So I was browsing the web when I saw a photo of a juicy Wendy’s Gourmet Mushroom Swissburger or something. Hey a vegan girl can peruse the propaganda juicy burger ads too.
(by the way…that burger has 600 calories, 35 g fat and 14 g saturated fat. Not good.)
Anyways, I was suddenly taken back to my non-vegan years when I loved Wendy’s Frosty shakes, cheddar broccoli baked potatoes and classic burgers. Note, this was a looong time ago back in Santa Cruz California. Anyways, so as I sighed at the 9 grams of saturated fat in a large chocolate frosty, I decided to check out the Wendy’s Kids Meal.
Let’s do an analysis shall we….
Wendy’s Kids Value Meal: Includes a Jr. Frosty, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Lowfat ChocoMilk, and Strawberry fruit yogurt squeeze. Oh…and a toy, of course.
Shelf-Appeal: At first glance, the inclusion of milk and fruit flavored yogurt seems promising. But to a trained eye, it looks dismal at best.
Label Check: Here’s where the fun begins. Yes, the chicken sandwich has a hefty 16 grams of protein. 31 grams of protein in the whole meal. Nice. But total calories at 690, is a bit on the high side. Total fat is OK at 19 grams. But 7 grams are saturated. I’d rather see that at zero grams trans and zero grams saturated fat.
Now here is the kicker. The total fiber in this meal is….drum roll please…TWO GRAMS! That is pathetic! If a child had eaten those 690 calories in the form of apples, they would be getting …
40 grams of fiber! (4 grams/fiber per 70 calorie medium sized apple)
Thus, you could give me the best meal in the world, but pack only TO grams of fiber in it for a kid and I will give it an F nutritionally.
Kids. Need. Fiber. It lets them know that they are full, and it slows down the energy sugars from entering their bloodstream. This meal will go straight through an active child in a few hours, thus letting his hunger pangs start all over again very soon.
Taste Test: Probably divine. Yeah, those Frosty’s are sugar-high bliss for a child.
Price:Depends where you live, but yes I know its cheaper and easier than a home cooked meal, but isn’t your child’s health priceless?
Last Word: Don’t do it. Be strong. Keep driving.
If you MUST buy this meal, swap the frosty out and add a plain baked potato. Add some ketchup packets for a bit of kid appeal. And if you are really in a healthy mood…swap the milk for a water and add in some home brought apple slices as a side munchie. Trust me on the fiber tip. No fiber=not full=hungry again. Kids will burn the calories that they are fed, and fiber slows down that process.
