Lunch at McDonald's.....WOW.

135

Replies

  • EmmieSu
    EmmieSu Posts: 136
    This is what I did to solve that problem...Looked up the local fast food joints nutritional info on the web, created 3 meals that I would be comfortable eating, and wrote them in a small notepad, that I kept in my purse or glove box. When faced with eating fast food, I knew what I could eat without the guilt, or was willing to make the difference up with exercise. We always have a choice, doesn't always mean that we'll make the best decision, but we learn from it and start anew in the morning. The boxes and wrappers do have nutritional information on them, but by then it's a little too late. Make up for it with exercise. Be prepared, then you'll never be shocked.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense

    Well......my choice was either eat at mcdonald's around lunchtime....or not eat until 9pm. Glad I chose to eat. Could have made better choices AT mcdonald's though.

    Wish it were a law to post nutritional values (never saw any posted in KS, OK, MO)......flyer on the trays were blank on the back.

    I ate well the rest of the day. So it's not a big deal.

    It's a federal law if you're in the states...
  • JJeMitchell
    JJeMitchell Posts: 160 Member
    The Southwest salad is pretty good.

    A McChicken sandwich is 360 cals....a 6 piece chicken McNuggets is under 300 too.

    You can get oatmeal and iced coffee (around 400 calories) yum!

    I've totally been in situations where I "had to" eat there- If I'm with my family and they stop there...I'm not going to skip lunch or dinner when I am hungry.

    I've met friends there and gone there for lunch with work people- I'm not going to refuse to go. There are healthy options and healthy meals, you just have to look it up ahead of time.

    I lost 30 lbs. in 3 months and had McDonalds about once a week with my friends from work. I just got salad and coffee- never a burger.
  • seal57
    seal57 Posts: 1,259 Member
    My lunch today......cost less than $3.50 and was 900 calories. I knew it'd be high.....but I didn't have a choice. Wish they'd post nutritional info. I asked......they didn't have any flyers. :o( Tomorrow is a new day.

    In NY all of the calories are posted at McDonald's.... I wonder if that's a law?

    Same here in Australia....
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    This is what I did to solve that problem...

    stay out of that cesspool. you have better choices at a gas station
  • femmi1120
    femmi1120 Posts: 473 Member
    My lunch today......cost less than $3.50 and was 900 calories. I knew it'd be high.....but I didn't have a choice. Wish they'd post nutritional info. I asked......they didn't have any flyers. :o( Tomorrow is a new day.

    Not sure if this has been mentioned, but if you have a smartphone, there's an app called restaurant nutrition that has nutrition info for just about every major restaurant/fast food chain out there
  • cherriewilliams
    cherriewilliams Posts: 107 Member
    And since i have kids and I'm out running around all the time I have gone to the websites of all the fast food places in the area and in a small notebook I have made a list of low calorie things from each place with the amount of calories. I keep it in my car and only order off my list. It has really made a big difference in the amount of calories I eat while I'm away from home.
  • ohsweetcalamity
    ohsweetcalamity Posts: 78 Member
    Even without someone handing you a pamphlet outlining the exact caloric values, you should probably be able to remember that beef, cheese, bread made entirely of sugar and sawdust, and deep fried potatoes are probably less healthy than a salad, even drenched in dressing and croutons and niblets and cranberries and whatever else they cram in there.

    "Cheeseburger and fries.... now is that in the healthy or not healthy group? I just can't remember! Panic!"

    Seriously, why would you post this if you didn't want to be held accountable?
  • natalieg0307
    natalieg0307 Posts: 237 Member
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense


    Rude and not helpful.Tthough if it makes you feel better to pass judgement, you could just keep it to yourself next time. Better yet as others have done, offer a suggestion that adds to the conversation.

    Thanks. ^^^^^^

    Even with a crazy caloric lunch.....a short workout.......good food the rest of the day....only 200 over my daily goal. :smile:
  • wdruker
    wdruker Posts: 77 Member
    I thought that McDonald placed the nutrition info on the back of the paper that is placed on the trays. Now I'll have to look one day.


    Last month I was there and that's where I found it. I practically choked eating my wrap that I thought wasn't too bad. I should have had a kids hamburger and apples.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    My lunch today......cost less than $3.50 and was 900 calories. I knew it'd be high.....but I didn't have a choice. Wish they'd post nutritional info. I asked......they didn't have any flyers. :o( Tomorrow is a new day.

