Fast Food Restaurants Target Toddlers

How Old Was Your Child When They First Tasted Fast Food?

November 8, 2010

It's like feeding french fries to a baby! Kids aren't the only ones that find Happy Meals are pleasing. According to a recent report, the highly caloric kiddie meals at fast food restaurants are targeting really young tots! In some cases, babe could be unwrapping a burger or sipping a soda before they are out of diapers! It said:

"What we found in the marketing data is a staggering amount of fast-food advertising that starts when children are as young as 2 years old," Jennifer Harris of the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity in Connecticut told a telephone briefing.

How old was your child when they first tasted fast food — even if it was just a bite of a mommy's fry swiped in ketchup?

Source: Getty

8 Comments

2 years 28 weeks

My son is just about 2 and never has had fast food and I don't see him eating it anytime soon since we don't eat it either. Fast food companies may advertise to target a young age group but my son doesn't watch ads either so he would never see that anyway. He only watches PBS or DVD's or Netflix streaming stuff. There are plenty of healthy alternatives to fast food that I never find it necessary. I'm always carrying apples or bananas, yogurt, pb & j, graham crackers, granola bars etc.

2 years 28 weeks

I think Fast Food is like sweets. It's everywhere and a little in moderation won't hurt. If you deny your child completely, then I think intrigues them and they want to eat it even more. I've had kids go nuts trying to sneak as many sweets as possible at birthday parties because their parents don't let them have anything with sugar. I'm sure it's the same with fast food. Face it, fast food is everywhere and if it's completely denied, it will become like a tempting, forbidden fruit! I don't go through drive thrus with my kids, but they are allowed to eat out with their grandparents or on a special shopping trip as a treat.

2 years 28 weeks

never. my husband and i have decided that our kids aren't going to have fast food until they are able to buy it themselves. i don't see it as actual food-like treats-and therefore they are going to have to buy their own treats.

Girl Jen 2 years 28 weeks

8 months old. Dad's idea. >:(

2 years 28 weeks

My son at 2 years old but this was a while ago where I did not pay attention to health so much. Now I have a 2 year old daughter and she has not had fast food and I have no plans on giving it to her any time soon. :)

2 years 28 weeks

my 4 & 5 year olds haven't yet, and have no desire to!

Carri 2 years 28 weeks

Blame should lay on the parents, who are feeding this to their kids, not the fast food companies.

2 years 28 weeks

My kiddies (2 and almost 4) haven't tried fast food yet. If we are in a pinch on the run, we do the Tim Horton's drive-thru (bagel with cream cheese and yogurt). There will be lots of time for treats when they are older, but they are WAY too young for that crap right now!

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