I received compensation from McDonald’s in exchange for writing this review. Although this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
Between work, school, sports, and the holidays our days are jam packed for the next few weeks. School and sports keep our weekdays busy, while prepping for the holidays and more sports fill our weekend days. Although our schedules may be full, we still always make room for quality family time which is usually on Monday and Tuesday nights, our more quiet nights of the week. Monday afternoons are usually spent running errands and taking a trip into town where all of the shopping plazas and outlets are. We’re about an hour from most stores, so we often pick one day a week to head into town and get the shopping done that we need.
We often get off to a late start as we have to wait until Jonathan gets home from school, so more often than not we end up eating out on Mondays. A couple times a month we’ll let the kids choose where they want to eat, and more often than not, it’s McDonald’s.
Rediscover the simple joy of Happy Meals with Cuties:
Growing up I can remember the joy and excitement when my parents would surprise my siblings and I with a McDonald’s Happy Meal. While I always chose a cheeseburger plain, Jonathan and Trevor prefer the chicken nuggets with a side of apple slices and Cuties.
McDonald’s is continuing to expand their offerings even for their youngest customers by adding more nutrition choices including their newest side, Cuties clementines. For a limited time (through March 2015) while the fruit is in season, McDonald’s is partnering with Sun Pacific, a family-owned fruit grower, to deliver California-grown Cuties to customers across the country. Customers will have the choice of selecting Cuties as a side in Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals, as well as the option of purchasing Cuties by itself.
Both Jonathan and Trevor enjoy clementines, in fact our fruit basket is 1/2 full of clementines as it’s one of Jonathan’s go-to snacks for school. The kid-sized fresh fruit provides an excellent source of vitamin C and provides about one-quarter cup of fruit. It’s easy to peel, which is a huge plus as we’re often on the go when we stop by McDonald’s, I can focus on driving while the kids are eating their Happy Meals with Cuties in the back seat.
McDonald’s Happy Meals:
- More nutritional side choices: Cuties, Go-GURT low fat Strawberry Yogurt, apple slices
- Beverage choices: 1% low-fat milk, 1% low-fat chocolate milk, 100% apple juice
- The Happy Meal is priced at $2.99
Tips for staying happy and balanced during the holidays:
- Manage your schedule: Keep a daily planner or calender on the fridge of all appointments, work schedules, and activities/sports. Look ahead and see upcoming events.
- Keep a grocery, gift list or shopping list of what you need. Too often I don’t write things down, thinking that I will automatically remember what I need, but many times I draw a blank at the store and often have to make another trip as I forgot to purchase something I needed.
- Prep lunches/dinners ahead of time: I make all of the kids school lunches on Sunday night and place them in plastic containers, each school morning I can just take it out of the fridge, add an ice pack and place it into the backpack, a huge time saver. We also prep crock-pot freezer meals to keep stocked in the freezer for easy dinners.
- Take a break and eat out, skip the dinner prep & cleaning. We can all use a break sometimes or are just in a rush and need to get the kids fed. It’s important to make informed food decisions while eating out and McDonald’s is making it easier with more nutrition-minded choices including the option of choosing Cuties clementines.
My children have recently seen the commercial for McDonald’s featuring Cuties and are looking forward to our upcoming trip to visit their grandparents for the holidays, as we usually stop by McDonald’s as it marks the half way point.
Do your children enjoy Cuties clementines?
To stay up to date on new promotions and product offerings, connect with McDonald’s on Twitter.
Although this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
