Looking for tips on how to eat healthy at McDonald’s? Read on for my experience having lunch at McDonald’s on our recent car trip.
How to Eat Healthy at McDonald’s
Step 1: Order food
Step 2: Eat it
Let me explain….
Our recent visit to McDonald’s
On our car trip home from Bald Head Island we were in the middle of nowhere North Carolina and all cranky for lunch. We stopped at an exit that had one place to eat: McDonald’s.
Having just been in vacation mode for 12 days, I was actually looking forward to getting a salad. Sometimes I order a chicken sandwich, but I’ve gotten a salad on a car trip once or twice too. They aren’t half bad! When we pulled up to the drive-thru, Thomas tried to order my salad and the woman on the other side said: “We don’t have salads here.”
So I ended up with a spicy chicken sandwich and fries. And I shared some regular Sprite too.
We had planned to attempt eating in the car (since we’re avoiding the inside of restaurants right now). But there was an empty row out outdoor tables and 75 degrees to enjoy. So we hopped out of the car, Clorox wiped down the table, and we had a very lovely lunch outside.
I thought: I have to share this moment with my blog friends. Kath Eats McDonald’s.
BC (Before Children) I packed a healthy lunch
Back in the days before I had children I would pack the healthiest of lunches for car trips.
This meant 1) we wouldn’t have to stop and 2) I could eat healthy superfoods.
The thought of stopping for fast food was just not something that even crossed my mind. And I don’t say that in a holier-than-thou way. I just didn’t really crave it. (I still don’t crave it.) But I did have a bit of a snob attitude about fast food restaurants. I would not want to go to one of those!
But once my first toddler was old enough to care what he had for lunch, we dabbled in some fast food restaurants, mostly out of necessity. I learned the joy on his face when he got a happy meal toy was more important to me than getting him a nourishing superfood meal somewhere else.
AD: (After Dear Children Came Along) We eat lunch wherever we can!
We reserve fast food visits for car trips. Mazen doesn’t ask for McDonald’s at home, but if he did, I would say “We save fast food for our car trips to keep them special.”
Birch just eats what’s put in front of him (or not – haha) but he was equally as pleased with nuggets, apple slices, milk, and a toy.
The main reason I wouldn’t want McDonald’s to become a regular activity is because we do try to eat humanely raised meat as often as we can and we have great local restaurants to support here in Cville. So an every-now-and-then visit I’m ok with.
Why am I sharing this story?
I tell you all this because I want to emphasize that all food is good food when you’re hungry.
In the healthy living community there is often a bias against so-called junk food (I have this myself sometimes!), and I have had to unlearn that.
When you’re hungry, all that matters is that you eat something you want to eat. It’s better to satisfy your hunger and be happy than be grouchy because you’re starving waiting for something “healthier” to eat when you have access.
While I clearly aim to eat nutrient-dense and as superfood-heavy as possible, eating at McDonald’s every now and then is fine too.
Eating well doesn’t mean eating perfectly 100% of the time. Intuitive eating involves being flexible with what’s available, whether that’s ordering a McDonald’s salad or a cheeseburger. It all comes down to the Squiggly Line Effect: some days you’ll eat kale salad and some days you’ll have McDonald’s on a road trip and it all shakes out in the end at the crossroads of happy and healthy.
Beth says
Thank you for sharing this! As a fellow mom of young kids who tries to eat “healthy” most of the time but also enjoys the occasional fast food, I love how relatable this post is!
Emma says
I really appreciate this blog post. I am very much like you that a pre-kids stop at McDonalds would never even cross my mind. Now, with kids it is a necessity every now and then when we travel (and they enjoy it)! Old me would stress about the unhealthy option, new me (mom) knows that one trip through the drive through is no big deal. Honestly, the less emphasis I put on it, the better!
Kath Younger says
Exactly!
Mandy says
Wow you’ve come such a long way with your food attitudes! Amazing!
PS – wiping down surfaces obsessively is likely overkill, according to infectious disease experts 😉
Kath Younger says
I always have and always will wipe down a table at McDs 🙂
Stacey says
We wipe down tables regardless of the restaurant we’re at ESPECIALLY with kids in tow. They eat anything and everything despite where it might have been… and I can’t trust the last person didn’t leave a booger or two somewhere 😉 I’m all about healthy germs, but to me when it’s going in a mouth, that’s different!
