20 most worthless pieces of junk: #1 -- The happy meal toy

I'm all for keeping my kid entertained while out at a restaurant. Without some crayons and paper, getting through a meal would be a lot more difficult.

But do we really need Happy Meal toys? McDonald's has sold these things since 1979, and after 10 minutes of play, they're long forgotten -- as many children's toys are.

Fast food is bad enough, but throw in a plastic toy that will end up in a landfill soon enough, and you've got one of the most useless pieces of junk on the planet.

Anyone who has had kids since 1979 can tell you how many Happy Meal toys they've stepped on as a parent, usually with a bare foot that needs an icepack afterward. My daughter is 4 and I've stepped on close to 100.