A widely circulated Facebook post claims that a McDonald’s Happy Meal has remained unchanged for six years. An Alaskan woman recently shared a photo of an untouched Happy Meal, asserting that it decomposes more slowly than its packaging. The image, originating from a chiropractic office, showcases petrified French fries and chicken nuggets next to a box dated January 2010. The caption states: “It’s been 6 years since I bought this ‘Happy Meal’ at McDonald’s. It has sat in our office this entire time and has not rotted, molded, or decomposed at all! It only smells like cardboard. We conducted this experiment to illustrate to our patients how unhealthy this ‘food’ is, especially for our developing children! There are numerous chemicals in this food! Choose real food! Apples, bananas, carrots, celery… those are true fast food.”
Since its posting, this image has garnered nearly 250,000 shares, prompting many comments lamenting the consumption of such food. One individual even tagged a friend, suggesting it should make them reconsider their children’s eating choices.
However, it is essential to recognize that the notion of McDonald’s food being uniquely terrible and “never rotting” has been thoroughly debunked. This particular photo has been dismissed as false by Snopes, and similar claims regarding food decomposition have been countered so frequently that McDonald’s has addressed the issue on their website. They clarify that “Food requires moisture in the air for mold to develop. In the absence of moisture, food will simply dry out—similar to bread left out overnight to make croutons. You may have encountered experiments that seem to demonstrate no decomposition in our food. This is likely because the food has dehydrated before any visible decay could occur.”
In a study conducted by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt for Serious Eats, both McDonald’s hamburgers and homemade counterparts were tested for decomposition. Left exposed on a counter, neither showed signs of decay, but when placed in a Ziplock bag, both developed mold. The culprit? Moisture—not harmful chemicals or preservatives. McDonald’s food simply dehydrates quickly due to its size and thickness, a behavior mirrored by similarly-sized homemade meals.
If you wish to criticize fast food, there are legitimate reasons to do so. Dislike it for its high sugar and salt content, which are linked to various health issues. Critique it for being the only option available to some families, forcing them to feed their children less nutritious meals. Challenge the outdated gender stereotypes perpetuated by meal toy choices. Or condemn the labor practices that exploit employees by denying them fair wages.
But let’s not fuel this conversation with misleading Facebook posts rooted in poor science and fear-mongering that serve no purpose other than to shame individuals for their dietary choices while providing a false sense of moral superiority to those who share such posts. We are all aware that fast food is not the healthiest option, and we don’t require reminders that fruits are more nutritious than French fries. If you are genuinely concerned about nutrition, focus on making meaningful changes rather than leaving a Happy Meal on a shelf for years, which is merely a gimmick.
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In summary, the viral post about the Happy Meal’s longevity is based on misinformation and fear. While fast food certainly has its issues, we should focus on constructive criticism rather than perpetuating debunked myths.
Keyphrase: “McDonald’s Happy Meal myth”
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