Please DON'T Supersize Me...

You know, I was pretty encouraged a month or so ago when we took JuniorBean to his first birthday party. Not because we were going to the party. I was jazzed because it was JuniorBean's first ever visit to McDonald's. There are many days when I can't count on one hand the number of bad mommy moments I've had. Then an experience like this comes along...

My nearly 5 year old had never actually eaten a meal at McDonald's. How awesome is that! By his age, I really feel sure I had already begun my Happy Meal toy collection. (It was really extremely sizable by the time I went to college. It stretched around my room on every inch around the walls.) I certainly knew the words and tune to the Big Mac song (c'mon you remember it...

Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun - BIG MAC! What you don't remember it? You weren't able to name all of the characters by the age of 6? Really? For sure?)

You see, I rest my case. It was such a part of Americana. Everyone knew the Hamburgler (stole hamburgers from the others), Grimace (the purple guy who had indulged in far too many hamburgers), etc. McDonald's was the American treat for harried parents and their happy kids (Happy Meal, the name says it all).

And so, it was with some astonishment that I realized the Beans haven't actually eaten there. While we have Hardee's occasionally, we aren't big fast food eaters. Who knew? Somehow my kids are being raised outside of all that. And, while I certainly don't fault anyone who does frequent McDonald's, I do feel better than my kids learn who Ronald McDonald is from commercials, not the restaurant. And, I do feel better that their dining choices don't regularly include french fries and deep fried chicken nuggets.

This is especially true after Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me. If you haven't seen it, you should. It is frightening in an eye-opening, must-watch sort of way...

Happy Minisizing!