Counting Calories at McDonald’s

My husband and I had always been a fans of Mickey D’s, but after becomming parents, we came to think of Ronald as part of the family. (Imagine Michael’s surprise when he realized he couldn’ t claim him as a dependent.) With each new teeth that Emily got, her love of the arches - which she could spy from 20 miles away from her car seat perch - grew stronger. Even then we travelled a lot, and she’d start the McDonald’s “chant” long before we’d even see the iconic sign. As soon as she’d say, “Don-Doos! Don-Doos!,” our heads would start looking right/left - after all, we had to know which way to turn for our lunch….or breakfast, snack, or dinner….

We ate a looooot of McDonald’s. As a college kid, it’s still her favorite fast food restaurant. A lot of times she’ll come in and I”ll ask her if she had a good lunch. She’ll say, “Oh, yeah, it was real good - Fillet of Fish and fries.” Our kid’s idea of “good” seldom gels with our own, does it?

Oh well, you can’t fight against the clown, he’s a giant - you might as well just see what he has to offer, then make smart choices.

SANDWICHES:

Hamburger = 250 Calories and 520 mg Sodium

Cheeseburger = 300 Calories and 750 mg Sodium

Double Cheeseburger = 440 Calories and 1150 mg Sodium

Quarter Pounder = 410 Calories and 730 mg Sodium

Quarter Pounder with Cheese = 510 Calories and 1190 mg Sodium

Big Mac = 540 Calories and 1040 mg Sodium

Big ‘N Tasty = 460 Calories and 720 mg Sodium

Big ‘N Tasty With Cheese = 510 Calories and 960 mg Sodium

Filet-O-Fish = 380 Calories and 660 mg Sodium

McChicken = 360 Calories and 790 mg Sodium

Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich = 1190 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Premium Crispy Chicken Classic Sandwich = 1330 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Premium Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich = 1720 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich = 1860Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich = 1760 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Premium Crispy Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich = 1900 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Ranch Snack Wrap with Crispy Chicken = 780 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Ranch Snack Wrap with Grilled Chicken = 830 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Honey Mustard Snack Wrap with Crispy Chicken = 750 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Honey Mustard Snack Wrap with Grilled Chicken = 800 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap with Crispy Chicken = 780 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap with Grilled Chicken = 820 Calories and 177 mg Sodium

THE FRIES:

Small French Fries = 250 Calories and 140 mg Sodium

Medium French Fries = 380 Calories and 220 mg Sodium

Large French Fries = 570 Calories and 330 mg Sodium

Ketchup Packet = 15 Calories and 110 mg Sodium

CHICKEN McNUGGETS/CHICKEN SELECTS PREMIUM BREAST STRIPS/SAUCES:

Chicken McNuggets (4) = 170 Calories and 450 mg Sodium

Chicken McNuggets (6) = 250 Calories and 670 mg Sodium

Chicken McNuggets (10) = 420 Calories and 1120 mg Sodium

Barbeque Sauce = 50 Calories and 260 mg Sodium

Honey = 50 Calories and 0 mg Sodium

Hot Mustard = 60 Calories and 250 mg Sodium

Sweet and Sour = 50 Calories and 150 mg Sodium

Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (3) = 380 Calories and 930 mg Sodium

Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (5) = 630 Calories and 1550 mg Sodium

Spicy Buffalo Sauce = 70 Calories and 960 mg Sodium

Creamy Ranch Sauce = 200 Calories and 320 mg Sodium

Tangy Honey Mustard Sauce = 70 Calories and 170 mg Sodium

Southwestern Chipotle Barbeque Sauce = 70 Calories and 260 mg Sodium

SALADS:
(The Dressings have the Nutritional Information printed on the back.)

Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken = 320 Calories and 970 mg Sodium

Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken = 400 Calories and 1110 mg Sodium

Southwest Salad (without chicken) = 140 Calories and 150 mg Sodium

Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken = 300 Calories and 890 mg Sodium

Asian Salad with Crispy Chicken = 380 Calories and 1030 mg Sodium

Asian Salad (without chicken) = 150 Calories and 35 mg Sodium

Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken = 260 Calories and 1010 mg Sodium

Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken = 350 Calories and 1150 mg Sodium

Bacon Ranch Salad (without chicken) = 140 Calories and 300 mg Sodium

Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken = 220 Calories and 890 mg Sodium

Caesar Salad with Crispy Chicken = 300 Calories and 1020 mg Sodium

Caesar Salad (without chicken) = 90 Calories and 180 mg Sodium

Side Salad = 20 Calories and 10 mg Sodium

Butter Garlic Croutons = 60 Calories and 140 mg Sodium

Snack Size Fruit & Walnut Salad = 210 Calories and 60 mg Sodium

BREAKFAST:

Egg McMuffin = 300 Calories and 820 mg Sodium

Sausage McMuffin = 370 Calories and 850 mg Sodium

Sausage McMuffin with Egg = 450 Calories and 920 mg Sodium

English Muffin = 160 Calories and 280 mg Sodium

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit (Regular Size Biscuit) = 450 Calories and 1360 mg Sodium

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit (Large Size Biscuit) = 520 Calories and 1520 mg Sodium

Sausage Biscuit with Egg (Regular Size Biscuit) = 500 Calories and 1130 mg Sodium

Sausage Biscuit with Egg (Large Size Biscuit) = 570 Calories and 1280 mg Sodium

Sausage Biscuit (Regular Size Biscuit) = 410 Calories and 1040 mg Sodium

Sausage Biscuit (Large Size Biscuit) = 480 Calories and 1190 mg Sodium

Biscuit (Regular Size) = 250 Calories and 700 mg Sodium

Biscuit (Large Size) = 320 Calories and 850 mg Sodium

Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles = 460 Calories and 1360 mg Sodium

Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles = 560 Calories and 1360 mg Sodium

Sausage McGriddles = 420 Calories and 1030 mg Sodium

Sausage Burrito = 300 Calories and 830 mg Sodium

Hotcakes and Sausage (2 pats margarine & syrup) = 780 Calories and 1020 mg Sodium

Hotcakes (2 pats margarine & syrup) = 610 Calories and 680 mg Sodium

Sausage Patty = 170 Calories and 340 mg Sodium

Scrambled Eggs (2) = 170 Calories and 520 mg Sodium

Hash Browns = 140 Calories and 290 mg Sodium

ETC:

Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait = 160 Calories and 85 mg Sodium

Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait w/out Granola = 130 Calories and 55 mg Sodium

Apple Dippers = 35 Calories and 0 mg Sodium

Low Fat Caramel Dip = 70 Calories and 35 mg Sodium

Notice the difference in the salads when you leave out the chicken. Personally, I never go to that extreme - I just share half of my chicken with my cats…makes them all kinds of happy. Something else that’s obvious is that if you have a choice between grilled and crispy, you should go with the grilled every time.

The merchandise featured in the post can be found online at McDonald’s Merchandise. If you’ve got it as McBad as Emily does, you’ll absolutely flip for the tees.