Are McDonalds still as bad as they used to be?

dlp97dlp

Hi all,

Recently McDonald's menu has improved in my own opinion. Yes the quality of the meat used and the processes to manufacture the meat into nuggets or other items may not be the best but in terms of ingredients used I personally don't think they are too dissimilar from Nuggets or chicken burgers you would buy from a supermarket.

I like the wraps they do now but the wraps used seem to be made from lots of ingredients which I find frustrating. Same goes for any bread product McDonalds use.

Of course one issue I still have is that they fry the majority of their food - but even so the temperature they fry the food at should be below the smoke point thus reducing carcinogens?

In France, Netherlands and the UK - The trans fats in the cooking oil used reduced by 94% from 1994 to 2007. Now there are none.

Still, they sell the Milkshakes with ridiculous levels of sugar and the ice creams (which as a treat are nice) but still not great.

Would much rather visit a Starbucks, Costa or any other cafe across the road or nearby and spend the extra few pounds on a nice warm toasties or well filled baguette!

What does everyone else think on McDonalds?

livingleanlivingclean

Most mass produced bread has lots of ingredients. They aren't Artisan bread makers, or a small gourmet burger outlet.

The fries are fried. The nuggets are fried. What else is fried? (admittedly I haven't been in to a MacDonalds for probably a decade..). These foods are generally fried wherever you get them from. Reducing the temperature would mean the product wouldn't be cooked the same way - you'd probably end up with oilier, anaemic looking fries and soggy nuggets. Yum.

Pretty sure in Australia, the nuggets are breast meat. The burgers are 100% beef.

Milkshakes and icecream need sugar. Where do you buy normal milkshakes or icecream without sugar?

I don't go to maccas, although I am half tempted to try their "create your own" burger thing available here. I prefer burgers from smaller places generally, or ones I make myself. I'd also not consider Starbucks, Costa or any other chain cafe to be any better than MacDonalds...

Unknown

This content has been removed.

psuLemon

I love the improvements to the egg mcmuffin. Actually, i didnt eat the for 20 years until recently...

TavistockToad

I don't have any strong feelings about McDonald's, I go about once a year... though thinking about it I dont think I have actually been this year...

I like a big mac though!

JeromeBarry1

The "Hello Healthy" blog of mfp recently included McDonald's breakfast sausage with egg biscuit sandwich as a suitable high-protein quick meal. The mass-market providers, all of them, have a keen interest in keeping customers happy and alive. There's nothing in there to kill you and much in there to make you happy.

CarolPre

I usually get the Artisan Chicken sandwich, no fries. It's still a lot of calories, but not as many as say a Big Mac. I actually hadn't had a Big Mac for about a year and broke down and ordered one a few weeks ago. It was horrible, so tasteless. I can't imagine how I used to like those things.

ktekc

i used to get a steak bagel meal with a medium oj and a breakfast burrito without even thinking about it. for about 1200 calories or so. Now im happy with an egg white delight and a fruit parfait. I miss the steak but i know if i really wanted it i would get it.. Hubby still gets a big breakfast with hotcakes thats like 1350 i dont feel so bad after that. lol But if we go at night i get a grilled chicken on a regular bun ( i dont like the artisan bun anyway)it saves me like 100 calories or so and i steal hubbys fries

Unknown

This content has been removed.

artbyrachelh

I agree with OP that there are more options that are healthier nowadays. A good treat, on a rare occasion! P.S. Have you all enjoyed Jim gaffigan's stand up bit on McDonald's? Some very funny stuff!!!!

TheDevastator

I love McDonald's breakfasts. My usual is a black coffee, a sausage McGriddle, and a hash brown. That said, I only eat there maybe a 10 times a year. I also love their chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce. I don't remember what their burgers taste like. I go to Culver's for butter burgers and they have excellent frozen custard.

lemurcat12

I decided I didn't care for the food years ago and go to one maybe every two to three years (always on a road trip. My dad and I stopped at one in 2016 while driving out of town to a half marathon (it was the following day) and I had a filet o fish and small fries (this is my preferred combo since I scrape off the tartar sauce and use it on the fries). It was exactly as I remembered. My dad wanted to go there since he wanted a milkshake (which is not something he normally eats, but I think he had the "road trip food" thing going on too).

Since I almost never go there I have not researched the nutrition or whatever their new menu options are. If I want fast food there are salad places or Pret closer and more convenient to my office and they tend to have more options I'm likely to want to eat. This is not a slam about making McD fit occasionally in your diet if that appeals to you, it's just not something that does to me.

amusedmonkey

I like it sometimes. It sells mostly "sometime foods", not unlike pecan pie or homemade cheddar biscuits. It has never been a famous for high nutrient density foods and that's not why people eat there. I'm pretty neutral towards it and I don't really care if they introduce lower calorie options or not, because I'm going to order the big mac or the swiss angus anyway. I eat the food there for what it is: fast greasy salty food.

Lounmoun

I don't really think it is better or worse than any restaurant serving similar foods.

Graelwyn75

I have never been a burger person, to be honest. The only burgers I have had of late were one at a small, local breakfast/diner style place that uses really high quality, thick, 100% beef and a Uk Restaurant called Bills, that does this amazing lamb burger... I was curious and wanted to try it. My 'fast' food of choice is Pizza, and that has to be the proper, thin stretched Italian style with lots of toppings.

sgt1372

The only thing I buy at McD's is black coffee because it only costs $1 for any size.

slessofme

All day breakfast is amazing. Even at 1200 calories a day, I can fit an egg white delight, hashbrown and coffee with cream in almost anytime.

DonM46

I haven't been to McD's in a couple of years. I liked their Homestyle burger, but not much else.

corinasue1143

I love McDonalds. Tea.

LZMiner

I love McDonalds. Love their chicken tenders....hope they keep them on the menu! My go-to is their southwest salad.

Jancandoit7

I don't eat fast food in general- makes me feel sick after ingesting, but I must admit to liking their french fries when they're hot. Not much else there interests me-

sksk1026

You'd have to take my Egg McMuffin from my cold, dead hand!

GemstoneofHeart

I eat the egg white delight for breakfast regularly. I ate one today with a coffee. It’s only 260 calories!!!
I think they have done a great job of marketing better to keep up with what the trends are with more boutique style food and the need to feel like your food is “clean pure natural”. It’s marketing, not necessarily that their food suppliers are higher quality.

Idontcareyoupick

I must be the weird one. I love McDonald's fries. My son and I go about once a month and I get the 6pc kids meal and he gets 2 toys. I love the Pico guacamole sandwich but its about half my daily calories so I leave that alone now

Cbean08

I can't get over the smell of it. Something about McDs food smells like feet to me. However, for those who do like it, they do offer options that won't kill your calorie count. Adding a side salad and throwing away the bun on any sandwich is a nice option. Or, just order a single hamburger and a side salad. At about 400 cals, that is a normal sized meal. Even adding a kids fry won't put it too far over 500 cals total.

It's not the highest quality but it's food and it has its place in peoples' diets.

RachelElser

I get the happy meals, but I'm not going for healthy food, I'm going for Fast Food.

AngryViking1970

I had McD's for breakfast yesterday; a bacon, egg and cheese bagel and a small coffee. No regrets.