Macca’s healthy menu options nutritionist would always buy

It’s not known for its healthy options but a nutritionist has revealed what Macca’s items she would always pick up – and what she wouldn’t.

Love it or hate it, McDonald’s is one of the few places you can find hot, relatively fresh and reasonably inexpensive meal options.

Ultimately Macca’s, like all fast-food takeaway, is ultra processed food that adds a lot of fat, refined carbohydrate, salt and sugar to the diet. But there are some options that are much worse than others.

So, if you find yourself on an unexpected Macca’s run here are the options that are better choices nutritionally – and the ones to steer well clear of.

Better Macca’s choices:

Chicken McBites

With less than 200 calories per 10 bites, and 11g of fat, these are one of the better menu items, although you will need to team it with a salad to make it a satisfying meal.

The Chicken McBites are healthier than a lot of other Macca’s options. Picture: McDonald’s

Wholemeal Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap

If you remember to order the grilled variety, and ask for the wholemeal version, you will have found yourself one of the leanest options on the McDonald’s menu. With just 9g of fat and 200 calories per serve, you can lighten it even further if you ask for no mayo.

The Chicken Snack Wrap is one of leanest options at Macca’s. Picture: McDonalds

McChicken

If you feel like a burger, McChicken is one of your best options with 450 calories, 22g of fat and 600mg of sodium, it is roughly half the calorie and fat load than many of the other burger options on the Macca’s menu.

If you want a burger, the McChicken is the best. Picture: McDonald’s

The worst:

BBQ Bacon Angus

With more than 40g of fat, 800 calories and a massive 1600mg of sodium, which is almost your entire upper daily recommended intake and that is without any side order of fries, there are much better burger options on the menu than a Bacon Angus.

The Angus contains almost all the sodium recommended for one day. Picture: McDonalds

Double Quarter Pounder

With minimal salad, two slices of cheese and two serves of meat, this simple burger will set you back more than 800 calories, a massive 50g of fat (which is more than some people need in an entire day) and more than 1400mg of sodium.

Two burgers makes the Quarter Pounder fatty option. Picture: McDonald’s

Crispy Caesar Salad

Don’t let the name of ‘salad’ fool you, a closer look at the nutritional information of the Caesar will reveal a massive 40g of fat and 1500mg of sodium, meaning that this salad is certainly no healthier than a burger.

Don’t be fooled by the word salad, the Macca’s Caesar Salad is high in fat. Picture: McDonald’s

Big Brekkie Burger

As the name suggests, this loaded breakfast burger will add 40g of fat to your morning meal along with more than 1500mg of sodium.

The Big Brekkie Burger is loaded with fat. Picture: McDonald’s

Frozen Coke

Extremely popular, while you can order the Zero sugar variety, if you opt for regular you will be drinking 10 teaspoons of sugar.

A regular Macca’s Frozen Coke is full of sugar. Picture: McDonald’s

Susie Burrell is a dietitian and nutritionist and holds a Master’s degree in coaching psychology.