Hi All,
If you or your kids love McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, Wendy's Crispy Chicken Nuggets or any of the typical fast food Chicken Nuggets offered, how do you take this comfort food and make it healthy food?
Simple! Wait to have your Chicken Nuggets until you get home and choose Morningstar Farms' Chik'n Nuggets or Chik'n Tenders (if you like the bigger pieces), Boca Chik'n Nuggets, or if you have access to a natural foods store or have an enlightened supermarket, you may be able to find the leanest brand, Health Is Wealth.
All three meatless brands found in the freezer section and ready to eat in minutes, taste delicious (you will never know they are meatless) and will seriously slash the fat content of your Chicken Nuggets by half to two-thirds, have 1 gram or less of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, no cholesterol and will add some fiber to your meal.
Now why don't any of the major fast food chains offer these leaner meatless varieties to their customers who want healthier choices or go meatless when they are so easily available--duh?
TIP: Use a light variety of barbecue sauce for dipping to complement your leaner Chicken Nuggets treat!
Here's how the different brands stack up according to their web sites:
Meatless Varieties:
Boca Chik'n Nuggets are 180 calories per serving, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 17 grams of carbohydrate, 14 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.
Morningstar Farms Chik'n Nuggets are 190 calories for 4 pieces, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 18 grams of carbohydrate, 12 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.
Health Is Wealth Chicken-Free Nuggets are 120 calories for 3 nuggets, 2 grams of fat, 0 saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 grams of carbohydrate and protein and 2 grams of fiber.
Fast Food Varieties:
Wendy's 5-piece Crispy Chicken Nuggets are 230 calories, 15 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 35 mg of cholesterol, and 12 grams each of carbohydrate and protein.
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets (6-piece) are 250 calories, 15 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 35 mg of cholesterol, and 15 grams apiece for carbohydrate and protein.
If you vote with your wallet, maybe one of the fast food chains will wake up and offer meatless chicken nuggets on their menu for healthy eating--who's first? Just be sure to give me credit and free meatless chicken nuggets for life for the idea :)!
--Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!
"Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!"
Hi All,
If you or your kids love McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, Wendy's Crispy Chicken Nuggets or any of the typical fast food Chicken Nuggets offered, how do you take this comfort food and make it healthy food?
Simple! Wait to have your Chicken Nuggets until you get home and choose Morningstar Farms' Chik'n Nuggets or Chik'n Tenders (if you like the bigger pieces), Boca Chik'n Nuggets, or if you have access to a natural foods store or have an enlightened supermarket, you may be able to find the leanest brand, Health Is Wealth.
All three meatless brands found in the freezer section and ready to eat in minutes, taste delicious (you will never know they are meatless) and will seriously slash the fat content of your Chicken Nuggets by half to two-thirds, have 1 gram or less of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, no cholesterol and will add some fiber to your meal.
Now why don't any of the major fast food chains offer these leaner meatless varieties to their customers who want healthier choices or go meatless when they are so easily available--duh?
TIP: Use a light variety of barbecue sauce for dipping to complement your leaner Chicken Nuggets treat!
Here's how the different brands stack up according to their web sites:
Meatless Varieties:
Boca Chik'n Nuggets are 180 calories per serving, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 17 grams of carbohydrate, 14 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.
Morningstar Farms Chik'n Nuggets are 190 calories for 4 pieces, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 18 grams of carbohydrate, 12 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.
Health Is Wealth Chicken-Free Nuggets are 120 calories for 3 nuggets, 2 grams of fat, 0 saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 grams of carbohydrate and protein and 2 grams of fiber.
Fast Food Varieties:
Wendy's 5-piece Crispy Chicken Nuggets are 230 calories, 15 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 35 mg of cholesterol, and 12 grams each of carbohydrate and protein.
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets (6-piece) are 250 calories, 15 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 35 mg of cholesterol, and 15 grams apiece for carbohydrate and protein.
If you vote with your wallet, maybe one of the fast food chains will wake up and offer meatless chicken nuggets on their menu for healthy eating--who's first? Just be sure to give me credit and free meatless chicken nuggets for life for the idea :)!
--Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!
"Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!"