Boo To McDonald's
I feel like there should be some scary 48 Hours Mystery music playing in the background or that this picture should do some eerie fade effect or that I just grow wider and wider. I just found out that my McDonald's Vanilla Iced Coffees are made with WHOLE MILK. I only have one word to say to this...WHY?
This picture was taken after I went for a run. Yes, these were
my little treats to myself after working out at the gym or doing something amazing like going for a run around the neighborhood in ninety degree weather (which I did this weekend and almost died). Little did I know that I was gulping all of the calories back into my body.
I discovered this after I had went to the gym one morning. Sweaty from a really good workout, I pulled up to the drive-thru and asked for the usual, but this time I asked the one question that I did not want to ask.
"Um, ma'am, can you tell me...is that coffee made with nonfat milk?"
"No."
"Um, well, could you make it with some nonfat milk?"
"No."
"Well, is it made with two percent milk?"
"No. It's made with whole milk."
"(
teeny tiny voice) Can you change that to a medium please?"
What the hay? I love these coffees and they are so inexpensive, but I do not need to be gulping whole milk throughout the day. I am not on a diet, but I prefer not to ingest 11 grams of fat (according to
McDonald's website) in one sitting.
Oh, and here are the ingredients that they have listed:
Premium Roast Coffee. Light Cream: Milk, cream, sodium phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, DATEM, sodium stearoyl lactylate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, carrageenan. CONTAINS: MILK. Vanilla Syrup: Sugar, water, fructose, natural (plant source) and artificial flavor, caramel color (with sulfites), potassium sorbate (preservative), citric acid, malic acid. Ice.
Hmm? Sounds like a chem lab in my stomach!
Now I am going to figure out how to replicate this. After all, if I can crack the code on
Starbuck's Peppermint Mochas, these McDonald's iced coffees should be a walk in the park.
Do you guys have some suggestions for making the perfect iced coffees? Any tips to share before I try to replicate my coffee experience with some good old-fashioned nonfat milk?Labels: Recipes
41Comments:
Laura
"Get a Toddy Cold Brew System. (http://www.toddycafe.com/) I love the thing and no longer use a coffee maker anymore. I have a review on my blog (http://journeyoflife.goof.com/articles/2007/05/09/cold-press-coffee/) and everybody I have told about it LOVES it."
Michelle
"I happen to have many culinary vices, but luckily, coffee is not one of them! However, I do visit this blog regularly, and I noticed that she has a recipe for iced coffee. Not sure how good it is, but it is worth a shot!
http://choosingsimplicity.blogspot.com/2008/06/flavored-iced-coffee-i-have-weakness.html"
ella'smom
"I don't have any tips, but I can't wait to see what you come up with. I have struggled to make a good iced coffee."
Jenny
"Oh man! I have been having the same fear! I too have been loving how cheap and big these drinks are. I look forward to your recipe!"
CP
"I had been trying to avoid looking up the nutritional facts on this, because I had a feeling it was too good to be true too!"
Meredith
"Light cream sounds even worse than whole milk!
I just bought a package General Foods International On The Go Latte mix. There are 6 envelopes.
You can blend them with 6 oz milk and pour over ice, or crush 4 cubes of ice with them for a smoothie style drink.
Thought it was worth a try for $1 at Big Lots, but they're so tasty, I'm wishing I had never tried one."
Marva
"No suggestions..BUT I have NO doubt that you will come up with the copy cat recipe. You do so good with that kind of stuff.
I cannot believe that it is made with whole milk. That blows my mind........
Blessings!!!!!!"
"Perfect timing! I woke up this morning and decided I need to learn how to make a really good iced coffee. I enjoy the McDonalds type occasionally, but sometimes they upset my tummy - after seeing the ingredient list I can see why. I'll be checking back later today and hopefully check out the comments for great tips!"