    Not sure if this has been mentioned, but if you have a smartphone, there's an app called restaurant nutrition that has nutrition info for just about every major restaurant/fast food chain out there

    Things like this make me so sad that my phone is of merely average IQ. :-(
  • triadvocate
    triadvocate Posts: 15 Member
    I totally understand as a social worker I used to run into the "eat out" or "skip lunch" dilemma. SO what I started to do was pack a container ( or a zip lock bag) with salad stuff. If I'm working alone I"ll usually leave it in my truck. If I'm out with another worker I'll just bring it with me and eat it while we are between clients. It's really simple and you always have a choice.

    My simple lunch :flowerforyou:

    2 cups of spring mix
    tyson or foster farms grilled chicken strips (*** the chicken strips are already cooked)
    craisons and/or glazed walnuts. ( depending on your fat limit--you might want to skip the nuts. fat is fat on this thing after all)

    pack spring mix/ spinach separately ( a baggie full doesn't take up a lotta room
    put the chicken in tuperware
    just bring the whole bag of crasians they not only GREAT on a salad and as a snack.
    I never bring dressing so that eliminates a problem all together.

    It's also easy to carry cut up apples. peppers. and various other veggies for snacks as well. I hate to say it but there are very few "good excuses" to eat fast food if you know how to pack for your day.
  • spacecase76
    spacecase76 Posts: 673 Member
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense

    Well......my choice was either eat at mcdonald's around lunchtime....or not eat until 9pm. Glad I chose to eat. Could have made better choices AT mcdonald's though.

    Wish it were a law to post nutritional values (never saw any posted in KS, OK, MO)......flyer on the trays were blank on the back.

    I ate well the rest of the day. So it's not a big deal.

    It's a federal law if you're in the states...

    Not all states. Heck. Not MOST states.
  • luhluhlaura
    luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member


    Thanks. ^^^^^^

    Even with a crazy caloric lunch.....a short workout.......good food the rest of the day....only 200 over my daily goal. :smile:

    Good for you! We all have those days. If it makes you feel any better, on my birthday this past friday I went over by about 1000 calories -____- (needless to say there's been a lot of lettuce in my meals these past couple days!)
    Tomorrow is a new day.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense


    Rude and not helpful.Tthough if it makes you feel better to pass judgement, you could just keep it to yourself next time. Better yet as others have done, offer a suggestion that adds to the conversation.

    ha...you are passing judgment on me. feel better?
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    1. There are times really in social settings we have little to no choice.
    2. There are times when we may be a bit over our calorie count for one day -- it is OK... We can either make it up another day or have it banked from a day prior. The key is not to make it a habit.
    3. When I go to Mickey - D's, I opt for the grilled chicken and can usually get it under my caloric needs for the day... Not too bad and much more feasible than the Angus Beef I USED to opt for.
    4. Hmmm, I wish our energy for our cars were that cheap --- Almost 3 calories per penny....
    5. Calories really are not bad. We need to get that out of our thinking (within reason)... Our dietary lifestyle is an economy... We need to have outflow for the input... dead even (on average) for weight maintenance and for reduction.... more outflow. We can increase exercise and accomplish our overall goal. That being said... sometimes, we will be over our allotment. That is OK. It is only one day. It is when it becomes a LIFESTYLE that it becomes a real issue.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense

    I agree^
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense

    Well......my choice was either eat at mcdonald's around lunchtime....or not eat until 9pm. Glad I chose to eat. Could have made better choices AT mcdonald's though.

    Wish it were a law to post nutritional values (never saw any posted in KS, OK, MO)......flyer on the trays were blank on the back.

    I ate well the rest of the day. So it's not a big deal.

    It's a federal law if you're in the states...

    Not all states. Heck. Not MOST states.

    Yeah NC and SC do not have info posted on the menus like people are talking about in NY. I wish they did, it would make things easier when I hit restaurants that I'm not so familiar with. Thankfully I can *usually* look up info before I go, except for some restaurants that do not provide it at all (ugh like Ruth's Chris - no telling how much I ate on my date night this weekend, but that was a planned 'high calorie day' simply b/c I knew I wasn't going to stay under with that rich food), but it would be so helpful to see a number right there on the menu.....
  • EmmieSu
    EmmieSu Posts: 136
    This is what I did to solve that problem...

