“Do you like apples?”

Being able to manipulate kids is an art, I guess. From reading a little blurb in Chemical and Engineering News, I came across a study that shows that encouragable kids can decide on healthier options when you ask them from the perspective of what their favorite super hero would order.

The example that’s listed is “what would Batman eat? French fries or apple slices.”

As a comic book fan and large kid, I have my own opinion on the matter, but I thought it would be fun to ask people on the social medias, the twitters and the facebooks.

Here are some of the responses:

• He probably burns enough calories to eat whatever he wants, but I can’t imagine Batman eating french fries.
• It wouldn’t matter. You try shimmying the Batmobile around those tight drive-thru windows. It’s like trying to squeeze a stretch limousine or a hearse in there. Batman’s better off calling for pizza and having it delivered to – oh wait, it’s not like there’s a doorbell near the Batcave opening.
• If he’s already eating fast food why not get the fries.
• Justice, with a side of meatballs.
• Fries, because Batman’s a smart guy and the fries are always way more delicious than the apple slices. (Apples are better when they’re not factory pre-cut. And besides, he’ll work off those fries easily fighting crime.)
• Neither, batman is a fuckin millionare, he dosent eat shit like that. He’d make Alfred cook him some real good homemade shit!
• Bruce Wayne doesn’t eat fast food.
• If he had to I bet he would get apples.
• Depends on whether you think of Batman as a lithe, urban ninja, or a hulking, armored knight.
• Definitely the apple slices. Especially if he has his own cartoon or other watchable program.
• Fries….seriously, who orders apple slices with their fast food?

There have been many versions of Batman over the years, and some of the responses touch on this. I think the response that I got that was most in line with the study is the one that mentions whether Batman has a television program.

Ignoring this self-fulfilling case, I think at the heart of it Batman is a practical purist. If he’s going to have a Big Mac or a Whopper, he’s going to get the fries. He knows that burgers and apples is not a classic American pairing. Also, I’m sure he’s well aware of his caloric intake so that one occasional meal like this is not going to set him back.

Batman doesn’t always make the right choices; he leaves that stuff to the cheesy characters like Superman (who, let’s be clear, can eat whatever he wants as long as it doesn’t contain Kryptonite since he is not human – but, he’d probably order the apples just in case kids see him.). Batman is about throwing caution to the wind and living as a human being (with sick gadgets). That said, I’m sure he’d agree that educating people make informed dietary decisions is of utmost importance (this is something I wish I had been exposed to more as a youngster).

I also think it’s a good point that Alfred probably cooks some good shit, but, c’mon, people gotta eat out from time to time.