JenR
"Take a pitcher of water and dump in some ground coffee. You'll have to experiment because the amount of coffee depends on the type of coffee and how finely it is ground. Stick it in the fridge and let it sit over night. Take a second pitcher, a strainer, and a coffee filter. put the strainer on the pitcher, and the filter in the strainer. Slowly pour in the iced coffee you brewed int eh fridge. Don't stir or swirl the coffee - you want most of the ground to stay in the original pitcher, or your filter will get clogged quickly. That takes care of the coffee part.
So then you just take some coffee syrup and milk/cream/whatever and stir it in. You can get small bottles of syrup at most grocery stores, but if you have a World Market around you, I think they have the best selection - even some sugar free ones."
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate
"Here's one on recipezaar that got good reviews:
http://www.recipezaar.com/10696"
adrienne
"I'm hopeless with unhealthy iced coffee; Thai iced coffee is the best and one it's ingredients is sweetened condensed milk. I only get it at Thai restaurants (which are hard to come by in Indiana), so I figure it's a self-regulating pleasure.
Interesting milk fact- skim milk has more calcium per cup than whole milk or 2 percent. It's a better choice for long term bone health."
Amy
"Oh, these are some great ideas!
Yes, "light cream" sounds absolutely horrible too. When I read the fat grams, I knew that I needed to make a switch to homemade. Not to mention that the coffee...how do I say this delicately...extremely upset my stomach. After reading the ingredient list, I can see exactly why.
Checking all of these websites and recipe ideas- thank you!"
Jason Andreoni
"I usually get a Dunkin Donut's hazelnut Iced Cofee and ask for skim milk and 2 Splendas. Very tasty. Not sure of the price difference, though."
Shannon
"I've got nothing, lol. I just had to say that those shoes are too cute for words. American Eagle shoes at Payless. Who knew? Gotta get me some!"
Lindsay
"wow seriously whole milk!! I don't need to be drinking these either :-P If you crack the code please post that sucker! I have no real suggestions :-P"
Amy
"Jason- You are right- Dunkin' Donuts is so much more accommodating. The problem is that the closest one is about an hour away and this McDonald's drink was supposed to be my "poor man's substitute." Oh, how I miss my Dunkin' Donuts :("
Adventures In Babywearing
"I have heard so many things about MCD's iced coffees! But haven't tried them. I am so picky- now that I'll have dairy occasionally I only want non-fat, so I'll do Starbucks sometimes or I got another local coffee place to carry Rice Milk for me! At home I brew Ugly Mug coffee and add my own rice milk and vanilla flavor syrup (and sometimes a little sugar) usually! Then ice! Sometimes I'll stick in the freezer for a few minutes before adding the ice... if I can wait that long! : )
Steph"
Carol
"This isn't about iced coffee but in response to your twitter about frugal coffee makers.
The best (BEST) advice I'd ever gotten about drinking good coffee, inexpensively was
"Buy a Mr. Coffee burr mill grinder for $25.
Buy a Mr. Cofee 4 cup Coffee Maker for $25.
Spend the rest of your budget buying GOOD beans."
Absolutely true and 5 o'clock french roast whole bean coffee is amazingly,amazingly good for the price!
My 19 year-old makes a killer starbucks double shot on ice here at home. He watched them make it at the store and now he whips one up at home every afternoon. I've raised a 2nd generation cheapskate!
LOL!
No idea exactly how he makes it, but I could find out if your interested. I do know I like it alot better than SB's, and I do so love me my SB's!"
Jason Andreoni
"Hey, Carol--
I'd love to know how your son makes this! Sounds great!"
Miriam
"I make my own iced coffees all the time, and I think theyr're great! They're really simple, cheap, and low cal! Although occasionally I splurge and put whole milk or loads of cream in...
Anyhow, I buy the cheap Walmart brand instant coffee and put about 1-2 Tablespoons in the bottom of a glass. Then I add HOT tap water to cover, swish it in the cup to dissolve. I often add splenda at this step because I like my iced coffee SWEET! Then add ice. Next, I add either a premade liquid creamer like coffeemate (fat free) or some vanilla extract. Fill to the top with milk (whatever kind you prefer...I usually use 2 percent) and stir with a straw. Yummo, cheap, easy, and takes maybe 1 minute to make. So it's a great to make quickly and take in the car while doing preschool drop offs! I also love one as an afternoon pick me up!"
