To think McDonald's isn't actually That bad...it's not cardboard and cows ears as people seem to think?

[WittiestUsernameEver]

Looking at the ingredients in most of it, it's fine??

They use organic milk, free range eggs, burgers are meat and salt, probably better quality stuff than the likes of Harvester burgers etc.

People talk about it like you're feeding your kids arsenic, rats piss and pig shit...

Because they are. The salad bits are minute. The bread is upf. The potatoes are just chips. The meat is ok, but includes fat and additives.

No one seriously thinks McDonald's is healthy.

Eating it occasionally is not going to do much damage but you're better off not eating it.

I agree OP. A McDonald’s burger is 248 calories and 13g protein. People look horrified when I suggest subbing it for a protein bar but it’s more filling and less crap than most bars that are promoted as healthy.

Right, but it doesn’t make it healthy. It’s not a nutritionally balanced meal. It’s very high in saturated fat. And anything deep fried is bad for you. Its the sort of meal you would eat very rarely as a treat and you would make up for it the rest of the day by eating fruit and veg.

It it isn't full of salt... Maybe that's why it isn't as tasty?

A big Mac has 2.2g of salt. A KFC fillet tower burger has nearly 4g.

That's the kid of thing I mean about people thinking it's utter garbage. Yes, it's not "good food" but it isn't as awful as people make it out??

I'm not trying to say it's healthy.

But it's just food. No different to what you'd find in the frozen section of a supermarket.

But its got the same nutrition in it as other meat/bread/potatoes/salad bits?

People are so stupid about 'homemade' (and I speak as someone who makes virtually everything myself, for reasons that are too long and boring to go into.

Another thread running at the moment, some OP is slagging off her husband because he ate a load of biscuits she baked - she prefaced the post by citing that she was making these because they're healthier snacks for her kids (than shop bought)

Yes they are not UPF, but they have the same nutrition in them as shop bought.

So are most pre-prepared supermarket salads.

I'm not trying to say it's the most nutritious thing out there, just that I don't believe it's as awful as everyone MN likes to make out. It's just food.

MCDonalds source a lot of their ingredients from UK farms so it’s all high standard, meets our food safety and environmental criteria etc.

I could smash a Big Mac meal and an apple pie right now 🤣

It's fried meat, deep fried potatoes (actually deep fried twice) and processed white bread. Minimal fresh foods and wholefoods, not cooked in the most healthy way and served with sugar-heavy condiments. It's OK for an occasional treat.

When I walk past a local drive-thru, a lot of the customers seem to be people who drive a lot for their job, so I suspect it's a regular meal for many of them.

This.

It's not got as many additives and chemicals as the USA Maccie's, because our food standards are better (although this is mostly due to EU law and could change in the coming years).

Even so, it's still pretty rubbish food and best as an occasional treat.

A meal consisting of fried meat and potatoes and UPF bread buns with no veg isn't good for you, whether or not there are extra chemical nasties.

It's not the burger that's bad, it's the crap it comes with:

Big Mac Bun Ingredients: EITHER: WHEAT Flour (contains Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Sugar, Cream Yeast, SESAME Seeds, Vegetable Oil (Rapeseed, Coconut), Potato Starch, Salt, Emulsifier (Mono- and Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Pea Protein, Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Maize Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Maize Starch, WHEAT Starch, Natural Flavouring, WHEATMaltodextrin.
OR: WHEAT Flour (contains Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Sugar, SESAME Seeds, Rapeseed Oil, Glaze (Water, Pea Protein, Dextrose, Maize Starch), Potato Starch, Salt, Yeast, Natural Flavourings, WHEAT Gluten, Emulsifier (Mono- and Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid).
Potential Allergen Ingredient:N.B. Both the above may contain traces of milk, barley and rye.

Beef PattyIngredients: 100% Pure Beef.
No additives, fillers, binders, preservatives or flavour enhancers. Just pure forequarter and flank. A little salt and pepper is added to season after cooking.
Lettuce (Iceberg)Ingredients: 100% Iceberg Lettuce.

