Would you eat chips from a takeaway or restaurant?

[Thoth]

Obviously chips are made from potatoes which are fine... But I've just found out today, after eating a box, that Mc Donald's fries are made with beef flavouring, & so are the hash browns, which makes them not even vegetarian... I know high street takeaways & restaurants don't use beef flavouring, but they probably use the same fats to fry chips in that they use to fry meat & dairy dishes in, for example fried chicken, mozzarella sticks... Blah, blah, blah...

Again, I'm a Vegan noob, & still learning really... I've been Vegan for just over a month now & decided that this is a life time choice for me, so I was quiet annoyed to find this out after I'd eaten some Mc Donald's fires, I felt as though I'd just ruined everything... I know chips & takeaway food is unhealthy, but I do like a treat a the weekends, & I just wondered what the others Vegan's thoughts are on this...

Are chips completely off the menu unless they are cooked at home...?

[harpy]

I didn't think they used beef flavouring in their UK chips http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/whatmakesmcdonalds/questions/food/vegan/what-vegan-food-do-you-have-on-your-menu.html unless that has changed?

Otherwise you can ask places how they cook them and then decide. Personally am not so worried about cross-contamination but couldn't face anything from McDonalds!

[misosoup]

I would eat chips from a chippy provided it was cooked in non-animal oil, just ask how they are cooked. But I would never eat from McDonald's. Just to say, don't ever feel you have 'ruined' everything by accidentally eating an animal product. If you are vegan for ethical reasons, the effort is what counts. I made a lot of mistakes as a newbie and it was a learning process. I found milk in crisps and all sorts of weird things. You could buy frozen fries and deep fry them yourself? Also, The Sweetest Vegan makes vegan version of junk food. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0AigzVtOaRg9PQOVucVo2ly_xOqJXxoo http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSweetestVegan

[Egesa]

There was a big protest about this in India some years back, after McDonald's failed to be open & transparent about it and Hindu customers eventually discovered they had been consuming beef. Whether you eat them is up to you. I wouldn't, but only because it's off-putting, and like others here I would prefer not to support the evil empire, no matter what the product.

[Firestorm]

This is from the McDonalds UK website (http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/content/ukhome/meal_builder.html). Personally I only go to McDonalds to use the toilet. I wholeheartedly agree with Misosoup - Don't beat yourself up, IMO being vegan isn't about being perfect, everyone makes mistakes, we even have a thread somewhere around here about them!


suitable for vegetarians


yes




allergen information


gluten
soya
nuts**
peanuts**
sesame
milk
eggs
fish
crustaceans
celery
sulphur dioxide and sulphites
mustard
molluscs
lupin


no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
no


Fries :

Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Rapeseed), Dextrose (only added at beginning of season). Prepared in the restaurants using a non-hydrogenated vegetable oil. Salt is added after cooking. Please note our Fries can be cooked in the same oil as the Spicy Veggie Patty which contains: Chickpeas (30%), Batter (Rice Flour, Maize Flour, Maize Starch, Potato Starch, (Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum)), Breadcrumb (Rice Flour, Gram Flour, Maize Starch, Dextrose), Onion (10%), Yellow Split Peas (7%), Potatoes (7%), Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Rapeseed), Water, Dehydrated Potato, Herbs & Spices (Cumin, Coriander, Garlic, Garlic Powder), Sugar, Salt. If you require any further details please contact McDonald’s Customers Services Tel: +44 (0) 8705 244622.

[Egesa]

Thanks, Firestorm. This is from the Vegetarian Network Victoria ( http://www.vnv.org.au/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=66&Itemid=79 ) --


McDonald's (Details correct as at December 2009)



McDonald's change the ingredients in their products quite regularly. For up-to-date ingredient information please refer to the McDonald's website
Some points to note:
- The ingredients in the French Fries are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
- The ingredients in the Hash Brown are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
- McDonald's use 'Canola Oil Blend' for frying (which is suitable for vegetarians).
McDonald's Australia have also advised us:
"The Fries and Hash Browns are suitable for vegetarians but... there may be a cross contamination issue if other products have been cooked in these vats for some reason. It is not normal practise but the stores may require this if there is something wrong or cleaning is needed to be done on the normal vat."
Please note that the information above is for McDonald's Australia only. McDonald's in other countries may use other ingredients.

[Thoth]

Thanks a lot for the info... I know the script now...