This morning I was Zooming with my son, Buddy, who casually mentioned that McDonald’s no longer has salads on its menus.
Not that I thought McDonald’s salads were spectacular; but they had been touted by the mega-corporation as its concession to healthy eating (as long as you didn’t load dressing on top of one.)
It’s not that I didn’t believe Buddy either, but I did visit the internet to learn more about the demise of the salad at the famous chain. Turns out the Wall Street Journal reported that McDonald’s “removed salads from national menus in 2020 to help simplify restaurant operations.” Note that this coincides with the first year of the pandemic when restaurants closed indoor seating and went to curbside, delivery, and drive-through.
In 2022, AFR noted that “McDonald’s dumped its ‘healthier’ foods such as salads, fruit, and yogurt to chase profits, speed up service and shrink its menu amid staff shortages.”
Other media outlets confirmed that this strategy worked in terms of profitability, although I couldn’t find any information about how the strategy encouraged healthier eating.
So what is healthy to eat at McDonald’s?
According to registered dietician Daisy Mercer who wrote on www.myfitnesspal.com on April 18, 2024, she recommends fruit and maple oatmeal, small fries, egg McMuffin, and the 4-piece chicken McNuggets. She also recommends other items.
Given what’s going on in the world right now, eliminating salads at a fast food chain probably isn’t earth-shattering news. Still, it’s a sign of our times, and I seem to be the last to know.
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