By now you've probably all heard about McDonald's putting Happy Meal coupons on report cards in exchange for paying their printing costs at that school district down in Florida. One mom complains, and the world is engulfed with a new wave of "McDonald's is evil" arguments. Of course, no one seemed to have a problem with Pizza Hut doing the exact same thing for the previous 10 years.

I discovered the latest foaming rant on this issue at a Web site called the Gristmill. Kate Adamick, a consultant and lecturer on school food reform, and Ann Cooper, described as the "Renegade Lunch Lady" and nutrition director for the Berkeley Unified School District, penned a guest essay that dissects the 'depraved" McDonald's program.

"Why is acceptable to reward our children for successful academic performance with something that will harm them?" they write. "What's next? Ten years from now, will McDonald's be offering Happy Meal coupons for kids who keep up with their insulin? Displaying the golden arches on insulin kits, artificial limbs and coffins?"

Those are the most round-the-bend bits of the essay that goes on to take the government to task for not properly funding education (a legitimate argument), blame corporate greed for making kids fat and shame the school officials and parents for allowing it to happen. I just love it when the food police set their sights on food they consider "bad," assuming that people are going to eat it everyday and, therefore, no one should ever eat it. And it's always nice to know that, when I feel like having my intelligence insulted, I can read essays like this, obviously written by people so predisposed to hating big corporations because they seem to believe nothing good can ever come from generating profit. I'd love to see the look on these people's faces if the billions in annual corporate charitable giving suddenly ceased because making a profit was outlawed. But that's beside the point.

First off, anything is bad for you if you consume too much of it. So it's not about feeding your kids "something that will harm them" -- it's about balance and restraint. It's also about parents taking responsibility for what their kids are eating, making sure they are properly nourished and, yes, giving them a nice treat once in a while. Indulgence is good for the soul when balanced with responsibility to the body. Keep in mind, too, that those Happy Meals now also offer chicken breast strips, apple slices and milk, not just the cheeseburger, fries and pop available when I was a kid.

When I was in grade school, we got report cards four times a year. Four Happy Meals a year -- or even a few more -- aren't going to harm anyone, not when they're part of a lifetime context of moderation.

- J.D.