"Amy,
For weeks now we've been brewing a little extra coffee each morning and then putting the cooled coffee into ice cube trays. We have extra trays just for this. Yup! I'm serious!
When the urge strikes for iced coffee we have the full coffee flavor. It seems the urge has been striking a lot more frequently with the 95+ degree weather we've been having.
I'm a mocha gal so I use milk, chocolate sauce, cool coffee and the already-made cubes, then I blend in the blender and OH MAN! that is some kinda good.
HTH?!?
Peace,
Lynne in NC"
kat
"My own frugal version of iced coffee is: 2 cups coffee, half cup vanilla soy milk, and lots of ice. 50 calories and 2 grams of fat."
mama k
"actually I think I wrote a post on this last year... let me see if I can dig it up."
mama k
"http://mamaknj.blogspot.com/2007/07/recipe-rally-fav-summer-drink.html"
Mimi
"I don't like the McD's iced coffees. I swear that they are made with flavored coffee creamer, coffee, and melting ice cubes. I like to use fat free or 1% milk, some vanilla or hazelnut sugar free Torani syrup,and make a pitcher to chill in the fridge. Cost per pitcher-about 20 cents.Tou can even use real vanilla or almond flavoring, and cinnamon,fat free milk, add your own sweetener and it's very tasty and very frugal."
"Freezing leftover coffee in ice cube trays is a great idea, thanks, Lynne! Here is a link for a recipe using Nestle flavored syrup. http://www.nestle.ca/en/articles/recipes/Beverages/Mocha_IcedCoffee.htm
I have purchased this syrup on sale before with coupons for next to nothing, and it tastes great. I believe there is a mocha and a vanilla flavor, and there are similar syrups in other brands. I would modify the recipe as follows:
handful of coffee frozen in cubes, mixed with added ice to taste.
2 teaspoons syrup
1C skim milk
blend until smooth
Thanks for pointing out the unfortunate ingredient list in McDonald's coffee, Amy!"
Amy
"Wow, you guys are giving me so much to work with. I do freeze my coffee cubes too and use those for my mochas (with the squirt of yummy chocolate syrup). I even have a set of trays just for that. Great minds think alike :)
I will be working really hard or um, hardly working over here doing my test kitchen stuff. Awesome ideas!"
Lori Beth
"A tip from a friend...make a batch of decently strong coffee and pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it. Then pop them out into a freezer bag and use all the time! This way as your iced coffee melts (since in the heat of the summer it is ought to do), you will not end up with watered down coffee. Now I'm a cream and sugar kinda gal (the joke is I have a little coffee with my cream and sugar), so I sprinkle a litte sugar (splenda, equal, whatever) into the cubes before I put them in the freezer. Enjoy!!"
Lori Beth
"In response to Jason....
The price difference between Dunkin Donuts large iced coffe and McDonald's large iced coffee is approximatley $0.10. I found that prices change a little based on stores. One DD charges me $2.22 and another on the other side of town charged $2.24. The McD's closest to me charges 2.12"
Amphritrite
"My bf and I go round and round about whole milk vs. 2% or nonfat (as well as whether freezing it affects the taste) and I keep explaining that where whole milk is good for kidlets, it's not so good for normal adults. The fat content is the only thing that changes - he, on the other hand, is stuck on the taste. He says that "skim" tastes like water. WHATEVER."
Amy
"I have to say that I grew up on 2% and then when I lived on my own, we switched to skim and my husband felt the same way (tastes too watery, no flavor). Now we are so used to drinking it that the 2% tastes like whole milk to me and I really don't like the flavor of it.
