hether you’re on your lunch break or a long-distance road trip, McDonald's is likely one of the most convenient fast food options nearby. For vegans and vegetarians, french fries are often considered a “safe” option on many restaurant menus. But are McDonald's french fries plant-based? Let's delve into the ingredients and learn if they fit into your diet.
Ingredients in McDonald's French Fries
McDonald's lists the ingredients of their fries as follows:
- Potatoes: Specially selected varieties of potatoes are used for their fries.
- Vegetable Oil: A blend of oils that includes canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, and natural beef flavor [Note: This flavor contains wheat and milk derivatives].
- Dextrose: A natural sugar derived from corn.
- Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate: Used to maintain color.
- Salt
Contains: Wheat, Milk.
Are McDonald's Fries Vegetarian?
Yes, McDonald's fries are considered vegetarian. The main ingredients—potatoes, vegetable oil, salt, and dextrose—are all derived from plants. However, the natural beef flavor in the vegetable oil blend, which contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk, can be a concern for some vegetarians. Despite this, McDonald's maintains that their fries are suitable for vegetarians because the beef flavoring does not come from actual meat.
Are McDonald's Fries Vegan?
No, McDonald's fries are not vegan. The natural beef flavoring added to the vegetable oil blend contains both wheat and milk derivatives. This inclusion of animal-derived ingredients (milk) means that McDonald's fries are not suitable for a vegan diet. Vegans should avoid these fries due to the presence of milk products.
Fast Food French Fries That Are Vegan
Looking for other fast food options to get your vegan french fry fix? Here are several popular chains with fully vegan fries:
- Five Guys: Their fries are cooked in 100% peanut oil and do not contain any animal products.
- Shake Shack: Their fries are also cooked in 100% sunflower oil and are vegan-friendly.
- Burger King: Their fries are vegan, cooked in a blend of corn and soybean oil.
- Wendy's: Their natural-cut fries are vegan-friendly as they are cooked in vegetable oil.
TLDR: McDonalds Fries Are Vegetarian but Not Vegan
While McDonald's fries are vegetarian due to their plant-based ingredients, they are not vegan-friendly because of the natural beef flavoring containing milk derivatives. Vegans looking for fast food fries should consider other restaurants that offer fries cooked in vegetable oils without additional batters or flavorings.
Learn more about the difference between vegetarian and vegan in our related blog.
