McDonald’s and Masterchef

By Pearl Bullivant on September 12, 2015 in Other

OMG! Call DoCS! Masterchef’s George Calombaris has banned his four year-old son from eating McDonald’s. Not only has George deprived his son of the culinary delights of a McHappy Meal, he actually admits that his son’s preschool lunchbox contains tuna, cheese and avocado sandwiches, and fruit (yum).

Oh, the hide of this man, denying his small child the bland offerings of the omnipresent fast food multinational;, a multinational that has infiltrated its way into our children’s diet and psyche;, a multinational so obsessed with spreading its wares that it will legally take on any community opposed to its golden arches. What hope is there in life for George’s son when his childhood has been destroyed through a diet of wholesome, healthy food? And, why hasn’t McDonald’s intervened with civil action?

Sarcasm aside, Pearl was absolutely thrilled by George’s stand against the junk food giant. I abhor fast – food chains and the blight they have imposed on our backsides, taste buds and streetscapes. Naively, I had assumed that there would also be a resounding cheer from the community, dieticians and journalists in support of George’s child- rearing choice, considering all the palaver over the health benefits of kale, quinoa, beef broth and chia.

Alas, that has not been the case. Unfortunately , journalists and a handful of dieticians don’t share my enthusiasm for the McDonald’s ban, and surprisingly George has copped some criticism for his decision. Instead of congratulating him, he has been outed for bad parenting, with claims that he is restricting his son’s diet and isolating him psychologically by bringing home-cooked food to birthday parties held at McDonald’s. One journalist even claimed his dislike of McDonald’s was arrogant and made parents feel inadequate.

These parents should feel inadequate. Why the hell are parents holding their children’s parties at McDonald’s when they are extremely acutely aware of how unhealthy the food is? If ‘bad parenting’ is denying one’s child a McHappy Meal, our obsession with fast food is far bigger than I thought, and the fact that a newspaper is quick to jump to the defence of McDonald’s (while criticising lactose and gluten in the ‘lifestyle’ section) just shows how bizarre and market sensitive our society has become.

As to the claim that George is isolating his child at McDonald’s parties, the journalists really need to get out more as there will always be one child who is a vegetarian, suffers food allergies or just doesn’t want to eat what is on offer, and instead arrives toting a vegemite sandwich along with the a present.

God knows how my generation survived without KFC and McDonald’s (and 4wds4WDs). We weren’t as affluent or as educated, but at least we were healthy and slim. I’m hoping George’s stance against McDonald’s resonates with viewers and we see a mass movement away from it the fast food giant. Maybe George’s next target will be Coca Cola,. And, maybe I will start a catering business supplying organic food for children’s parties. I promise no kale or quinoa, but lots of pearl couscous.

Pearl xx