When I took Food & Nutrition though, we had to do a blind taste test of milk. Everyone swore that they would know if they were drinking skim or whole milk because you just KNOW. Well, none of us got it right. I think it is the appearance that contributes to our experience of the mouth-feel. It was really a crazy experiment :)"
Amphritrite
"I make my own iced lattes and mochas at home. It's actually quite simple.
2 shots of espresso (or two tablespoons instant espresso or three tablespoons instant coffee)
Hot water to dissolve IF using instant.
COLD milk (I like to use defrosting milk from the freezer because it's already got ice chunks in it)
Ice cubes, if desired
Chocolate sauce to taste or cocoa powder to taste (if using cocoa, do even parts sugar and cocoa - it tends to be a bit bitter)
Mix and serve, or blend in a blender (ice cubes) and serve! Another fun thing to do is freeze leftover coffee (I think it's been mentioned here) and use them to make a blended beverage instead of regular ice cubes. It doesn't come out quite as watered down."
Hello, I'm Sally.
"I have a Bialetti, an Italian stove top espresso maker, and I LOVE it. I got it on amazon for a great price. For iced coffee I just sweeten it when its hot, then chill it. Add your milk of choice and you've got delicious iced coffee.
If I want to buy an iced coffee, I order an iced Americano with room for cream, you can get it with vanilla syrup or there is usually simple syrup available. These are cheaper than other iced drinks."
Alyssa @ Keeping the Kingdom First
"Oh, I wish I did not know that! McD's Iced Coffees were my frugal replacement for Starbucks!
There are some really great suggestions here. I used to be a Barista. I think some Torani Vanilla Syrup (italian) on the rocks, with cool coffee and a splash of milk would serve you well.
Boo to McDonalds as well!"
"Amy: I work at McDonald's full-time and a couple co-workers and I have been working on making the Iced Coffee at home. The closest we can come to (as of right now) is
Start out with warm coffee
Add: sweetended condensed milk
flavoring, vanilla extract
cinnamon
Stir the condensed milk and vanilla extract into warm coffee until well blended. Regular milk and sugar are substitutes for condensed milk. Sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon, and add ice.
Vanilla Syrup:
1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Hope this helps!!!"
Amy
"Ashley- YOU ROCK! I am going to work on this today. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on cracking the code. I think if I replace that sweetened condensed milk with some nonfat milk, that it will be a bit more figure friendly AND I will save some money!!
Thank you!!"
"Amy, you could also use nonfat sweetened condensed milk to make this more figure friendly. I substitute the nonfat version in all my baking and can't tell the difference.
Thanks for the recipe, Ashley!"
smallnotebook.org
"Wow Amy, this post made me want to take a closer look at the ingredients you listed. I wrote about them
here.
It's not for the faint of heart, but hopefully it will be an incentive for us all to choose a healthier version. - Rachel"
"Go to Small Notebook now- Rachel put together an eye-opening list of what the chemicals are in this drink. I knew it was bad, but her explanation takes it one step further than I could.
I am working on all of these suggestions and will unveil a substitution either this week or next. Stay tuned!!"
Ashley
"I decided to make my own iced coffees at home after I became addicted to them from McDonalds. I brew a double strength pot of coffee and put it in the fridge. After its cool, I fill my cup halfway with ice, and put in flavoring, half and half (or whatever you want), and coffee ( until its a creamy color). I also use the vanilla syrup from Sam's club -it's way cheaper there. Then I can control how much caffeine, sugar, and fat I am drinking!"
Kim Moldofsky
"Amy, see the reader comment/recipe here: http://blogs.parentcenter.babycenter.com/momformation/2008/06/06/ultimate-smoothie-recipe/ It sounds simple, lo-cal and tasty. Inexpensive, too!"
I feel like there should be some scary 48 Hours Mystery music playing in the background or that this picture should do some eerie fade effect or that I just grow wider and wider. I just found out that my McDonald's Vanilla Iced Coffees are made with WHOLE MILK. I only have one word to say to this...WHY?
