visit the golden arches at least twice a week and I remember clearly looking down my nose at them when they would literally beg their parents for Maccy D’s everytime we drove past one – hungry or not. Undoubtedly, part of the problem is parents or guardians who can’t say ‘no’, but that can’t always be easy when you have toddlers dangling from your ankles having a paddy because you are daring to deprive them from their Happy Meal.

What if those Happy Meals weren’t so happy? Lacking a toy, that cheeseburger and chips lose a whole load of appeal – where’s the fun in that? It seems materialistic to think that we wouldn’t pay for something that didn’t have a free plastic toy made in China, but to a child, it isn’t about the money, it’s the whole experience, the associations, the collectables, the dirty relationship with Ronald McBloody Donald.

Nothing is going to change fast. You only have to think how many children are hooked already after being lured in – the food/fun association will be imprinted in the brains of millions of children worldwide. But if you take away that lusted-after toy then maybe, just maybe, the next generation of children will begin to change in the way we relate to food – other restaurants would be in with a chance of offering food that isn’t drenched in fat and processed to death. The cynic in me predicts that this ban will not have a massive impact on childhood obesity (although I hope it does), but San Francisco is setting an example, and whatever the consequence, it can’t be a bad thing.