Let's just deal with the fact that fast food is not good for you, shall we?

Obviously, I am not the only health conscious consumer out there. I can't imagine I am the only one to call bull on some of the marketing being done by fast food companies.

I just got a flyer in the mail about the newly renovated McDonalds. It used to have one of those Playland things (I will admit, they are the kind of things that would make me drive out of my way to another McDonalds, if I really ate that kind of stuff). Now they are reintroducing the new McDonalds with the rGYM. Looks an awful lot like Playland except now it comes with a tagline "Who knew exercise could be this much fun?". Let's be real. A healthy lifestyle includes limiting most kinds of fast foods and a slide and ball pit ain't gonna change that. "Hey Johnny, why don't you go work off that hamburger and fries...pick you up in 2 hours when it's time for your cholesterol check". McDonalds thinks you are stupid. I don't have kids so I don't know what they think of me. They have only seen me once in the last 4 years (and it involved feeding a 6 year old) so they can think whatever they want.

You know who else thinks we are stupid? Krispy Kreme. I admit that I love them, but I've probably only been about three times. Because donuts are not health food. Krispy Kreme would have you believe differently with the introduction of their Whole Wheat Donut. Honey, please. You are saving 20 calories and negligible fat grams. Did I forget to mention that they are still fried? Donuts are not a health food.Did I already say that?

What we have here is a failure to communicate. Well, it's actually marketing spin. Marketing hyperbole as health claim.  They use it as the former and hope that consumers take it as the latter (because if they are whole wheat, it should mean that you can have 2, right?). It just ticks me off. If they had any of my business, I'd take it away from them.

This isn't a soapbox issue for me (much) because I think that people should eat what they want, but make wise choices that include moderation. At the same time, I find the marketing misleading and insulting.