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Are French Fries Safe?

4K views 34 replies 17 participants last post by  Ntelligentidiot 
#1 ·
Do you guys eat fries when you go out to eat? Before the McD's thing, they were one of my veg*n staples in restaurants. Fried potatoes with ketchup, how can you go wrong? -- Wrong!

Aside from the fryer issue (other meat-containing foods cooked in the same oil), and even the oil issue (most US restaurants use 100% veg oil -- don't they?), are some/lots/most restaurants using fries that have some type of animal product??

I'm not exactly losing sleep over this, but I'm curious.
 
#2 ·
I've read that Burger King puts chicken stock in their fries, and the beef in McD's fries most people seem to know about. My problem is I love McD's fries so much that it's hard to stay away from them even now that I know what's in them. Ick. I hate non-vegetarian foods that come disguised as a safe ones.

Anywho tho, I would assume that a lot of restaurants here in the U.S. do, particurally in the fast food theme.

~ns~
 
#4 ·
I never eat fries anywhere, don't even buy frozed ones (can't be sure, many of them have "natural flavours" listed...). Since the McDonalds thing, I've always stated to assume that any place that serves meat (as a primary) can/will put meat in otherwise vegetarian stuff.

Of course with the fryer issue (that you said to exclude), some places (sit-down type of restaurants) say that they are vegetarian, before being cooked.
 
#5 ·
Burger King's new fries are safe. Wendy's are safe (they're usually not cooked in the same vats as the meat products - just ask if you want to be sure). I'll usually eat fries. Most places don't cook them in beef like McDonald's! Just ask what they're cooked in if you're scared.
 
#7 ·
mmm... fries. I'll eat em. I generally avoid McDonald's fries, but that's about it. Burger King's fries are vegetarian. Cross contamination isn't a concern of mine so I wouldn't care if they were cooked along side chicken nugets. But I would care if they were cooked in lard instead of a vegetable oil. I generally don't ask though. So maybe I'm Clintonesque vegetarian--I "don't ask, don't tell", but if they come out as 'beef seasoned' or 'lard soaked' then I won't order em.
 
#13 ·
I think it's ok for probably most vegetarians, but not a vegan. Like gelatin. If all you're worried about is meat. Obviously you may eat the fries. But when you eat those BK fries you're also eating chicken juice which boiled out when frying the nuggets in the same oil.

rigmarole
 
#15 ·
what does eating chicken juice have to do with being a vegan?! you didn't order chicken nuggets, you didn't pay for chicken nuggets, and you haven't caused any chickens to die. so, I myself don't see why it goes against the vegan tennet of causing no harm to animals. But, what restaurant are you refering to that cooks the fries in with chicken nuggets?
 
#16 ·
Generally speaking, fast food restaurants have a few vats of oil, yet they always cook the same stuff in all of them. It's due to speed - if french fries are cooking in vat 1 & 2, vat 1's empty then you have a rush, or just need chicken nuggets, but vat's 3&4 are full - they use vat 1 for the nuggets, even though it's french fry only, compared to having a 2-5min wait for vat 3/4.

So as far as which cook chicken nuggets, it'd be whatever restaurant servers chicken nuggets.

The reference in question was BurgerKing though I believe.
 
#17 ·
kpickell, you go ahead and eat all the chicken juice you want

last I checked chicken juice is a animal[chicken] by-product which, again, last time I checked is not what vegans do

and why would mc donalds have a separate fryer for fries and chicken nuggets? so there's one place.
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally posted by rigmarole

last I checked chicken juice is a animal[chicken] by-product which, again, last time I checked is not what vegans do.
What do you mean "is not what vegans do". I didn't understand this statement. As a vegan I would eat a hamburger if it would somehow save the lives of animals. It's not what I eat that's important for me. It's what happens as a result of what I eat.

