The McDonald's "Oatmeal"

[Bethers]

OK some of you were impressed- I wanted to find the facts - a friend posted this article on Facebook - I suggest you skip McDonald's oatmeal:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/20 ... f=homepage

[retiredhappy]

And that is why we NEED accountability in food marketing and advertising. I always just assume if you're buying it at McDonalds, its not good for you. And yes, every once in a while I WANT a high calorie cheeseburger and fries.

[OutandAbout]

MacDonald's marketing is doing what it is supposed to do. Get people into their establishments and serve them what they want. It's business for profit and a profit they are a making. If anyone has a problem with McDonalds they have the option not to eat there. I don't see what all the ongoing bashing is all about. Linda

[Redetotry]

Like the article says,...The bottom-line question is, “Why?” Why would McDonald’s, which appears every now and then to try to persuade us that it is adding “healthier” foods to its menu, take a venerable ingredient like oatmeal and turn it into expensive junk food? Why create a hideous concoction of 21 ingredients, many of them chemical and/or unnecessary? Why not try, for once, to keep it honest?"
I don't agree that posting this type of information should be called "ongoing bashing", rather I think it should be considered need to know information for the health and well being of our 'sisters'. Most of the public has no idea what they are eating and where it comes from, ever wonder where their 'beef'' comes from, certainly not from the good ole USA. The rain forests are being destroyed at alarming rates in foreign countries to supply the beef not just for MD"s but to keep a cheap supply coming, no wonder our small farmers can't make it, Plus our health care system can't carry the burden of the horrible diseases we have rampant in this country due to the duping of Americans with food-like products made up mostly from strange man made chemicals. Consider this type of information as being given in love and caring for one another.

[mitch5252]

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I'll take the oatmeal...



Egg McMuffin

English Muffin
Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, yeast, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, wheat gluten, soybean oil and/or canola oil, contains 2% or less of the following: salt, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, citric acid, calcium citrate, yellow corn flour, corn meal, rice flour, barley malt, artificial flavors, natural flavors (botanical source), dough conditioners (ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, datem, tricalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, enzymes, calcium peroxide), calcium propionate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), soy lecithin. Prepared with Liquid Margarine.

CONTAINS: WHEAT AND SOY LECITHIN

Egg
USDA Grade A eggs, soy lecithin (release agent). Prepared with Liquid Margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono-and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color).

CONTAINS: EGG AND SOY LECITHIN

Pasteurized Process American Cheese
Milk, water, milkfat, cheese culture, sodium citrate, salt, citric acid, sorbic acid (preservative), sodium phosphate, artificial color, lactic acid, acetic acid, enzymes, soy lecithin (added for slice separation).

CONTAINS: MILK AND SOY LECITHIN

Canadian Style Bacon
Pork, water, sugar, salt, sodium lactate, sodium phosphate, natural flavor (vegetable), sodium diacetate and sodium nitrite (preservatives).

Liquid Margarine
Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono-and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color).

CONTAINS: SOY LECITHIN


Oatmeal

Oatmeal
Whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, food starch-modified, salt, natural flavor (plant source), barley malt extract, caramel color.

Diced Apples
Apples, calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C to maintain freshness and color).

Cranberry Raisin Blend
Dried sweetened cranberries (sugar, cranberries), California raisins, golden raisins, sunflower oil, sulfur dioxide (preservative).

Light Cream
Milk, cream, sodium phosphate, datem, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sodium citrate, carrageenan.
CONTAINS: MILK.

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[mitch5252]

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Made me think about bread - I've been making (and tossing) a lot lately...
Here's an ingredient list:



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[Mollysmom]

I really can't imagine most people that eat at McDonald's care what's in their food - they want fast food at a reasonable price. The oatmeal would be a better choice then some other items on their menu. It's still crap, but it's better then the crappity crap.
Buyer beware !
by the way - I go to McDonald's and/or Burger King about once a month and LOVE it !!! Nothing like a greasy burger and french fries !!!

[Bethers]

Mitch, that's fine and good if you don't get the extras in the oatmeal - which is how you're comparing. Most people don't even know to ask to NOT have those extras put in - they come in it unless asked to keep it out. That's the part that bothers me - like Subway talking about how healthy their subs are - but they only have no fat, etc if the customer doesn't get any mayo or oil, or many of the other things they can add. People go in and have them slather on the mayo and olives, etc, and that negates it - but there, people have to add it. With the oatmeal at MacDonald's, the #'s you posted are not what you are served unless you tell them to leave stuff off.

[mitch5252]

With the oatmeal at MacDonald's, the #'s you posted are not what you are served unless you tell them to leave stuff off.

Sorry, Beth, but you're wrong. The figures were taken off the McDonald's nutrition website.
Note the URL in the upper right...

[Bethers]

Thanks for correcting me! I thought I got that from the article. But the 32 grams of sugar would kill me LOL - or give me a high for the rest of the day, that's for sure.

[snowball]

When I make oatmeal for me I add cranraisens and almonds to it anyway have added apple so think I would like it. it's too bad though that the extras the chemical sounding stuff is added...had a forward sent to me the other day that I've not checked so hate to mention this but it dealt with MSG think is the abbreviation and how it is in or a variation of it is in everything and how bad it is for a person...again I've not checked it out it may be and it may not be 'good' for you but think we are better off if we can eat foods that don't have the additives to it.
sheila

[Pooker]

Hey, guys! Have any of you checked the back of the box of instant oatmeal for your "made at home" breakfast? The regular one (not apples and cinnamon or maple & brown sugar, etc) says: whole grain rolled oats (with oat bran); calcium carbonate, salt, caramel color, magnesium phosphate, iron (ferric opthophosphate), vitamin A palmitate, niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamin mononitrate, folic acid.

The flavored ones have twice as many ingredients. I'm guessing many of us eat just as bad at home as Mickey D offers. Of course, if you make your oatmeal from the familiar round box we grew up with, it's a different story!

Just sayin' - maybe all those preservatives we consume have helped us live longer than generations past? We're preserved! I'm hoping they'll keep the wrinkles at bay, myself.

Pooker

[carold]

Just had the oatmeal for breakfast on my way back from Delray Beach. Liked it and would get again. I eat the McCann's Imported Quick and Easy Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal that's ready in 5 minutes (they need a large container to get all that on the label ) and then put whatever fruit/nuts/etc. that I have around with a little bit of brown sugar and milk. When figured up, probably no different than McDonalds. carold