Mcdonalds.

My 6th grade students are doing a health project where they are comparing McDs to BK in regards to menu items (along with several other fast food restaurants in our area). Having printed off all the nutritional information for both, I can say with all honesty that NOTHING at those restaurants is good to eat, even the salads.

Even without consideration for calories, the food contains high sodium and mystery ingredients I don't want to eat.

The best choice is to eat foods brought from home.

The way I look at it is like this...

Going to McDonalds for a salad is like going to a hooker for a hug.. For me personally, I can get suckered into buying the wrong things because the smell.. oh those fries.. then you've got those McFlurries.. OH and last year, those darn frozen Stawberry Lemonades.. GAH! So I just skip it.

Why would anything ever be out of the question?

I am a manager at McDonald's... I get free food but I only eat healthier things. The grilled chicken sandwiches without sauce are ok...they are very filling...a hamburger add tomato and lettuce is not bad. I get the salads but i dont get any chicken on my salads...oatmeal, egg mcmuffins no cheese. I never eat the fries. We have fruit salads . I stay away from even the fruit parfait...the sugar is ridiculous. The grilled chicken wraps are very good but the sauce alone is a good 50 calories, so i subsitute with mustard and add tomatoe to make it more filling. The fish sandwich is the only thing I splurge on and it's 380 calories. Taking away sauces and cheese, and adding more veggies is a good way to make things less fattening and less calories and make things more filling. But stay away from the fries, shakes, frappes, fried chickens... The shakes are possibly the worst thing on the menu...along with some of the breakfasts choices... Always ask for nutritional information...it's on the back of the tray liners.

If you were only going once a year I'd say eat what you like and enjoy it. But it worries me that you say you have to eat there because it's the only place near your work- does that mean you'll be eating there five days a week? I don't think that would be great for you, whatever meal you chose.

Could you bring lunch in from home instead?

small fry, salads, hamburger & they have fruit cups/ice tea

McDonalds isn't out of the question. Eat what fits your calories and macronutrients. It's not healthy or unhealthy. Similarly, no one meal is healthy or unhealthy. What matters is the bigger picture. My advice? Eat what you want there AS LONG AS IT FITS YOUR CALORIES AND MACROS. That's it. Don't go to McDonalds and try to eat "healthy." Enjoy yourself. Unless you're eating at McDonalds every single day, the choice won't make a lick of difference. Seriously, are you going to go there and order a sandwich or salad with next to nothing? You're going to pay a premium for bland food? Sounds silly.

This x100.

I love getting a double cheesburger for lunch on a lifting day. Just enough calories to keep me full until after work, plus it's got fat and protein to power my workouts.

I wouldn't recommend eating there every day, but once in a while isn't that big of a deal. As long as calories and macros are in line you should be good to go (and those cheeseburgers have some some serious protein-calorie ratios going on).

I get the kids meal. I travel at least once a month and sometimes options are limited. Any fast food place, I get the kids meals which is probably closer to normal portion sizes. I noticed now that they have a kids fries, which is 100 calories and they give you apples. I will get salads from some places like Chick Fil A. I also like the fruit and walnuts.

But stay away from the fries, shakes, frappes, fried chickens... The shakes are possibly the worst thing on the menu...along with some of the breakfasts choices... Always ask for nutritional information...it's on the back of the tray liners.

The frappes are to DIE for. I splurge on one about once a week. A small with no whip and no drizzle but still nearly 400 calories. And TOTALLY worth it LOL.