I don't order chicken mcnuggets or any animal product because it would cause that company to order more of that animal product meaning more animals would be slaughtered. But I don't see what that has to do with french fries (unless they are flavored with beef seasoning or cooked in animal lard).

I don't order french fries from mcdonalds because they have beef flavoring on them and if I buy them it would cause the company to need to order more beef flavoring which would cause more animals to die. But I might order french fries from other restaurants if I can't see how it would cause more animal suffering.
 
#19 ·
The issue of contamination is up to the individual to decide. There's no "vegan police" to say "You can't eat that!!"

Personally, I'm not so hot on contamination, because I don't feel comfortable that I might be eating chicken juice. But I have nothing against veg*ns who do eat the fries.

However, to declare the product as vegan, it should have no animal products contained within, to satisfy the strict veggies. This is why BK says "Burger King makes no claims that the BK veggie or any othe rproducts are suitable for a vegan or vegetarian diet" But if they take a more european stance, and they do label their products as vegetarian, then I can bet eurass that the customers will increase, since stricter vegetarians will be OK with eating their products.

I have no idea why mcdonalds insist on additives in their fries. In england, people are happy to eat them, even though it's only canola oil, potatoes & salt.
 
#20 ·
"I have no idea why mcdonalds insist on additives in their fries. "

----------------

Yeah .... the best fries I've ever had are the ones I cut from potatoes myself, smear with olive oil and shake salt and pepper on ( selected herbs too if you want) and bake in the oven in a pan untill golden and crispy on the outside.

These even beat "New York Fries" ( http://www.newyorkfries.com/ )and their 'home fries' (which are deep fried ... and most likely in partialized hydrogenized vegetable oil which makes me feel sluggish and greasy ... Apparently these stores aren't found in the US (check out the locations on the page) and the one I was at (mall food court) really only had potatoes (ie, nothing else using the deep fryer).
 
#23 ·
I wasn't even going to make a comment since this isn't a "vegan eating" thread as much as a "Are French Fries Safe - and where" thread...

But a veg*n will not eat meat if they know meat's in something right? And if you know that your vegetables were cooked in lard, or with meat and you eat it, you're willfully eating meat (lard is animal fat, animal fat leaves the meat put in the greese). Which means eating a veggie caserol with chicken broth (same difference) is OK, chicken soup (with the chicken taken out [same thing happens in a frier]) is ok.... I'm beginning to see how chicken and fish are considered "vegetarian" by omnis now...

================

Back to the actual thread. If anyone wonders NOTHING at Outback Steakhouse that's fried is veg*n (it's cooked in lard with a small % of soy oil). I bring this up, because I too thought that US restaurants used vegetable oils for frying. [as a note, outback was very nice in providing (have to assume since noted the butter/dairy) vegan stuff... albeit a small list)

Homemeade baked french fries... I think I'm going to have look for some potatoes...
 
#24 ·
Of course mc'ds fries taste great, they are LOADED wit fat and fried! Anything fried is going to taste like god. But, people have to think about what they want to eat in terms of thier ethics/lifestyle. I would rather have oven baked fries at home that are nice and soggy than those grease cakes choc' full of death. my $.02
 
#25 ·
The point being raised by those who are Ok with cross contamination is simply that the fries are cooke din vegetable oil. This doesn't actually contain meat. However, chicken nuggets are alos cooked in this oil. Veg*nism isn't about avoiding animal products as much as possible, although this is what some of us try to do since we find meat disgusting. Veg*nism is about reducing animal suffering. Whilst a bit of chicken juice may end up in the fries, it is from other products. there is no more or no less animal suffering from cooking in the same oil.

Using chicken broth is different, as it is an actual meat product which is intentionally used in the food.
 
#26 ·
Keegan,

It's called enjoyment. I'm healthy, active and fairly ethical and I eat french fries on a regular basis.

Why? I'd rather eat something that tastes good and is silly and fun occasionally, then eat food that has little taste just because it's supposed to be good for me.
 
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