McDonald's+Observation+and+Lunch+Menu

Children’s Eating: Fast Food Observations and Menus Observation of McDonald's Over a 1-Hour Period

** Child sex/age ** || ** Main Meal ** || ** Side ** || ** Drink ** || ** Nutritional Value ** || ** Male- 8 ** || Chicken nuggets (6 piece) || French Fries || Dr. Pepper || ** Serving Size: ** 1 meal ** Calories: ** 490 ** Fat: ** 23g ** Carbs: ** 59g ** Protein: ** 14g || ** Female-10 ** || Cheeseburger || French Fries || Sprite || ** Serving Size: ** 1 meal ** Calories: ** 540 ** Fat: ** 24g ** Carbs: ** 90g ** Protein: ** 17g || ** Male- 6 ** || Hamburger || French Fries || Coke || ** Serving Size: ** 1 meal ** Calories: ** 590 ** Fat: ** 20g ** Carbs: ** 89g ** Protein: ** 15g || (4 piece) || Apple Dippers || Chocolate Milk || ** Serving Size: ** 1 Meal ** Calories: ** 450 ** Fat: ** 15g ** Carbs: ** 60g ** Protein: ** 19g || **__ Observations __** : Due to the fact that the McDonald’s I visited is right across from the UCF campus, not many children actually came into the restaurant. But from what I did observe, the only time a child ordered a healthy alternative was when the parent did it for them. What child wants apples instead of French fries? The caramel has also been removed from the apple slices. The healthiest (or what should be called the least unhealthy) meal option available at McDonald’s is a 4 piece chicken nugget with apple slices and 1% milk.
 * ** Male- 4 ** || Chicken nuggets

5 Day Lunch and Snack Menu
 * Day ||  A.M. Snack  ||  Lunch  ||  P.M. Snack  ||
 * Monday || * 1 cup Graham Cracker Bears
 * Carton of 1% milk || * Carton of 1% milk
 * Half Turkey and American Cheese Sandwich (light mayo optional)
 * ¾ cup of grapes
 * ½ cup blueberries || * 1 tbs Peanut butter
 * ½ banana
 * Cup of water ||
 * Tuesday || * 1 cup grape juice
 * ½ bagel with cream cheese || * Carton of 1% chocolate milk
 * ½ cup of carrots
 * ½ cup celery
 * 1 teaspoon of ranch to dip vegetables in
 * ¼ cup cooked pasta with 1 ½ ounces of cheese (macaroni and cheese) || * Whole orange (sliced)
 * Cup of water ||
 * Wednesday || * Blueberry muffin
 * 1 cup cranberry juice || * Carton of 1% milk
 * Whole peanut butter and jam sandwich
 * 1 cup organic applesauce || * 8 small slices of cheese
 * 8 Crackers
 * ½ cup grape juice ||
 * Thursday || * 1 cup apple juice
 * Homemade trailmix (1 cup of raisins, various cereal, and marshmellows) || * Carton of 1% chocolate milk
 * ½ Banana
 * Spaghetti with meat sauce
 * Bread sticks || * 1 cup of cranberry juice
 * 1 cup of goldfish ||
 * Friday || * 1/2 cup of mixed strawberry slices and blueberries
 * 1 cup orange juice || * Carton of 1% milk
 * 1 Cheese quesadilla with salsa
 * ½ cup peas and carrots
 * ½ cup pineapple chunks || * 2 ounces vanilla yogurt
 * Graham crackers to dip in yogurt
 * Carton of 1% milk ||

If I were a child, I would eat all of these meals no problem. There are a variety of options for the week, and all are simple options. A way that I made my menu more appetizing and appealing to children is having the children help make the food. Options such as peanut butter with bananas to dip into them, dipping carrots and celery in ranch, homemade trail mix, and yogurt with graham cracker dippers are all hands on and fun in a way. The trail mix is especially fun due to the fact that children can decide what to put in it.