The Best and Worst McDonald’s Dessert Menu Choices
Whether it’s a hot summer day or a cold winter night, a trip to McDonald’s for dessert is always fun. But before you take your next trip to the McDonald’s drive-thru, take a look at what the dessert items really offer. You might be surprised to learn the calorie and fat contents of your favorite McDonald’s treats- either pleasantly, or not. Here we take a look at the best and worst McDonald’s dessert menu choices, from a dietetical standpoint.
Worst Choices
1. Hot Fudge Sundae with Nuts A real summer treat, this concoction is made up of cool vanilla soft serve ice cream, hot fudge sauce and chopped peanuts for an extra crunch. You get about three quarters of a cup of ice cream, two tablespoons of fudge and a tablespoon of nuts. This menu item packs a surprising 375 calories and 10 grams of fat.
2. M&M; McFlurry A frozen treat made of soft serve vanilla ice cream and M&M; candies, this dessert packs a real punch- and not in a good way. It contains 620 calories and 20 grams of fat, most likely because the soft serve ice cream used is condensed during the mixing process, meaning you get more- and it contains lots of fattening chocolate candies. This is by far one of the worst dessert items on the menu at McDonald’s.
3. Large Chocolate Shake Milkshakes have become a quintessential part of American life, but the large size 32 oz. chocolate Triple-Thick shake offered by McDonald’s has 770 calories and 18 grams of fat. The main reason is that it contains the equivalent of five cups of soft serve ice cream, plus chocolate flavoring.
1. Fruit and Yogurt Parfait It’s as yummy as the name suggests, and as healthy. Served in a plastic cup, this is a concoction of low fat vanilla yogurt, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries and a sprinkle of crunchy granola clusters. With just 160 calories and 2 grams of fat, we give this dessert a thumbs up- both for nutritional value and taste.
2. Caramel Apple Dips Slices of real Granny Smith apples and a delicious low-fat caramel dipping sauce make this dessert not only nutritious, but delicious as well, for kids and adults alike. With just 105 calories and half a gram of fat, you can’t go wrong with this choice.
3. Vanilla Ice Cream Cone You may find this to be surprising, but a McDonald’s vanilla cone contains just 150 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Cool, delicious and smooth, this frozen treat is sure to satisfy.
Now that you know what menu items are ripe for the picking, (and which ones definitely aren’t), use your knowledge next time you head over to the Golden Arches for a sweet treat. With a little simple thought, you can enjoy McDonald’s while still maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. Hey, you might even be able to stop in during your weight loss diet as well!
