McDonald’s is launching a VEGGIE Happy Meal – but it has MORE calories than its chicken nugget one
Kids can now choose a Veggie Wrap as the main in their £2.49 Happy Meal
MCDONALD'S has launched a vegetarian children's Happy Meal for the first time.
But if you think it will be healthier, think again, as it actually contains more calories than one with chicken nuggets.
Kids can now choose a Veggie Wrap as the main in their £2.49 Happy Meal, which also comes with their choice of drink and side.
It is the first ever vegetarian option for children.
Before now, kids had to pick between fish fingers, chicken wraps, chicken nuggets, or a beef cheeseburger.
But the new wrap isn't quite as healthy as it sounds.
It contains 209 calories compared to 173 calories in four Chicken Nuggets, 181 calories in a Grilled Chicken Wrap or 194 calories in three Fish Fingers.
The new wrap contains a red pesto-flavour breaded goujon, ketchup and shredded lettuce in a soft, toasted tortilla.
The Veggie Wrap was chosen by kids and their parents after McDonald's worked with the Britmums online blogger network and the Vegetarian Society to find a new vegetarian option for its Happy Meals.
It also said that a third of its customers had told the chain they want to feed their families more meat-free meals in a recent survey.
The new Happy Meal is being launched alongside a new £2.99 Spicy Veggie Wrap which will be on the main menu and contains 374 calories.
It contains one more red pesto goujon than the kids version and also comes with spicy relish, tomato and red onion.
How to save money on your McDonald's meal
FROM creating a budget version of a Big Mac to dodging the sugar tax on drinks, these are the cleverest ways to knock a few pounds off your meal:
- Make a Big Mac for £1.49 by ordering a double cheeseburger but ask to substitute ketchup and mustard for the special sauce and add shredded lettuce. It might look a bit sub-par and it crucially won't have the third slice of burger bun but it tastes like the real deal. It will cost just £1.49 compared to a £3.49 Big Mac - a £2 saving.
- Save 30p off ice cream by opting for a 59p Mini McFlurry instead of an 89p Ice Cream Cone at the fast food giant.
- Get £2.20 off a McChicken Sandwich which normally costs £3.19 by ordering the very similar 99p Mayo Chicken.
- Triple the size of a McMuffin for £2.80 by using a customise feature on the self-service till to beef up his burger for £6.99. Normally, an egg McMuffin meal costs £4.19.
It's replacing the Spicy Vegetable Deluxe burger, which was 50p pricier at £3.49 and more calorific at 412 calories.
Fans will still be able to order the non-spicy Vegetable Deluxe burger, but some may be upset at losing the more fiery version.
To keep customers happy, McDonald's said it will make its Spicy Veggie Wrap the Wrap of the Day every Monday in January, when it will only cost £1.99.
The new wraps are not just vegetarian but vegan too as they don't contain any dairy.
But McDonald's warns plant-based customers that the wraps go into the same toaster as its burger buns, which contain milk.
Lynne Elliot, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society said: “We’re really proud to have worked closely with McDonald’s for over 10 years and it’s great to see their veggie menu developing, especially as McDonald's tell us a third of their customers think it’s important to eat more veggie meals.
"There's a growing demand for veggie food everywhere and it’s fantastic to see McDonald’s meeting the needs of their customers.
"It is especially important for young veggies to be able to choose something to eat when they are out with their friends."
McDonald's has about 1,300 restaurants in the UK. You can .
Menu changes at McDonald's always cause a stir.
The ever popular Big Tasty was added to the menu last month and it will remain until the end of January.
Meanwhile, a fan has revealed their top hacks for ordering at the chain, including how to always get fresh fries and why you should never ask for ice.
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