Healthy Menu at McDonald's

[Torn]

:bowl

Has any :fishy seen the new healthy, lighter choices menu at McDonalds? I tried the fruit and yogurt parfait and I must say, even though I was really anxious about eating it at first, just because it was different, I enjoyed it. It tasted so good! It only has plain yogurt, and blueberries and strawberries. It felt so good to be able to sit down at McDonald's and eat something with my friends. Thank goodness for the lighter choices menu. Since this was a challenge for me, I plan to have another one soon, so that I can get used to eating them and not feeling guilty. So :fishy, here's a :challenge for everyone to try a fruit and yogurt parfait or anything else from McDonald's! Good Luck!

Take Care,
:love Denise

[lilsweetie]

Ive seen this advertized. It looks yummy, especially the salads.
Yes, that yogurt thing looks good too.
Im so glad that now mcdonalds has healthier stuff to offer!!!

[dreya]

Neat! I haven't been to McDonald's in a long time, probably at least a year, because there isn't anything I can eat there, but maybe they have something okay now! I'll have to check out their website and see if they have the new menu on there.

dreya :pinkfishy

[lindsey]

Wow! I haven't been to a McDonald's in such a long time, and my husband :love to go there on occasion!

Are you in the States? Or is this in Europe?

The yogurt parfait sounds YUMMY! I will have to check it out...

Thanks for the info!!!
:love
Lindsey

[Anonymous_Member003]

Yes.
The yogurt parfaits are truly delicious.
The one I got was slightly frozen, but still awesome... I have wanted one forever but there arent many MCD's in my part of NY...

I have always thought McD's should stop doing burgers and fries and concentrate on desserts. Just desserts. Those are the best parts of McD's.

I am glad that McD's realizes they need to offer healthy options for people to select. They are showing that they are more responsible.

Yay McD's :wand

[SanFran]

Those fruit and yogurt parfaits ARE really good! :sly

I just hope no one gets triggered by this topic, since it is OK to eat .anything from McDonald's in moderation.

[Rayneonthemoon]

Oooh that's exciting, I will have to check out the new menu. I have had the yogurt parfaits and they ARE delicous :)

Love,

[Manic]

I just want to giv e big pat on the back for McDonalds in Spain,as they have had salads included in their menus for almost ten years now!! :yay

[cottagegirl]

hi there

just wanted to add a voice of dissent :smile, with lots respect to you all and your opinions, of course!

mcdonalds' new menu offends me deeply-- who the hell are they to imply (well, actually, outright state) that they give a crap about anyone's health?

they, as an organization, have done more to harm the health of north americans, as well as the health of the world's environment, than the vaste majority of us can ever imagine..

all the crap on their standard menus is GARBAGE nutritionally, bad for pretty much our whole bodies, and enviro/animal damaging to boot ( the amount of energy needed to product all the meat they serve is un-frickin real when compared to non-meat options. not to mention the impact on the earth, agricultural regions, of all the cattle... no kidding!)

i guess it just irks me that they have this huge new campaign that is supposed to change their image and imply that they give a shit about the health-value of their product. i simply do not buy it-- they are out to capture more of the consumer market by duping us into believing that their over-priced junk is somehow good for us.... and i truly believe that if the corporation that is McD's acvtually cared at all, they would run their business in a very different way.

i mean all of this respectfully towards you all- it's just such a big topic to me ( as a big flaming vegetarian and advocate of sustainable living) that i really wanted to jump into the discussion!!!

on the other hand, i am glad they are offering meat-free alternatives.... it's a step in the right direction, right?

thanks for reading everyone....
be well,
cottagegirl

[Chele]

FYI, a hamburger from McDonald's only has ####### more calories than the new parfait dealie. An ice cream cone, small fries, chicken nuggets, cookies, baked apple pie, all have less cals than the parfait (there is more than just this short list as well). So, challenge yourselves--why does the parfait seem so much "healthier" than these other foods? Is it because of eating disordered rules that you have made up in your minds as to what is a "good" and what is a "bad" food?

[Isabel_Knight]

I live in the :uk now where I don't think we have fruit and yogurt parfaits (any :uks seen them?), but I'm sure they had them last year when I lived in CT. I used to eat them regularly.

Are they the kind with a sprinkling of Granola on the top and blueberries and strawberries in the middle? If so, they are very good. :cheesy

:hugoncottagegirl:hugoff I say you're absolutely right. McDonald's doesn't give a damn about people's health. It's real interest is in making money and it will produce whatever we are willing to buy. What business is any different?

Remember they do not force their products on us. It is the choice of the consumer whether to buy their food or not. They cater to demand. If we all stopped buying greasy burgers and such like, they would stop making them in a flash.

Isabel :pinkfishy

[cottagegirl]

Hey!!!

I totally agree--- I am a very big believer in the poewr of our consumer dollar. I believe that it is one of the ways that we can each work to make changes we believe in every day.,

I struggle with the idea of how to try and change the things i see that i think are wrong and unjust in the world: how can one woman make a difference????

well, i think that you hit on it. Every day our small choices can make a difference--- so choosing what companies, products, services we choose to support with our patronage is one way to voice our opinions!

I challenge all the fishies to think about what they believe--- and to ask questions about what products and companies they are supporting. Do you believe in the way the company does business? Do you want to support the way they develop products, or no?

I am a dogged optimist under all my cynicism and sarcasm, fishies---- we can make changes in our world ( and maybe even in ourselves!)

be well,
cottagegirl
:canada

[Millificent]

Yes, of course this about money. They are a major corporation and are trying to sell what people will buy. That's how they stay in business.

