More often than I'd like to admit to myself or to you, when my kids
were young, I often relied on the "kid's meal" for an easy, inexpensive
lunch option. I don't know if they THRILLED to these happy meals because they tasted good or because a prize awaited them when they were done, but they always managed to eat every bite. In my convoluted way of thinking, I'd order a kid's meal, too, and because the portions were smaller and I'd get a Diet Coke or Pepsi, it was "diet food" for me.
Talk about self-delusion.
Either way, with over 200,000 restaurants and a $120 billion industry, fast food IS a way of life for many...but rarely is it healthy.
In steps Burger King to try to change all that.
Last week, my kids and I received samples of Burger King's new apple fries. Apple fries? I knew in advance this was supposed to be a healthy alternative to French fries in their kids meals, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how FRIED FRUIT was healthy.
Duh...THEY'RE NOT FRIED! The apples are sliced to look like fries.
We were skeptical--how could packaged apples taste fresh?
Remarkably, they were DELICIOUS. They were accompanied by low-fat caramel dipping sauce, but all of us preferred them sans sauce. The slices were firm, sweet...and exceeded our collective expectation.
If my kids were pre-schoolers again, this is a choice I'd make FOR them when ordering--they wouldn't have the option of French fries. Mama could have her fried potato fix, and they'd be none the wiser 'cause they resemble each other. If I was having an intellectual debate on this, I might argue this Great Deception, but for the sake of a simple product review? They're good...the apple fries are a better choice when you need to get kids' meals on the run.
If you'd like to win a $10 Burger King gift card so you can sample them on your own? Subscribe to or bookmark PENSIEVE, then visit next week during Bloggy Giveaways and you might just be able to try them for free (I already awarded one giftcard during last week's BlogHop '08)!
