Is Anything Safe At Mcdonalds?

[dandelionmom]

Maybe the ice cream? Milk shake? Anything?!

[Lisa]

  dandelionmom said:

Maybe the ice cream? Milk shake? Anything?!

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I thought that they had a gluten free listing, but this is what I found.

[ryebaby0]

Our experience at McDonald's has always been good, but your mileage may vary.....

My son and husband eat:

blizzards (just the M&M ones, obviously the oreos are out!)

fries

hash browns

plain sausage patties

burgers without the buns

yogurt parfaits (take off the packet of granola)

I think the milkshakes are gluten-free, but we don't eat them, so I don't know!

We never go to a McDonald's at "high lunchtime" i.e. noonish, or go through the drive through of McDonald's we've never been to. (We go through the drivethrough of our local all the time) I will instead go in, and watch the line and the food prep. In 4 years with 2 celiacs, I've only ever had one idiot try to peel a bun off the burger, and the manager was all over him before I was. I have decided against buying food in one or two McD's that were dirty, staffed by clueless people, and/or otherwise giving off a "run away! run away!" vibe.

We've never gotten sick -- but some people do, so you do need to be careful at first. That being said, I've never had any manager or counter person be anything but helpful. Mc D's is a subject of great emotion amongst some celiacs, so make your own choices And happy fries!

[Owen'sMom]

  ryebaby0 said:

Our experience at McDonald's has always been good, but your mileage may vary.....

My son and husband eat:

blizzards (just the M&M ones, obviously the oreos are out!)

fries

hash browns

plain sausage patties

burgers without the buns

yogurt parfaits (take off the packet of granola)

I think the milkshakes are gluten-free, but we don't eat them, so I don't know!

We never go to a McDonald's at "high lunchtime" i.e. noonish, or go through the drive through of McDonald's we've never been to. (We go through the drivethrough of our local all the time) I will instead go in, and watch the line and the food prep. In 4 years with 2 celiacs, I've only ever had one idiot try to peel a bun off the burger, and the manager was all over him before I was. I have decided against buying food in one or two McD's that were dirty, staffed by clueless people, and/or otherwise giving off a "run away! run away!" vibe.

We've never gotten sick -- but some people do, so you do need to be careful at first. That being said, I've never had any manager or counter person be anything but helpful. Mc D's is a subject of great emotion amongst some celiacs, so make your own choices And happy fries!

The Fries and Hashbrowns are not gluten free at McDonalds. On their website it states that they contain wheat.

[JennyC]

Not this debate again! The french fries have been tested for gluten and they contain less than the amount they test for, so they are considered gluten free. However, they do have WHEAT in them and I don't give my son ANYTHING with wheat, barley, rye or mainstream oats. There is enough risk of cross contamination in processed foods that do not contain gluten grains. Occasionally we will go there for a treat and get a milkshake or ice cream.

[Lisa]

I enjoy their fries.

Now, do some reasearch on the VERY EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION regarding McD's fries on this site in the past and come to your own conclusion.

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[dandelionmom]

Ice cream it is! Thanks everyone!

[ryebaby0]

As I said, great emotion....

Mc Donald's has changed to a cooking oil with no wheat protein (and the original oil tested negative for gluten anyway) and the fries are cooked in dedicated fryers. (yes, I know, you need to check your restaurant) Websites tend to be much less up-to-date than is generally assumed. Also, if you are overseas or in Canada the website info can be different. ClanThompson just reported all this, btw, but my celiacs have been eating fries on a semi-regular basis with no reaction (and they react to everything) and no elevation in their blood testing levels (and my son has a tTg test every 10 weeks to go with his other medical bloodwork).

As I said, make up your own mind, but we're eating fries!

[Jodi Mills]

Hope Ya'll enjoy your MC D's, I personally React to everything at Mcdonalds, I think its just me, so i dont eat there, or any fast food place anymore, they all make me sick, could just be a personal thing and not the celiac, but the feeling i get is the same as when i do get glutened.

Happy Eating!

[Belinda Meeker]

Hey All....

Just a lil of my own experament with Mc'D's

I hadn't cheated in any way and have been super careful not to get Gluttened,

BUT I did try eating at local Mc'D's just a few weeks back and man-o-man they r not safe by no means, even if u r careful wht u order,my son use to work at one and he was passing out cooking the fries and working the grill so go figure Yes he has Celiac Spru!

So if anyone wants to try it's is your own choice, just be careful I aslo got cross contamination at our local Wendy's safe meanu, so it is by our choice if we ever do eat out again we r staying with the only safe eat joint we have never been glutened and it is Chili's

Good Luck To All!

Bea

[larry mac]

Not everyone's cut out to work fast food. It's hot, fast paced and greasy. There's a lot of messy cleaning up, it's really hard work for low pay. Quite often, teenagers want to quit working there for a variety of teenage related reasons.

Probably not the best place for Celiac workers anyway, what with all the sandwich buns, biscuits, english muffins, pancakes, breaded fried chicken nuggets/patties, fried fish patties, cookies, big bread pretzels, ice cream cones, burritos, wraps, croutons, etc.

I eat the fries, bunless burgers, eggs, sausage and hash browns. Haven't had a problem yet.

But, I feel safer seeing my food prepared, like at McDonalds. I'm more nervous at Chili's, where you don't know what's going on in the kitchen. I ate there last week, and despite ordering very carefully, my food was served with garlic toast. Our waitress simply said "oh, they forgot to take that off". Made me wonder what else they forgot!

