I’m a dietitian — here’s what I eat at McDonald’s to stay healthy when my Happy Meal-fanatic kids drag me there

David Landsel
·3 min read
168
healthy mcdonalds
healthy mcdonalds

She’s lovin’ it — to an extent.

Most Americans — particularly those with kids — end up at McDonald’s more than they’d like to admit. Now, one healthy eating advocate is coming clean and sharing her Golden Arches survival tips, after many visits with her two “Happy Meal-fanatic” children.

In an article posted by Eat This, Not That!, Kelsey Kunik RDN, a registered dietitian, freelance writer, nutrition consultant, and sustainable food blogger, explains that while Mickey D’s isn’t her first choice when going out, she’s competing with her extremely pro-fast food offspring, and that her family lives in a town with limited quick service choices.

A dietitian explains how to navigate the McDonald’s menu when you’re there and trying to eat as healthy as possible. gargantiopa – stock.adobe.com
A dietitian explains how to navigate the McDonald’s menu when you’re there and trying to eat as healthy as possible. gargantiopa – stock.adobe.com

But it’s not all bad news, she encouraged others in her situation — there aren’t a lot of things she feels comfortable eating on the McD’s menu, but over time, she’s managed to find a breakfast and a rest-of-the-day option she feels pretty good about. That, plus dessert.

“As a dietitian, one key tenet of my nutrition philosophy is that any food is better than no food,” Kunik wrote.

“In the world we live in, many of us are incredibly busy and it’s more than likely you’ll find yourself out and about and hungry. So, while I don’t recommend eating McDonald’s every day, it can absolutely be a part of an overall healthy diet,” she said.

Here’s what to order, according to the expert.

Egg McMuffin

With plenty of protein and even some fiber, the McMuffin doesn’t get enough credit. Stick with the Canadian bacon option — the sausage adds that much more fat into the equation. Getty Images
With plenty of protein and even some fiber, the McMuffin doesn’t get enough credit. Stick with the Canadian bacon option — the sausage adds that much more fat into the equation. Getty Images

“The Egg McMuffin is a solid breakfast choice that feels good to eat and is filling and satisfying. This is similar to a breakfast I would make at home, with just an English muffin, egg, cheese, and slice of Canadian bacon. It’s relatively low in sodium, with just 33% of the recommended daily value (DV), has 17 grams of filling protein, and even offers 3 grams of fiber,” Kunik says of the 310 calorie staple of the McDonald’s breakfast menu.

McCrispy Chicken Sandwich

Loads of protein make it possible to overlook the high sodium count — best to go light on the salt for the rest of the day. McDonald’s
Loads of protein make it possible to overlook the high sodium count — best to go light on the salt for the rest of the day. McDonald’s

“For lunch or dinner, the McCrispy Chicken Sandwich wins every time. I love the simple flavor combination of a fried chicken patty and pickles. Nutritionally, it has enough protein [26 g] and calories [470] to keep me full for several hours and has just 5 grams or 27% DV of saturated fat, which is pretty impressive for a fried sandwich,” she said.

“The only thing I don’t love about this order from a nutrition standpoint is that one sandwich has 50% of the recommended sodium limit. As someone who is pretty active and often needs to use hydration drinks after workouts anyhow, I feel okay eating a meal with this much sodium. However, if someone wants to limit their sodium intake, I would recommend eating this order sparingly and being extra aware of the sodium in other meals throughout the day.”

Vanilla ice cream

A bit of simple, relatively harmless fun. McDonald’s
A bit of simple, relatively harmless fun. McDonald’s

“As someone with a self-diagnosed sweet tooth, I love how simple and satisfying the vanilla soft-serve ice cream cone at McDonald’s is. It’s just enough to satisfy a sweet craving without adding unnecessary calories, added sugars, or saturated fat,” Kunik said.