McDonald’s new “Create Your Taste” kiosks allow you to build your own burger. But is it healthier? (Image: McDonalds)
Several
fast food companies and chain restaurants have made very public moves
recently to create more transparent, healthier options for consumers.
And
now, McDonald’s is changing, too. The fast food giant, which announced
last year that is will be eliminating eight items from its menus as well
as getting rid of some ingredients, is rolling out a new feature that
allows customers to build their own meal.
The
program, dubbed “Create Your Taste,” is currently out in Australia and a
few select McDonald’s in the U.S. This year, the chain plans to expand
the program to 2,000 U.S. locations, a McDonald’s executive told USA
Today.
“Create
Your Taste” features touch-screen kiosks that allow customers to choose
from 31 ingredients to build their own sandwich (you can check out the offerings here).
Among
the options: The ability to ditch the traditional bun and make a
lettuce burger. Customers can also opt to add very un-McDonald’s-like
ingredients to their sandwiches such as guacamole, grilled pineapple,
and sliced beetroot.
You can use the new “Burger Builders” to create your own sandwich, and select from a host of healthier toppings. (Image: McDonalds)
“Create Your Taste” is a bit pricier than other McDonald’s options. A DIY quarter-pounder sandwich is about $5.99, the Associated Press reports, and takes up to 10 minutes to prepare.
While McDonald’s hasn’t exactly been known as a health food vendor, experts say this is a step in the right direction.
“Offering more whole foods is never a bad idea,” registered dietitian nutritionist Beth Warren, author of Living a Real Life with Real Food, tells Yahoo Health.
Related: What Diet Experts Eat at McDonalds
Of
course, customers also have the ability to load up on unhealthy
choices, such as opting for a larger bun and adding as much bacon,
cheese, and fried egg as they want to a burger, which registered
dietitian Keri Gans, author of The Small Change Diet, is wary of.
“They’re
offering more vegetables than they’ve ever offered but a person can
still lay on too much cheese, mayo-based dressing, or a large bun —
nobody needs to supersize their bun,” she tells Yahoo Health. “At the
end of the day it’s going to come down to calories.”
But
what about that lettuce wrap? While Gans says there’s nothing wrong
with eating a bun, Warren says it’s a great option since, most likely,
the buns used are not 100 percent whole grain (and therefore don’t
contain a lot of valuable nutrients).
If
you visit a “Create Your Own” kiosk, Warren recommends choosing the
lettuce wrap with an egg for your protein source. Load it up with the
vegetable options offered, sprinkle in jalapeno for an added kick, and
use the guacamole for a dip.
“Skip the cheese, mayo-based dips, and the meat,” she says, adding that if you want a burger, take a pass on adding the egg.
While
Warren doesn’t think health-conscious eaters will suddenly scramble to
visit McDonald’s, she says this is a step in the right direction.
Gans says she’s “excited” about the healthier options, adding, “I’ll be curious to see if people get on board with it.”
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