Well, I don`t know why it`s a treat either, but I hope you`ll not be too disappointed. It`s a treat because it`s marketed as such but not because it`s good! Can recommend the strawberry milkshake, though (although it has some 500kcal).

ha.. I always thought their burgers were terrible, even when I was a kid I didn't like them. I used to like the chicken nuggets till I read how they were made.

I'm curious too if that was your first time EVER at a McDonalds? It's interesting to know how someone who's never been to one before thinks of it.

Don't go to Burger King, it's just as bad or even worse than McDonalds. I went to their site and looked at their nutritional facts and I was shocked.

I have the tender grill chicken salad from Buger King -- it's not bad for calories!

I eat at McDonalds' three times a week. It was part of my last successful food plan and it fits calorie-wise, convenience-wise and I like it.

I eat a small vanilla cone, a side salad with 1/2 ranch dressing, and 6 chicken McNuggets wth honey mustard dressing. About 600 calories. Not too bad fat-wise and no trans-fat anymore; all together has about 54 carbs. It's my main meal on those days. Other days I eat at home and make sure I eat veggies, fruit, grains, not much meat or poultry.

When I was living in Lithuania went there just to feel like I was at home once in a while.

I usually get a fruit parfait and an unsweet tea here in the states when I am trying to count calories..then I go to Subway or home to eat a meal. Great choice in your situation though... :)

I weep that you are in Paris and eating at McDonalds! Wahh!!! Although I get that she's your host mother and I think you were very gracious.

When we were in Paris this summer, I was chaperoning 4 American teenagers for a week. One wanted to eat at Subway. I thought "Over my dead body." We were in PARIS! Le sigh.

I think their fruit parfait makes up for the unsweetened tea!

My kids love McDonalds. I usually get them the nuggets and apples. Myself I always get 2 grilled chicken patties(120 cals each) then I have them add some shredded lettuce and pickle to the tops. I usually get unsweetened tea and either yogurt or an ice cream for dessert. It is a really low cal meal (390-400 cals) that I enjoy plus it's really cheap. They only charge $1 for each chicken patty plus $1 each for the tea and yogurt.

I never liked fast food hamburgers, they are pretty horrid. I think I've had a McDonald's hamburger once and I was pretty young (8? 10?). I used to go to McDonalds for one thing and that was the soft serve. I used to love soft serve. I didn't go often but every once in a while on a hot summers day I would.

When I was studying in France in college (Tours) we took a Sunday trip to the McDonalds - it was a big deal for my host family to take me to do something that would make me feel at home. :dizzy: I had a hard time convincing them I didn't want to do it every Sunday I was there... By the time we did go I had eaten no fried foods for almost six weeks and the nuggets I got promptly made me sick. I think that convinced them I was telling the truth about not wanting to go to McDonald's! :)

It wasn't my first time at McDonald's, but it was my first time eating the food. Before when I went with friends I ordered Diet Coke or water. All of your ideas sound good though, so I know what to do if I get stuck in this situation again! Thanks!

P.S. I am so habituated to French now that I wrote this entire post in French before I realized what I had done. Oh man...

That is AWESOME!!! :carrot:

That's awesome :).

And I'd love to hear what your experience has been of the way real French people eat compared to the idealized French diet we're supposed to emulate.