Fast food places test-market different types of foods and the ones that sell the best end up on the regular menu. McD's tried to introduce a veggie burget to their menu a few years ago. Guess what - no one bought it, so they dropped the idea. They have the "crap" on their menu because it sells.

:dragon Millie

[Anonymous_Member005]

I"d like to respond to :hugon Chele :hugoff
b/c I was actually thinking the same thing I just wanted to say I agree with you

...I think for me I have safe food and non safe foods.

I'd much rahter have a :happy meal then the parfait....To me that is healthier and safer... The goal I think eventually however would be not to focus on the calories (the number) and allow urself once in awhile to try a hamburger or somethingelse that would be considered bad/good but I thkin that depends on what stage u are in recovery....

:love amanda :stars

[Mimi]

I :love :love :love the fruit & yogurt parfait~it is sooo yummy!! And yes, :hugon Isabel :hugoff, it has the granola sprinkles. :cheesy

[shockresist]

chele- in canada the fruit and yogurt is three times smaller than in the states(and we wunder why the the us is like sixty percent obese) but is still very yummy and filling. the fries/nugets etc have more cals over here so we cant really accept your challenge. :winky

i love the parfaits, i actually make something similar at home. theyre kinda expensive though. ive tried the salads and as appetizing as the roasted veggie one sounded...it tasted icky. the mandarian one was ok though. i dont think id try the burger, as i have a whole bulk pack of them in my fridge :grin
:love whit

[Catherose]

Originally posted by shockresist
chele- in canada the fruit and yogurt is three times smaller than in the states(and we wunder why the the us is like sixty percent obese) but is still very yummy and filling.

Whit- I don't know where you got sixty percent from, and I wouldn't be surprised if it were correct. However, I think it's unfair to compare Canada and the US in this way and imply that it's more of an American problem- according to http://www.obesitycanada.com/ there's about a fifty percent obesity rate there too!

Sorry if this seems trivial. It's just another stereotype about Americans that I can't stand. It especially bothers me when I hear it from a Canadian when I feel like the situation is very similar over there. It just seems like a problem that has been labeled as "American" and is now associated with my country exclusively. It exists in other places as well, to at least a similar degree.

[Mully]

Catherose...

I totally understand your confusion... I don't necessarily think she meant that it was solely an American problem, though..

This is kinda off-topic of this post... but in reply to your reply I think that there are millions of stereotypes both ways from the US to Canada and Canada to the US... we all don't speak French and live in igloos and say eh all the time! So it goes both ways!

Anyway, take care... and on topic again - I :love the fruit and yogurt parfait!

[Anonymous_Member005]

:bowl

I would just like to add my opinion to this. b/c i think its got off topic...We shouldnt be focusing on what country is more obese or not...after all we art trying to get away from focusing on numbers, peoples sizes our own sizes...

.In the US there are two different sizes of the yogurt parfait...

:love amanda :stars

I myself :love the :happy meal...but i think that has to do with receivng a toy...

:love amanda :stars

[Mully]

:hugon Amanda :hugoff

-Totally agree with ya! I'm sorry I took it further off-topic... I just felt like the line: "It especially bothers me when I hear it from a Canadian when I feel like the situation is very similar over there. It just seems like a problem that has been labeled as "American" and is now associated with my country exclusively" was not quite fair.... but that's okay! I don't know when to stop expressing my opinions!

[Anonymous_Member005]

:hugon Mully :hugoff

Sweetie I didnt mean anything against u...I understand what ur saying and ur aloud to express ur opinion...I just thought in general it had got away from the intient of the post...thats all...

:love amanda :stars

[Mully]

:hugon Amanda :hugoff

That's okay! I totally understand what you meant... end of issue until someone writes a new post about it! Thanks for replying and verifying it for me, though. Take care...

[pooh bear fan]

i want those things on our menu at mcd's in nz!!!!!
i'm vegetarian so normally get a salad burger but the lettuce is BROWN! it would be so cool to have some of other things to chose from

[urbanfaerie]

Heh...old post...but dredging it up.

I like :happy meals. Always have...it's just enough and even my N says they are a good thing if you are having to "fast food it". That and I get a toy. Still ticked they didn't have any Stitch toys that I saw. :grrr

Yeah, I'm in it for the toy...

What's the deal with "Big Kid's Meals"?? I'm a grown woman and even BEFORE I was sick this time (have had periods of normalcy...whoo) I could NOT have had THAT much food! Yipes. I think MOST people need to learn to eat socially...as in NOT woofing it all down so they are stuffed before they realize they were sated a Big Mac ago. Slowly savoring it, perhaps CHEWING it and not swallowing it whole...ya know?

Just my point o two.
heather

[SUDawggirl]

:fishys!

I may have to try that... and anyway, fruit has quite a few calories in it, which could partially explain the higher content of the calories in the parfait. However, when looking at calories, it should be quality, and not quantity that you look at (until you get to a certain point, that is). I'd much rather get my cals from a fruit and yogurt parfait than a soda and a burger! Anyway, I may have to try that sometime... I haven't been in a McDonalds in years, simply because I don't really have any good options there. I've been a semi-vegetarian for years, and on top of that (wait till you hear this!), I'm allergic to their french fries! I had to go to the emergency room once because they made my lips and nose swell up! It was almost anaphylactic! :surprise Needless to say, I no longer eat the fries, or the chicken nuggets, which are done in the same lard (absolute animal fat) that they use. Anyway, you can give me a boca burger over a McD's burger any day. They taste better to me! But at least now I have some options for when my friends want to eat there. Anyway, take care of yourselves!

:love
The :bowl's lifeguard,
Manda
:love