Mcdonald's

[itsgareth]

Hiya,

I'm new, but have been lurking around for a while. What I would like to know is what exactly is gluten-free on the McDonald's menu?

Since starting the diet I've avoided everything apart from Coke, and McFlurry's, so in effect making my visit to the place rather pointless. I've read up on French Fries causing concern as to whether they are safe or not but I would not like to find out for myself, first hand (i.e. eating them without knowing )

Can somebody please clear this up for me? i'm three months in and the cravings are starting to take a hold.

p.s. my apologies if this subject has been brought up before

Gareth

[Nic]

Hi, if you look on their web site they have an allergen chart and next to each food item, it is marked off which foods contain which allergens. The hamburgers and cheeseburges will show they have wheat because of the bun but if you order them without the bun they are gluten free (with the exception of the possibility of cross contamination). The fries are a tricky subject because before they get to the McDonald's restaurant, they are cooked in an oil called "pan fry". This contains wheat and milk as a flavoring. According to McDonald's, after the fries are cooked, there are no detectable amounts of gluten when tested but they do detect dairy. The review here has been mixed, some people get sick from them and some do not. They are obviously very greasy which can contribute to them making people sick. McDonald's does use a dedicated frier for the french fries which lessens the cross contamination risk. Basically, eat them at your own risk but they never made my Celiac son sick.

Nicole

[Guest Doll]

  itsgareth said:

Hiya,

I'm new, but have been lurking around for a while. What I would like to know is what exactly is gluten-free on the McDonald's menu?

Since starting the diet I've avoided everything apart from Coke, and McFlurry's, so in effect making my visit to the place rather pointless. I've read up on French Fries causing concern as to whether they are safe or not but I would not like to find out for myself, first hand (i.e. eating them without knowing )

Can somebody please clear this up for me? i'm three months in and the cravings are starting to take a hold.

p.s. my apologies if this subject has been brought up before

Gareth

Just want to add my personal experience:

I am *very* sensitive and have only gotten sick from CC less than 10% of the time from McDonalds. This is the best track record thus far! At a typical sit down restaurant (excluding Moxie's), I usually get sick more often than not. That said, people look at me like I have 3 heads when I tell them that McDonald's is the "healthiest" place for me to eat out. Sadly, it's true!

(Note that I am in Canada, and this may differ from the US/UK menu. Here, our fries have *always* been gluten-free).

What I eat:

-A Big X-tra without the bun (make sure to tell them it is for a "wheat allergy" and it can't touch a bun).

-Fries

-Bacon Ranch Salad with Chicken McGrill (the dressing has casein, but I cheat here).

This is the "Sarah Special"

[Crystalkd]

I haven't tried gluten-free at mc Donald's. I do want to say though that I love you're name! It's only the 3rd time I've seen it! I've decided to stay away from Mc Donald's completely. The chances of CC are just too great there. Their employees in the states are not taught about food allergies at all.

[SunnyDyRain]

  itsgareth said:

Hiya,

I'm new, but have been lurking around for a while. What I would like to know is what exactly is gluten-free on the McDonald's menu?

Since starting the diet I've avoided everything apart from Coke, and McFlurry's, so in effect making my visit to the place rather pointless. I've read up on French Fries causing concern as to whether they are safe or not but I would not like to find out for myself, first hand (i.e. eating them without knowing )

Can somebody please clear this up for me? i'm three months in and the cravings are starting to take a hold.

p.s. my apologies if this subject has been brought up before

Gareth

McFlurrys are never pointless! MMmmm...

I usally get a large fry and a large milkshake. I pay for it, but I think it's all the casien from the milk shake.

[itsgareth]

Thanks for all your responses. We don't really get much info regarding foods containing gluten in plublic restaurants here in the UK. So looks like I'll have to keep avoiding McDonald's, I'd rather not have it than get ill, i've come to learn that it's really not worth the pain.

  Crystalkd said:

I do want to say though that I love you're name! It's only the 3rd time I've seen it!

Hehe, thanks. For some reason most American's like it except they over exaggerate the "a" making it sound like "gaaaaaaaaaaareth"

[Crystalkd]

  itsgareth said:

Thanks for all your responses. We don't really get much info regarding foods containing gluten in plublic restaurants here in the UK. So looks like I'll have to keep avoiding McDonald's, I'd rather not have it than get ill, i've come to learn that it's really not worth the pain.

Hehe, thanks. For some reason most American's like it except they over exaggerate the "a" making it sound like "gaaaaaaaaaaareth"

lol It's a good friend of mines name. The only other time I've heard it was in regaurds to a couple that fell in love with the name so when they had thier son that's what they named him.

[Susanna]

In Living Without Magazine in the last year, there was an article written by a celiac specialist doctor about the great McDonald's fries controversy. His conclusion was that wheat is not detectable in McD's fries by the most sensitive measuring methods available. His advice was that each person make a personal decision about whether they want to indulge or not--half the people in his celiac practice do, the other half don't.

My celiac son and I always get the fries and have never had a problem. We also get the burger, or cheeseburger, or quarter pounder or big n' tasty, and order it without the bun, specifying that we're allergic to wheat, and they give it to us with a big piece of lettuce for a wrap usually. We've never had any problems. WE also get the parfait, and just don't sprinkle on the granola, we get the side salad and any dressing, we get the sundae, mcflurry, drinks. No probs.

good luck,

Susanna

[nikki-uk]

  itsgareth said:

Thanks for all your responses. We don't really get much info regarding foods containing gluten in plublic restaurants here in the UK. So looks like I'll have to keep avoiding McDonald's, I'd rather not have it than get ill, i've come to learn that it's really not worth the pain.

Hi Gareth, fellow Brit here.

Fries are ok unless there is another 'special' on (e.g potato wedges) as these are fried in with the chips but have a flour coating on them. (I think there are 'mexican' potato wedges on at the moment - so hold off on the fries)

Anything else - look at the back off the paper sheet that is placed on the trays - it lists what's in everything

I'd say it's a bit hit and miss with Mc D's. The potential for cross contamination is big - but sometimes it's SOO nice to eat convenience food.

[Karen B.]

  Crystalkd said:

I haven't tried gluten-free at mc Donald's. I do want to say though that I love you're name! It's only the 3rd time I've seen it! I've decided to stay away from Mc Donald's completely. The chances of CC are just too great there. Their employees in the states are not taught about food allergies at all.

I thought this was funny because I got a whole spiel from a McDonalds manager about all the training she received to make sure she could accomodate kids with food allergies. That was several years ago but I've always found them accomodating about making sure my food doesn't touch where bread was. I'm bummed because their grilled chicken now contains wheat. It was my favorite item. I tell the guys at work that McDonalds isn't unhealthy -- you're the one that decides whether to order fries or apple slices.

[abigail]

My son always have the fries with no problem, also the burguers and please make sure that you ask them without bread and please take the patty out of the grill with a new plastic forlk (

otherwise thell use the same spatula that take the patty from the grill to the bread, and touch it!!!)

abi

[Guest Doll]

Finland (which has the highest rate of Celiac and Type 1 diabetes in the world) offers gluten free Big Macs, as does Sweden. Very cool. Guess where I'm moving.....