My host mother wants to take me to McDonalds today! I have never eaten there, so I have no idea what it's like. I researched the nutrition and it seems that a small cheeseburger with small fries seems reasonable calorie-wise, but it just puts me over the edge on the sodium/fat department. The salads seem to carry WAY more calories than I find acceptable. I don't know what to do? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Apparently McDo here is a special treat and my host mother is all excited about it.

I think it's great you are researching this ahead of time. You could get a kid's meal, small hamburger and small fry and a small diet drink or water. At most McDonalds you can substitute these things called apple dippers for fries and also 1% milk for a soda. If memory serves a kids meal with hamburger, apple dippers and 1% milk is under 450 calories. You could look on their website. (Plus you get a little toy with your kid's meal!)

Unfortunately, the menu in McDonald's france is a little more limited(I forgot to mention that I'm in Paris), although I can buy a beer with my meal if I so wish haha. But I think in general a kids meal will be alright, even if my host mother does laugh at me .

I wondered why a McD meal was a "treat" but understand now. I guess you'll just have to do your best and order the smallest meal you can. The thought of ordering beer or wine at McD's blows my mind!

I've heard that the small burger and fries are the lowest calories. Watch out if you plan to get the kid's menu, I could totally see the French cashier not going for that.

I get a grilled chicken and throw out half of the bun and no mayo. Then I get a small side salad with low fat or fat free dressing.

i'm in europe too, and the mc nugget happy meal with coffee or water is the lowest calorie combination bar salad. i was actually there today! i do weight watchers and its 6.5 points for the 4 nuggets, small fries and coffee. really hit the spot too!
hope this helps! enjoy!

I personally think MacDonald's hamburgers are the worst hamburgers on the planet , but if she wants to take you. the menu will not be the same in France as it is in US. I would order a hamburger and not eat the bun or only eat half of it and I would not order fries. You just do rhe best you can with the menu and your host mother will be so pleased, she evidently thinks this will be a treat for you.

I agree with Bargoo. If I have to eat at a place like that, I go for either a piece of chicken or a small burger, order it with extra veggies on it, then ditch the bun altogether, just eat the meat and veggies, no fries, and just water. The bun is usually 220-250 cals all by itself, so this saves some cals, plus you're saving yourself the high carb insulin spike from the bread. The sodium will likely be high no matter what you order, so the scale may not like you for a day or two, but it's only temporary, as long as you stay on plan the rest of the time.

ETA: skip the cheese on the burger, too, if you can stand it.

I got a little hamburger with a side salad that came with a little packet of vinaigrette! The salad was average, but the hamburger was horrid. I pretended to enjoy the hamburger and salad because I didn't want to be rude. McDo is a huge treat for her and since shes going to be gone for a few days, I am at liberty now to eat my own dinner.

I don't see myself eating there in the forseeable future.

I never go to MacDonald's. If I am forced to eat fast food ( ON a road trip, or somewhere where I have no choice ) I prefer Carl's Jr or Burger King to MacDonald's.

Interesting!

Too bad I have to return to McDo often for the free wifi...I really don't like the smell.

Do they have the nice salads there? I actually really like eating at mcdonalds. The Southwest Salad is excellent and has really yummy low-calorie dressing. I eat there a few times a month and love it!

Peachy, I'm very curious... did you mean you'd never been to ANY McDo before (even in the states) or did you just mean you haven't been yet in Paris?

If you've never eaten in McDo before, WOW... major accomplishment!!! I hardly ever eat fast food and haven't been in a McDon for maybe 3 years, but I certainly have been to one many times in my life.

Just wondering...