We Asked 9 Nutritionists If They Let Their Kids Eat McDonald's — You Won't Believe What They Said

Detailed summary

Parents may worry that feeding fast food to their kids makes them “bad parents,” or that the food is “totally unhealthy.” But according to nutritionists, the issue isn’t that…

Actor Jessica Biel once told Parade that her kids “don’t get McDonald’s.” For her, this is about the quality and price of the food, as she’d rather “pay more” for them to “have something fancy.”

This poorly worded statement comes across as classist, which is another conversation for another day. But it also raises a different point that’s probably on many parents’ minds: Is McDonald’s a good meal option for kids?

Parents may worry that feeding fast food to their kids makes them “bad parents,” or that the food is “totally unhealthy.” But according to nutritionists, the issue isn’t that black-and-white. In reality, McDonald’s has its place.

Ahead, nine nutritionists shared whether they let their kids eat McDonald’s, plus when and why.

Rachel Trotta, a fitness nutrition specialist and personal trainer, said her approach is “not necessarily a ‘let’ situation,” but focused on shaping healthy attitudes toward food and not setting food “rules.”

She stocks the house with whole foods, cooks most meals at home and brings fruit for on-the-go snacks. At the same time, she doesn’t believe in being full-out anti-McDonald’s.

“I know that occasionally having fast food (without negative commentary) keeps it in perspective instead of blowing it out of proportion,” Trotta said.

Her 5-year-old daughter has actually never had McDonald’s, but not because it’s forbidden, she clarified. Again, Trotta’s focus is on helping her daughter shape a healthy relationship with food. This looks like encouraging her to listen to her body, such as eating when she’s hungry and stopping when she’s full. That is what sets her daughter up well.

“I know when she does have the opportunity to eat more fast food, she’ll be able to trust her own internal compass,” Trotta said.

Opening of the article, excerpted from HuffPost. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.