[mocha74]

Anyone tried any of the McDonald's salads? A co-worker and myslef checked out the nutrition info. on their website and found out that the grilled chicken ceasar salad with the vinaigrette dressing is the leanest one (of course w/out the chicken it would be a lot less calories though if you really want to cut down on the cals.). I'm thinking about trying one later on in the week and would like some feedback on the taste and if it fills you up or not. All input is welcome (positive or negative).

[Idealperson]

I liked the salad, but it wasn't very filling. also, it was 400 calories and 23 grams of fat with the Newman's dressing, they didn't have any low fat varieties. I prefer to make my own and add chicken or tuna, but if you have your own dressing it wouldn't be so high in fat and calories.

[SuchAPrettyFace]

Check out my journal for more info....or I could just past it here for you, since it was last week.

McDonald's you sick, fabulous *******s.

Ok, so you can look up the ingredients on the salad. The grilled chicken breast has HYDROGENATED OIL as one of their ingredients. Supposedly the healthiest thing you can order there contains a trans-fatty acid. How much sense does that make? I'm serious, check out all the ingredients for just the chicken breast. I'm sorry, but a list of salad ingredients should not be that long.

So I've made a decision. When I eat at places like this, I'm just going to order a cheeseburger, and make sure I'm really craving one. Otherwise, what is the point? I wish they'd get it through their numb skulls that TFA's need to be removed from all their foods, or never added in the first place.

And yes, I'm well aware of the other side of the coin, "What did you expect, fata$$, you went to McDonald's". Yes, darling. I know that. Next time I will go to Wendy's. I never use the noodles anyway.

So that's my story, I'm sticking to it. Going for a walk after work. Need to ponder some things. Hope everyone else is having a fantabulous day!!!

[mocha74]

Thanks IdealPerson and SuchAPrettyFace for the posts! Yeah I agree w/you about the long list of ingredients for chicken breast. But I believe it has such a long list because the breast has ribmeat in it. A lot of places (not just fast food restaurants) serve chicken breast with rib meat so I probably eat all that crap any way's LOL. Thanks again for the feedback

[NickyB]

Hey prettyface, you are SOOO RIGHT! If you go to a burger joint, why are you there? To eat a burger!!!

If you don't crave a burger, don't settle for half-measure cr@p that doesn't fill you up, loads your body with things it doesn't need/want and doesn't taste as good as home-made anyway.

Had a good rant there - feel much better now, thanks!

[dallasgal]

Um I just order what I want at restraunts...
I would rather kill my-self doing extra excersise.. then not eat what I want.. So I always order a water, chicken sandwich, 99c fry!

[MrsJim]

Clarification on the McD's ingredients...

The ingredients aren't because of the rib meat on the chicken breast...it's the seasoning. By law, McD's is required to list ALL ingredients.

Here's a breakdown to make it simpler:

Grilled Chicken Breast Filet: Boneless, skinless chicken breast filets with rib meat containing:

up to 12% of a solution of water,

seasoning (the following ingredients are ALL in the seasoning)

[salt, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, spices, whey,

flavor (maltodextrin, natural flavors (vegetable source), dextrose, monosodium glutamate),

partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils,

Romano cheese which contains: (Romano cheese {milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, calcium chloride}, nonfat dry milk, disodium phosphate),

parmesan cheese powder which contains: (enzyme modified parmesan cheese {milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, calcium chloride}, nonfat dry milk, disodium phosphate),

xanthan gum,

cheese flavor which contains: (dehydrated cheddar cheese {cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes}, maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract),

extractives of paprika (color),

potassium sorbate (preservative), citric acid,

and less than 2% silicon dioxide added to prevent caking,

Then back to what is actually on or in the chicken...

partially hydrogenated soybean oil and partially hydrogenated corn oil with citric acid (preservative),

sodium phosphates.

Frozen chicken (as well as other meats) are typically sprayed or injected with a solution to keep the pieces from sticking together in handling (part of the IQF "Individually quick frozen" process). As far as the rest of the ingredients...not like I'm trying to defend McD's here...but if you look at the side of a can of Kraft Parmesan cheese...I daresay you'll find a VERY long list of nearly unpronouceable ingredients. It helps to break the list down a bit...just to get an idea of what's in there.

[SuchAPrettyFace]

I'm allergic to hydrogenated oils. Thanks for the info though!!

[MrsJim]

Hydrogenated oils - I stay away from 'em myself. Trans fats and all that, ya know.

Personally, I'd just as soon get a salad at Draeger's (our local market - they have an AWESOME salad bar in the produce section) with my own dressing (balsamic vinegar and healthy oils such as safflower, peanut or flax).

[1Maya]

The old "shaker" Ceasar salad with chicken breast and vinagrette dressing was about 6 points total and it was a lot more food for about $2.69. The new salads are $3.99 in my area for less food. I tried them once and felt disgusted because I felt ripped off AND hungry afterwards. It wasn't filling at all, whereas the "shaker" salad was delicious and very filling. I won't be buying them again unless they increase the serving size.

[MikiG]

Maya, you are so right! I LOVED the grilled chicken ceasar salad and it was much cheaper and less calories. I did not like the new salads AT ALL!! Why make more expensive more fattening ones when the old ones were better??

MIKI

[QuilterInVA]

Wow, I had the California Cobb with Grilled Chicken and Low Fat Vinagrette and was stuffed. Maybe they make them bigger in my area.

[lhendricks]

Love the salads. I bring my own dressing and finish with a small yogurt parfait.

Hi Mrs.Jim. ALAS in rural Connecticut salad bars are few and far between and often filled with glop. In my next life I'll live in California.

[SuchAPrettyFace]

I love how our salad bars here in Wisconsin have 4-5 kinds of mayo- or oil- based pasta salads.

I must retract my previous beliefs on McDonald's salads.

I have ordered them w/o the chicken in the last week, and they are wonderful. I throw away 90% of the dressing, or just use my own, but wow, what a healthy dinner w/a fruit & yogurt parfait.

I just sent them an email today asking them to being back the bigger parfaits. (They only sell the $1 snack size one where I live.)

Sadly, I will no longer be eating cheeseburgers there. Even the buns have hydrogenated oil!

[pawith]

Though it might not be the lowest carb count in the salad group at McDonalds, I love the bacon ranch with grilled chicken. YUM