    stay out of that cesspool. you have better choices at a gas station

    Are you serious?? You must have some nutrition friendly gas stations. Gas station food scares me.
  • lisakyle_11
    lisakyle_11 Posts: 420 Member
    here in California they post the nutritional values on the menu...but either way, i usually opt for the grilled/classic chicken w/o mayo...maybe eat 1/2 the bun (cause let's face it - it's a pain in the *kitten* to eat a sandwich without any bread!). then get coffee, water or a diet coke and maybe eat a few of the apple slices. total around 400 (prob less).
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    This is what I did to solve that problem...

    stay out of that cesspool. you have better choices at a gas station

    Are you serious?? You must have some nutrition friendly gas stations. Gas station food scares me.

    peanuts...beef jerky..yogurt...milk...all available at most every gas station and all much better than over processed chemicals and grease from Mcdonals
  • Sparkz1920
    Sparkz1920 Posts: 33 Member
    im on the road a lot with my kids....when i go to mcdonalds i get a grilled chicken classic and throw away the bun and a diet coke....you could get apples too.....

    ^^^^ This

    i still eat the bun. i think the entire sandwich is like 240 calories. Chicken, lettuce mayo and the bun. Its pretty tasty too
  • pattan59801
    pattan59801 Posts: 142
    get the yogurt for a dressing on the salad
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    All the burgers are full of trans fat. It's not just about calories.
  • mrsgroove
    mrsgroove Posts: 44
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense


    Rude and not helpful.Tthoubut gh if it makes you feel better to pass judgement, you could just keep it to yourself next time. Better yet as others have done, offer a suggestion that adds to the conversation.

    ha...you are passing judgment on me. feel better?
    Yeah, I feel a little better...Thanks for asking. I realize the irony. I'm sure you've had alot sucess (though there is no way to tell since your profile is all private-tized) and you only want to help people improve their health so I vote we put DAVE in charge of bustin' chops. A little tough love is probably what some people need. He can't be a bad guy, he has kittens on his profile pic.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    All the burgers are full of trans fat. It's not just about calories.

    the chicken is so full of preservatives and chemicals to make it tasty anyone would gag if they saw them on a plate

    bottom line...you get what you pay for...it isnt cheap because they love us...they just want you to think its "not that bad". It is truly scary garbage and should be avoided at all cost.
  • EmmieSu
    EmmieSu Posts: 136
    This is what I did to solve that problem...

    stay out of that cesspool. you have better choices at a gas station

    Are you serious?? You must have some nutrition friendly gas stations. Gas station food scares me.

    peanuts...beef jerky..yogurt...milk...all available at most every gas station and all much better than over processed chemicals and grease from Mcdonals

    True!! To eat peanuts for lunch would be a change in our American thinking. lol There are alway better choices, we just have to be prepared to make them.
  • ohsweetcalamity
    ohsweetcalamity Posts: 78 Member
    .....but I didn't have a choice. .

    nonsense


    Rude and not helpful.Tthoubut gh if it makes you feel better to pass judgement, you could just keep it to yourself next time. Better yet as others have done, offer a suggestion that adds to the conversation.

    ha...you are passing judgment on me. feel better?
    Yeah, I feel a little better...Thanks for asking. I realize the irony. I'm sure you've had alot sucess (though there is no way to tell since your profile is all private-tized) and you only want to help people improve their health so I vote we put DAVE in charge of bustin' chops. A little tough love is probably what some people need. He can't be a bad guy, he has kittens on his profile pic.

    Lmao.... but I wanted to be in charge of the chop-bustin'. Really though this is all a bit ridiculous. Suggestion for tomorrow's headlines? How about " A lady eats too much McDonalds somewhere in the midwest: INTERNET CHAOS ENSUES."
  • natalieg0307
    natalieg0307 Posts: 237 Member
    Can't remember the last time I was at McDonald's before today. I worded my OP poorly. I DID have a choice at what to select at McDonald's. But if I wanted to eat.....McDonald's was my ONLY choice.

    I don't regret eating there or what I ordered. Love, love, love their fries and sweet tea......McDouble was okay. Gotta do what you gotta do in a rush.

    At the end of the day.....only 235 over my daily calorie goal. No big deal. But now that I think about it.......I do regret getting the tea. It's almost midnight and I'm still awake.

    And if it's a federal law, like many have posted......to post nutritional info.....many states are not following.
  • babygurl48
    babygurl48 Posts: 1,237 Member
    I thought that McDonald placed the nutrition info on the back of the paper that is placed on the trays. Now I'll have to look one day.
    they do here in Canada
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