Yes, in the U.S., McDonald's fries contain milk derivatives as part of their "natural beef flavor," making them unsuitable for strict dairy-free or vegan diets, but in countries like the UK and Canada, fries are typically dairy-free; ingredients vary by region due to local regulations and supply chains.
Other food on the menu that does not contain cow's milk include: Grilled Chicken Salad with Fajita or Balsamic Dressing, Grilled Chicken and Bacon Salad with Fajita or Balsamic Dressing, Shaker Side Salad® with Balsamic Dressing, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Bag, Hash Brown and Tomato Ketchup, Sweet & Sour Dip, Sweet Curry Dip ...
McDonald's Australia uses vegetable-based oil, making their fries a safe and tasty option for vegans.
On its website, McDonald's says its fries contain potatoes, vegetable oil, dextrose, a food additive to “maintain color” in the finished fries, and another additive listed as “Natural Beef Flavor.” That ingredient comes with an asterisk noting that the flavoring contains both hydrolyzed milk and hydrolyzed wheat.
View Ingredients & Allergens
Ingredients: Potatoes, Non-Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed), Dextrose (predominantly added at beginning of the potato season). Prepared in the restaurants using a non-hydrogenated vegetable oil. Salt is added after cooking.
(Both restaurants acknowledge that their fries are cooked in the same oil as other meat or fish products.) McDonald's fries, however, are made with a flavoring that includes hydrolyzed milk — a non-vegan ingredient.
We only use the highest quality potatoes to create those delicious strands of crispy fluffiness that you love, now fried in a superior and healthier blend including canola and sunflower oils.
Chicken McNuggets (4 pieces)
All the above may contain traces of milk. Prepared in the restaurants using non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Fries: Contain natural beef flavor. Not vegan. Hash browns: Contain dairy.
The secret ingredient that makes them so addictive
The real reason you can't help but pull over to grab fries every time you see the golden arches: Beef flavoring. Yep, you read that right. McDonald's has been adding beef fat to their fries since the 1950s.
McDonald's offers limited vegan options, with availability varying significantly by country, but generally, items like plain fries and some beverages are vegan; however, due to cross-contamination risks and dairy/egg in some core ingredients (like US fries), many items aren't certified vegan, though international markets (like the UK with the McPlant) have introduced more dedicated plant-based choices, reports VegNews.com and McDonald's Australia.
When our suppliers partially fry our cut potatoes, they use an oil blend that contains beef flavoring. This ensures the great-tasting and recognizable flavor we all love from our World Famous Fries®. The Fries are cooked in our kitchens, seasoned with salt, and served hot to you.
The items on our menu that are free from ingredients containing gluten include our French Fries, which are cooked in dedicated fryers using a non-hydrogenated vegetable oil; Hash Browns; Fruit Bags; Carrot Sticks and Shaker Side Salad® with Balsamic Dressing; as well as some McFlurry® desserts, such as the Crunchie and ...
Look for terms like milk, lactose, whey, casein, curds, milkfat, or anything with “milk” in the name. If you're eating out, ask your server about dairy-free options. Cross-contamination is also a risk, so make sure kitchens are prepping your food safely.
Although we don't currently serve a gluten-free bread on our U.K. menu, there are several items that are gluten and lactose free. For example, our beef patties and spicy veggie patties contain no ingredients with gluten or lactose. Plus, they're cooked in a separate vat from items containing gluten or lactose.
McPlant® A vegan burger made with a juicy plant-based patty co-developed with Beyond Meat® featuring vegan sandwich sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and a vegan alternative to cheese in a sesame seed bun. Vegan certified.
Other food on the menu that does not contain cow's milk include: Grilled Chicken Salad with Fajita or Balsamic Dressing, Grilled Chicken and Bacon Salad with Fajita or Balsamic Dressing, Shaker Side Salad® with Balsamic Dressing, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Bag, Hash Brown and Tomato Ketchup, Sweet & Sour Dip, Sweet Curry Dip ...
But to get the beef tallow flavor , the fries are treated with beef flavoring, that contains dairy.
The Egg McMuffin contains two types of butter, salted and clarified, but it can be ordered without the butter and the cheese to make it dairy-free. Eggs can be ordered to be cooked without butter.
There are no dairy, soya or egg ingredients used in our Fries and our Fries are not cooked in the same oil as other products that contain these ingredients.
Other food on the menu that does not contain cow's milk include: Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Dressing, Grilled Chicken and Bacon Salad with Fajita or Balsamic Dressing, Shaker Side Salad® with Balsamic Dressing, Carrot Sticks, Fruit Bag, Hash Brown and Tomato Ketchup, Sweet & Sour Dip, Sweet Curry Dip, Smoky ...
Contains: Wheat, Milk.
The unhealthiest item at McDonald's is often cited as the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes, packing over 1,300 calories, nearly a full day's sodium, and significant saturated fat, making it a calorie and nutrient bomb, with other contenders including large shakes, certain Angus burgers, and large fries.
The cooked Fries will therefore end up being approximately 86% potato - the remaining 14% being vegetable oil.
The Pollock and Hoki used in our fish portions is caught in some of the world's cleanest waters. We only use quality 100% Australian RSPCA Approved chicken, supplied by familiar brands like Baiada and Inghams.