Jenny says
Most of our body’s immune system is in our gut! I’m not saying you shouldn’t make yourself feel better by wiping things down, and I’m sure in rare cases there is some actual bacteria or virus that is eliminated by doing so, but most of the time it’s probably for your own peace of mind rather than your actual health. 🙂
Kath Younger says
I don’t mind eating food off my own floor or having a picnic in the grass, but I’m with Stacey that other people’s eating goo is not something I want to rest my arms on :0)
Andrea says
This is important!! fast food trips are definitely nothing to feel guilty about. I enjoy them, as does my 5 year old!! Thanks for sharing!!
Steph says
Love this post! Like you all, we don’t often eat fast food, so it’s a major treat for our kids when we’re on a road trip (or trying to survive a pandemic!). We sometimes pack sandwiches, etc., but a “special” meal makes travel more fun and helps maintain sanity. Thanks for keeping it real, Kath!
Terry says
The salads at Wendy’s are good, the chicken apple salad has come in handy on several road trips!!
Alexandria says
Yes! I love this. My 7 year old doesn’t eat many animal proteins but of course loves a good nugget – so sometimes we will stop for a happy meal and have an impromptu picnic. I think the memories and fun outweigh the nutrients 🙂 And as a fellow RD I have also had to “unlearn” the belief that every meal does not have to be perfectly balanced and colorful to fit into our mostly whole foods, plant based lifestyle. This conversation is so important, especially as we talk more about food equity + access. Food is nourishing, and all people deserve the opportunity to have full bellies and a variety of options.
Stacey says
What we like to do is every now and then go for a drive to get some McDonald’s fries and bring them back home. Then they have cooled off (my kids are weenies, lol) and we pair them with a healthy main dish and a side or two. Great post!
Christina says
you might find this interesting. Mcdonald’s is one of the key members in Canada:
https://crsb.ca
Kim says
But you eat Blue Apron meat… it is not all “humanely raised.”
Kath Younger says
https://blog.blueapron.com/blue-aprons-animal-welfare-policy/
Michele says
Bless you for posting this!!!
Allison Carr says
Thank you for this post. Important to acknowledge the privilege that is present in the “wellness” sphere are remember that all food is good food!
Sarah says
Love this post and just shared it with a local anti-diet culture / intuitive eating expert in my town!
Just have to ask – I noticed you referred to Mazen as “he” and Birch as “them” – was that intentional? If so, I’m super impressed at how progressive that is!
Kath Younger says
Thanks for sharing! And that was a typo….!
Ida says
This was a fun post to read! So true that healthy eating is about balance and not labeling foods as bad or off limits. I love grabbing a McDonald’s ice cream cone with my daughter and taking it to the park. I don’t want her to ever think that some foods are too unhealthy to have every now and then
Ellen says
I LOVE THIS! I hoped you’d go where you did with this post. Totally agree.
Amanda says
Great post and outlook!
Amy says
You stated my feelings perfectly!! Great post 🙂
Kerry says
This was great— especially bc you had not pre planned the meal. This is real life!! Thanks for sharing!
Phoebe says
After 14 months of eating at home with zero fast food, a McDonald cheeseburger and fries sounds heavenly!!! Must put that on my todo list when I am vaxed up!
Laura says
Love this so much! Thanks for sharing, Kath!
Elisa Wadsworth says
I totally relate to this post. It’s ok to eat what’s available when you are hungry! I think the bigger picture here is the tragic lack of healthy food choices in those middle of nowhere places. As a NC native I know too well that drive to the coast and the lack of options when it comes to stopping for food ( and kids are always hungry!) While people like you and I have the option to make a choice and eat at some really wholesome and delicious places when we are home sadly others do not have that option. I think about that sometimes and it bothers me. Healthy food shouldn’t be a privilege. I wonder your thoughts on this? What do you think could change to impact food desserts in low socio economic regions?
Kath Younger says
I totally agree with you! I was shocked that this particular McDonald’s didn’t have salads. I had peace of mind for community health knowing that the one restaurant that is on every single exit in America had fresh salads. I was wrong on that one. I think part of the question is supply and demand. If we took one of our healthy/local food places and plopped it into one of these towns, would people actually go? It would have to be the perfect formula for it to work, I think. That’s why I think it’s easier to add more nutrient dense foods to the “big shops” where people already go than try to reinvent the wheel with something new. While I don’t know that particular McDs didn’t have salads (I’ve been in some with quinoa salad offered as a side!), I think the company could work to add the trendier options to ALL locations and make them reasonably priced to add on or substitute.
xsimplex says
Last month, I was diagnosed with gastritis. I’m not allowed to eat unhealthy foods. My girls always used to eat lunch at Mcdonald and I will use this method so we can still eat lunch together. Thank you for sharing this!