My teenage son also worked at McDonalds. He said they always used a dedicated fryer for the fries. I've been following this issue for over a year. I don't believe there is any wheat in the fries. If I was to get sick eating there however, I would probably be forced to reconsider.

best regards, lm

[Ursa Major]

I go to McDonald's (here in Canada) about twice a month. I usually get the warm salad, either the Caesar salad or the ranch salad with the grilled chicken (of course, the crunchy chicken is breaded), and sometimes fries.

In fact, I ate the same thing in Germany! I've never been sick so far eating the salad. And neither has my daughter, who started eating the oriental salad (with the Italian dressing, as the oriental dressing has wheat-containing soy sauce) with the grilled chicken after she tested gluten intolerant with Enterolab. She hasn't had a problem, either.

[jenilee]

Check on what is in their modified food starch because lat I checked it wasd in their ice cream. The ONLY thing I give my lil guy from there is the fruit n walnut thing. And he only eats the fruit. The walnuts are coated.

[ryebaby0]

Modified food starch in the US is, by definition, made only with corn starch, and is gluten free. Anything with wheat starch as a base would say so. (Any food product, that is, pharmaceuticals are not included in labelling laws)

[mairin]

Here is a list of ingredients, from McD's in Canada:

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Of course, it is prudent to check if the oil for fries/hash browns is dedicated.

We have not eaten at McD's since my daughter was diagnosed, we go to Wendy's instead as they provide a gluten-free menu (on their website) and we always ask about the dedicated fryer.

[cruelshoes]

  Ursa Major said:

I go to McDonald's (here in Canada) about twice a month. I usually get the warm salad, either the Caesar salad or the ranch salad with the grilled chicken (of course, the crunchy chicken is breaded), and sometimes fries.

In fact, I ate the same thing in Germany! I've never been sick so far eating the salad. And neither has my daughter, who started eating the oriental salad (with the Italian dressing, as the oriental dressing has wheat-containing soy sauce) with the grilled chicken after she tested gluten intolerant with Enterolab. She hasn't had a problem, either.

I'm so jealous! The grilled chicken in the US McDonald's salads has wheat in it. Yet another stupid place for wheat to be.

[Katester]

I went to McDonalds and got the Asian Salad. I put the dressing on and was about to take a bite as I was reading the package. I found out the salad dressing that came with had gluten in it. I brought it back to the counter and told them I have an allergy to wheat. The man gave me a new salad and gluten-free dressings to choose from. He was really great about it. The French dressing is gluten-free and delicious. I forget what the other one was...

[AliB]

Oh yuk. How anyone could consider going to McDonalds a treat I really cannot fathom!

What about an afternoon at a zoo or a park with a nice scrummy (healthy) picnic? Eating out is such a minefield. If you can find a great healthy gluten free restaurant, hang on to it like mad!

We went to the cafe at our local Hospital today (after yet another blood test) and I had a slice of ham, some plain salad and chips. I have had a pain in my back all afternoon. The chips were reconstituted potato and unbeknown to me they almost likely had gluten or dairy in them. What ever happened to good ole-fashioned REAL food????

[mamaw]

cruelshoes, did you say the US mickey D's grilled chicken contain wheat? Now, I knew of course the breaded one has wheat but the plain grilled chicken now has wheat?

I hope that was a typo error! I was going to get a grilled chicken salad this week...... arrrrrgh.

thanks

mamaw

[Lisa]

  mamaw said:

cruelshoes, did you say the US mickey D's grilled chicken contain wheat? Now, I knew of course the breaded one has wheat but the plain grilled chicken now has wheat?

I hope that was a typo error! I was going to get a grilled chicken salad this week...... arrrrrgh.

thanks

mamaw

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process=menuitems

Grilled Chicken Breast Filet

Chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (plant and animal source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika), modified potato starch, and sodium phosphates. CONTAINS: SOY AND WHEAT. Prepared with liquid margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color). CONTAINS: SOY LECITHIN

[cruelshoes]

  mamaw said:

cruelshoes, did you say the US mickey D's grilled chicken contain wheat? Now, I knew of course the breaded one has wheat but the plain grilled chicken now has wheat?

I hope that was a typo error! I was going to get a grilled chicken salad this week...... arrrrrgh.

thanks

mamaw

Nope not a typo. The grilled chicken has wheat, and has for at least the last few years since I have been diagnosed. Mama Goose posted the ingredients above. Stupid place to find wheat, huh?

[dandelionmom]

  Quote

Oh yuk. How anyone could consider going to McDonalds a treat I really cannot fathom!

What about an afternoon at a zoo or a park with a nice scrummy (healthy) picnic? Eating out is such a minefield. If you can find a great healthy gluten free restaurant, hang on to it like mad!

They're 3 and 6. And the windchill has been in the single digits for the last few weeks.

[larry mac]

  Momma Goose said:

hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins

Hey mg,

This is exactly the ingredient that's keeping me from buying some items at our ultra gourmet food store/health food store Central Market. From some of their fresh made soups to their various versions of tamales, there is this abomination.

I wish they'd make up their mind which one it is. Surely, it's not all three. Sounds like a catch-all statement.

best regards, lm

[Lisa]

  larry mac said:

Hey mg,

This is exactly the ingredient that's keeping me from buying some items at our ultra gourmet food store/health food store Central Market. From some of their fresh made soups to their various versions of tamales, there is this abomination.

I wish they'd make up their mind which one it is. Surely, it's not all three. Sounds like a catch-all statement.

best regards, lm

I totally agree. Perhaps we should initiate an onslaught of phone calls with this inquiry.

[mamaw]

Thanks Everyone. I had a phone call from Mickey D's this morning.

I guess we all need to fight back......

mamaw