Big Mac SauceIngredients: Water, Rapeseed Oil, Gherkin, Spirit Vinegar, Sugar, Modified Maize Starch,
Allergen Ingredient:Free Range EGG Yolk, Spices (contain
Allergen Ingredient:MUSTARD), Salt, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Thickener (Xanthan Gum), Natural Flavourings, Firming Agent (Calcium Chloride).
Cheddar Cheese Slice (processed)Ingredients: EITHER: Vegetarian Cheddar (51%) (
Allergen Ingredient:MILK), Water, Vegetarian Cheese (9%) (
Allergen Ingredient:MILK), Whey Powder (
Allergen Ingredient:MILK), Butter (
Allergen Ingredient:MILK), Emulsifying Salts (Trisodium Citrate, Tripotassium Citrate, Citric Acid),
Allergen Ingredient:MILK Protein, Natural Cheese Flavouring (
Allergen Ingredient:MILK), Salt, Colours (Carotene, Paprika Extract), Anti-Caking Agent (Lecithins).
OR: Vegetarian Cheddar Cheese (51%) (MILK), Water, Vegetarian Cheese (9%) (MILK), Butter (MILK), Skimmed MILK Powder, Emulsifying Salts (Trisodium Citrate, Tripotassium Citrate), Natural Cheese Flavouring (MILK), MILK Proteins, Salt, Colours (Beta-Carotene, Paprika Extract), Acid (Citric Acid), Anti-Caking Agent (Lecithins).
Pickle Slices Ingredients: Gherkins, Water, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Firming Agent (Calcium Chloride), Natural Flavouring, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate).
OnionsIngredients: 100% Onion.

(from McD's website)

It's not even something I would class as food!

Well this thread has NOT convinced me the food is 'actually fine'

The opposite in fact

Horrific?

I think the salad is full of preservatives. I used to work there and it would come in huge bags already pre sliced. I can't remember exactly what the shelf life was though.

100% beef doesn't mean fillet. It can be all random parts of the cow (or horse) minced up into powder then reformed into a burger shape. Factory floor scrapings as my dad used to say.

I very rarely eat it but we have a six hour road trip in a week's time with a very early start, you can bet your life that it will include a mcMuffin, it's quick relatively cheap and consistent.
There's one near a local venue popular for children's parties ds doesn't really like McDonald's (I know I know) , so he gets the carrot sticks, fish fingers, bottle of milk and the extra apple and grape bag, yes the fish fingers are fried but I don't think it's that bad every couple of months with his friends. I don't think here is too bad in terms of additives etc compared to the US but it's certainly a once in a blue moon thing rather than a weekly occurrence

@LongSinceGotUpAndGone that's not really any worse than what's available from Tesco, though?

Burger buns INGREDIENTS: Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin], Water, Sesame Seed (3.5%), Palm Oil, Yeast, Spirit Vinegar, Dextrose, Salt, Fermented Wheat Flour, Emulsifiers (Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Mono- and Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Soya Flour, Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic Acid).

or sliced cheese: INGREDIENTS: Cheese (60%) (MILK), Palm Oil, Water, MILK proteins, Emulsifying Salts (Sodium Polyphosphate, Calcium Phosphates), Modified Potato Starch, Flavouring (Contains MILK), Colours (Beta Carotene, Paprika Extract), Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid).

or normal Ketchup: INGREDIENTS: Tomato Purée, Sugar, Spirit Vinegar, Modified Maize Starch, Salt, Onion Powder, Flavouring, Garlic Powder, Spices.

I mean, it's just the same food as you'd find in the frozen/cupboard section of a supermarket, isn't it? I don't see how anything you've listed is worse?

It's just meat, cheese, bread, sauce and potatoes, for the most part.

It's no different from buying a frozen burger and bread rolls in Tesco in terms of nutrition, it's just that McDonald's fry it all whereas at home it's generally oven baked.

I'm not saying it is worse than Tesco's frozen food - the question posed in the OP was 'AIBU to think McDonald's is not that bad' not 'AIBU to think McDonalds is no worse than Tesco's frozen food'.

But most of us wouldn't think twice about buying supermarket bread buns, ketchup or burgers - that's my point. It's not awful food - it's just food. And it's really not that bad.

I barely eat any meat at home but have a McDonald's maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I don't really understand why eating the less desirable parts of the cow is a problem if it tastes okay? Eating meat at all is fairly unpalatable when you think about it; I don't really see how eating one part of a cow over another is 'better'. I'm the old days they always ate random animals parts like pigs' ears, didn't they?

Fucking awful stuff. Only eaten in absolute emergencies. I can count on one hand the number of McDonald's eaten in the last ten years.

I can't see the issue with eating the "undesirable" bits of a cow personally - surely it's better than it going to waste?

Im sure its not the worst thing out there but somehow, I do not feel good after eating it any more (i didn't notice this when younger - only since about age 30).there's something about it, you eat it rather fast and then are left feeling bloated.

Generally though, food standards in the uk are high. Some of the concerns about upf don't hold as true here as the US as generally even processed foods contain far less addictives/preservatives etc compared with the US.

It's also nutritionally very similar to a ham sandwich, crisps and drink and you don't get regular threads about how unhealthy and disgusting they are.

I don't like burgers at all but don't mind a fish filet and they save a purpose for me that I can get a quick lunch that is cheap enough to be covered by my works expenses policy when out on the road. Its also preferable to a supermarket sandwich that's had all the flavour refrigerated out of it.