Top 10 WORST Fast Food Kids Meals

Parents have a lot of options when it comes to fast food kids’ meals for their children, but they’re not always good ones. Some, like the Burger King Hamburger Kids’ Meal, come in under par when it comes to calories and fat. The burger itself provides a good source of protein, which is good. However, where this kids’ meal fails is with cholesterol, containing 40 milligrams of the stuff. Additionally, the Burger King Hamburger Kids’ Meal also comes in with 615 milligrams of sodium - and that’s assuming that you stick with the apple slices instead of a side of fries!

Ok, so we get it: the average Wendy’s Kids’ Meal doesn’t necessarily need to come with a junior-sized Frosty…but who are we kidding? Have you ever dipped one of your french fries in the stuff? They’re glorious! And most parents are probably willing to let their little ones enjoy these sorts of indulgences while they’re young, with that crazy fast metabolism. That said, adding a Frosty to a Wendy’s Cheeseburger Kids’ Meal will result in close to seven-hundred calories. But the real kicker will be all of that unhealthy sugar content from that delicious, sinful confectionary.

Nobody ever claimed that being a parent was easy, and this goes double at dinnertime. It may sometimes feel like a balancing act, juggling fat and calorie content versus sugars and sodium. The Chicken Sandwich Kids’ Meal from the Jack in the Box chain does offer seventeen grams of protein, which is good. It’s also not super high in calories. However, it’s the sodium that’s the kicker with this undoubtedly tasty sandwich. We’re talking thirteen-hundred-and-twenty milligrams when ingested if the kids’ meal is prepared with a side of curly fries.

Calorie needs certainly vary from person to person, and it’s important to monitor the quality of one’s caloric intake with each meal. This Chicken Leg and Fries Kids’ Meal from Popeyes isn’t the largest out there, yet it contains 1047 milligrams of sodium, as well as nine grams of saturated fat. We’re not denying that this kids’ meal does provide eighteen grams of protein, but the portion size is fairly small, and it only contains four-hundred-and-twenty-eight calories, meaning that the average child is probably going to be hungry again fairly soon after devouring this one.

On the surface, the Grilled Nuggets Kids’ Meal from Chick-fil-A doesn’t seem like too bad an option. After all, the nuggets are grilled, not fried, which is already half the battle, right? However, we also have to take into account that this meal is armed with a side of waffle fries and chocolate milk. Sure, the beverage may be the low-fat kind of chocolate milk, but the 23 grams of sugar, combined with the sky-high sodium and cholesterol numbers (eleven-hundred-and-fifty and seventy-five, respectively) make this Chick-fil-A choice one that we can’t recommend.

Don’t think for a second that this “kids’ portion” of Popcorn Chicken from KFC is going to make a lick of difference in your child’s health. That’s because ordering this meal with potato wedges and a cola soft drink will rack up the fat and carbohydrate content real quick. Additionally, the overall fried nature of this entire meal will result in over fifteen-hundred milligrams of sodium, seven-hundred-and-thirty calories and a whole lot of regret for the parents who have to take care of their child’s food coma after the fact.

Let’s be clear for a second: we’re actually NOT gonna condemn this meal for its inclusion of a small ice cream cone in the mix. After all, the proof is just sort of in the pudding, er, make that “name” of the restaurant. The Dairy Queen Kids’ Meal Combo contains a small, appropriately-sized portion of fried chicken tenders, which deliver some protein. There’s also protein to be had in the side of low-fat milk. Which begs the question: why would Dairy Queen serve their dairy with another side of dairy? At the end of the day, this kids’ meal is a sugar and carb bomb, and delivers an unfortunate amount of sodium, to boot.

Look, we possess absolutely no doubt that this big, honkin’ PB & J sandwich from the Potbelly Sandwich Shop is freakin’ delicious. After all, just look at that crusty bread? That said, this sando is LOADED with calories and fat (thanks to the peanut butter), not to mention sugar. “How many calories?” you may ask? Well, how about thirteen-hundred-and-forty? How does that grab ya? Beyond this, the carb content of the bread clocks in at a hundred-and-ninety-nine grams, and a sodium number that stretches just ten milligrams shy of the fourteen-hundred mark. This PB & J may be a banger, but it’s not gonna be doing any child favors when it comes to their health.

Believe it or not, McDonald’s (as well as Taco Bell and Subway) stand among some of the better options for fast food kids meals. This comes down primarily to the portion sizes of their four piece nugget options, which pack a good amount of protein to offset the bad stuff. The OG Happy Meal with a cheeseburger, however, is more in line with what our parents and grandparents warned us about when we were young. We’re down with the apple slices and milk, but the burger and fries pack over nine-hundred milligrams of sodium, which is WAY too much when measured against other, healthier options.

Do you hit up your local Sonic for the quality of their food or the nostalgia of the experience? The answer could be either (or both!) but we’re also willing to bet that the hopes of eating healthy never come into play. This is particularly true with Sonic’s Kids’ Meal options, such as their grilled cheese or Wacky Pack combo with a Jr. Burger. The most glaring offender here is trans fat, which is a huge no-no. Additionally, the side of tots assist in lifting this kids’ meal to over a thousand milligrams of sodium. This isn’t even mentioning the sugar contained in the optional applesauce side, the 31.5 grams of fat and 710 calories. This meal is just a bad choice all around.

Will any of this information dissuade you from choosing any of these kids meals? Do you save fast food trips solely for special occasions? Let us know in the comments!