Getting fast food can prove to be quite tricky when you’re on a vegan diet. After all, many of the staples you think of when you picture fast food — burgers, chicken nuggets, tacos, etc. — are made with meat. Even items you might expect to be vegan often contain some kind of animal product. For example, McDonald’s was once sued for failing to disclose that its french fries were made with beef tallow, leading to many people who could not eat beef for dietary or religious reasons consuming the fries. In addition, there’s another McDonald’s product that is surprisingly not vegan–friendly: the apple pie.
There are no animal products in the McDonald’s apple pie, with the top three ingredients simply being apples, enriched flour, and sugar. However, McDonald’s states on its website that the pies “are cooked in oil that may have come into contact with oil that has been used to fry chicken and fish products so we cannot describe them as suitable for vegetarians.” With this being the case, whether or not you can eat the pies comes down to the specific reason for your diet. If you don’t eat meat primarily for dietary reasons, the pie would likely be a fine choice. But if you are allergic to one of these meats or do not eat anything with possible animal product remnants for ethical or religious reasons, you’re better off skipping the apple pie.
Vegan options at McDonald’s
McDonald’s has introduced a few vegan options in other parts of the world. For example, the chain’s U.K. site has an entire vegan menu, with offerings such as the McPlant (a vegan burger), the Vegetable Deluxe (which is made with veggie goujons), veggie dippers (vegetarian chicken nuggets), and a spicy veggie wrap. In the U.K., even the fries are vegan, lacking the beef flavoring that American McDonald’s fries have. Unfortunately, most of these products have not come to the U.S., and the ones that have are in very select locations. For example, the McPlant is only available at certain McDonald’s in Texas and California.
In lieu of dedicated vegan menu options, vegans have found ways to get a meal at McDonald’s through ordering hacks and substitutions. For instance, the plain English muffin lacks any animal products, and some people order the burgers with no patty or cheese, as the hamburger bun itself and many of the toppings are vegan friendly. In addition, you can get the apple slice side, as it contains only apples and vitamins. With any luck, if demand grows, McDonald’s may bring the vegan items it offers elsewhere to the U.S. and they won’t remain a limited international item. Until then, vegan diners will have to get creative with the menu or simply get their plant-based meals at another chain.
