McDonald's tells employees not to eat fast food

McDonald's employees are being told via an online employee handbook that they shouldn't eat fast food, including the kind they prepare at the chain restaurants.

"While convenient and economical for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt and may put people at risk for becoming overweight," the site reads. 

On its employee resources website, McDonald’s offers workers reasonable if not unexpected advice for a healthier diet. McDonald’s employees should steer clear of fast food, the website warns, because meal consisting of burger, fries, and a soda cause weight gain.

“Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced, and readily available alternatives to home cooking,” one post on the McResource Line site says. “While convenient and economical for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt and may put people at risk for becoming overweight.”

Illustrating this point is a picture of what looks suspiciously like McDonald’s food. At 550 calories, McDonald’s Big Mac delivers nearly 50 percent of one’s daily recommended fat. That’s not including the fries and soda.

McDonald’s defended the McResource posts, saying it has been “taken entirely out of context.” “This website provides useful information from respected third-parties about many topics, among them health and wellness,” they told CNBC. “It also includes information from experts about healthy eating and making balanced choices. McDonald’s agrees with this advice.”

The company pointed to its healthier fare; however, “these menu adjustments are often superficial and misleading or slow-coming  in the fast food industry. By adding a  green label to its McWrap, McDonald’s hopes to attract a younger consumer base that associates green with health.

The McResource Line is now infamous  for advising low-income fast food workers to sell Christmas presents for cash and to live on food stamps. The corporation stands firm against rasing wages, despite facing embarrassment whenever McDonald’s discusses its $7.81 hourly wage workforce. On these wages, even McDonald’s admitted it is nearly impossible for workers to afford basic expenses from healthy food to heating to transportation.

NBC first uncovered the contradictory advice in an article published Monday, noting that officials with the company said third-party content is used on the employee resource site and it will be adjusted accordingly.

On that site, there's a special section for fast food in the "Health Encyclopedia," which advises employees on diet and exercise.

Another quote from that section reads "In general, people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease must be very careful about choosing fast food because of its high fat, salt, and sugar levels."

It also offers tips on choosing healthier options at a fast food restaurant. It suggests choosing fruits and vegetables over fries or onion rings, eating smaller portions and knowing the calorie count of your meal.

This isn't the first time the McResource Line site has come under fire. Earlier this month NBC published an article detailing information in the "tipping" section, which gave employees advice on appropriately tipping au pairs, personal trainers, dog walkers and other luxuries many of the minimum-wage employees can't afford.

Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/blogs/gone-viral/os-mcdonalds-no-fast-food-20131224,0,2415594.post