Are Grill’d burgers a better option than McDonald’s?
We recently visited Grill’d. A rare treat for our large family.
We chose Grill’d based on their values of having burgers that are ‘good for you”. Burgers that use quality and premium ingredients, and hence must be healthier for us.
Grill’d is all about being good, doing good and feeling good. For Grill’d this means sourcing good ingredients, having respect for the people who produce the food and the animals themselves, being mindful of sustainability and wastage and of course providing the pleasure and enjoyment of eating delicious tasting food.
I didn’t check the ingredients prior to visiting (I should have!)
Since visiting Grill’d, many members of my family presented with asthmatic symptoms (only those that dined at Grill’d) within 24-48 hours of dining there.
I had only just commented earlier in the week to Howard Dengate that we hadn’t suffered any asthma attacks in our house for 9 years. To then have multiple members come down with these symptoms at the same time was very unusual and suspicious.
I donned my detective cap and went straight to their website to search for the ingredients of the burgers and chips we had ordered. Let’s examine the Grill’d Burgers that my family tried on our recent visit.
This is what I found:
Nourish and Flourish
Beef pattie
Beef mince, relish (diced tomato (50%), Sugar, Onions, Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Herbs and Spices, Salt, Thickener (1422), Food Acid (330), Firming agent (309), Salt, Parsley).
Low carb superbun
Water, free range whole egg, almond meal, coconut cream, tapioca flour, Psyllium Husk, Honey, Salt
Tomato
Carrot
Cos Lettuce
Dill pickles
Gherkins (53%), Water, Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Dill (0.3%), Spices
Avocado
Dijon Mustard
Mustard seeds (19%), Salt, vinegar, sugar, acetic acid (260), spices
Egg Mayo
Canola oil, Free range egg (14%), Vinegar, Mustard, Salt, Natural flavour, lemon juice, citric acid, spices, sugar, natural colour
Summer and Sunset
Beef pattie
Beef mince, relish (diced tomato (50%), Sugar, Onions, Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Herbs and Spices, Salt, Thickener (1422), Food Acid (330), Firming agent (309), Salt, Parsley).
Traditional bun
Water, wheat flour, wholemeal flour, wheat gluten, canola oil, iodised salt, sesame seeds, yeast
Pineapple
Pineapple, water, sugar
Tomato
Lettuce
Bacon
Pork (94%), Salt, Water, Mineral salts (451, 450), Sugar, Dextrose, Antioxidant (316), Preservative (250), Natural wood smoke
Relish
Tomato (46%), sugar, water, onion, apple cider vinegar, modified starch, salt, tomato paste (0.5%), mustard seed, citric acid, spices).
Avocado
Herbed Mayo
Canola oil, free range egg (13%), sugar, mustard, vinegar, herbs (1.5%), salt, natural flavour, lemon juice, citric acid, pectin, spices, natural colour)
Onion
Beef mini me pack
Water
Chips
(Potato (96%), Canola oil, Dextrose), (Australian cottonseed oil and Australian Oleic sunflower oil), Antioxidant 320)), Salt, Mixed Herbs.
Beef pattie
Beef mince, relish (diced tomato (50%), sugar, onions, vinegar, tomato paste, herbs and spices, salt, thickener (1422), Food acid (330), Firming agent (509), Slat, Parsley)
Mini bun
Wheat flour, water, salt, canola oil, yeast
Cheese
Pasteurised mik, salt, cultures, enzyme (non-animal renett)
Tomato sauce
Concentrated tomatoes, sugar, salt, food acid (acetic acid), Spice extracts)
Our Famous Grill’d Chips
Potato (96%), Canola Oil, Dextrose), Australian cottonseed and Australian High Oleic Sunflower oil (Antioxidant (320)), Salt, Mixed Herbs.
That is a LOT of ingredients!
In my opinion, it is no wonder we had the reactions we did!!
I should mention that our family are not ‘true’ asthmatics.
As a child I was diagnosed as a ‘seasonal’ asthmatic. The reality was that I would have asthma attacks, yet the doctors couldn’t find all the other associated symptoms that would accompany a ‘true’ asthmatic, hence diagnosing me as a ‘seasonal’ asthmatic.
My first born son at the age of 2 had been diagnosed asthmatic. Once I put all the pieces together that food was impacting our health and behaviour he has never had an asthma attack again since we removed the additives, and neither have I!
It was very frightening to see many family members suffer these symptoms at the same time.
Bringing back all those early memories as a child, needing steroids and relievers and preventers. Late nights being with your child, debating whether they need to be taken to the hospital or not.
Which additives could have caused the asthmatic symptoms?
The reality is that there could have been any number of ingredients.
Ingredients such as vinegar, doesn’t state whether there are preservatives included. There are many ingredients listed above that are made of many ingredients that aren’t separately identified.
We don’t know all the ingredients in natural flavours….there could be anything in there!
We don’t know which natural colour was used.
We don’t know what is actually included in their herbs and spices.
We know that Sodium Nitrite (250) may cause asthma in sensitive individuals. ^
The biggest shock to me though was the Antioxidant that is being used in their chips. Who doesn’t have chips when they go out for burgers?
How many parents have given chips to their young infant whilst out and about as one of their first takeaway foods? Thinking it is pretty good, just potatoes, oil and salt?
We know that in the Grill’d chips it contains Antioxidant (320) may cause asthma and a huge range of other symptoms (rashes, hives, fatigue, headache, insomnia, it is prohibited in food for infants) in sensitive individuals. ^
Do you know how many infants I saw eating these chips?!
These chips are included as part of the Kids range for Kids 7 and under!!
My family discussed what we had uncovered.
Linking our symptoms back to what we had eaten. We have a very clean diet, so it is easy for us to pinpoint things like this. Its nearly been a decade that we have been examining what we put into our bodies and we have become very good at being detectives!
My kids then posed the question, how do these Grill’d options compare to McDonald’s?
Donning the detective cap and magnifying glass we went exploring. To McDonald’s credit, they are also very transparent in disclosing their ingredients on their website. Let’s take a look at a burger that we would choose if we were to eat at McDonald’s:
Quarter Pounder
Beef pattie
Beef (100%)
Quarter bun
Wheat flour, water, yeast, sugar, canola oil, sesame seeds, iodised salt, gluten (wheat), Bread improver (soy flour, mineral salts (170, 516), Malt flour (wheat), Dough conditioner (300), Enzymes (amylase, xlyanase), Preservative 282, Emulsifier (472e, 481, 471), Antioxidants (307, 304, 330), Enzymes (1101), Vitamines (thiamin and folate)
Cheese
Cheese (milk, salt, culture, enzymes (rennet, lipase), water, milk solds, butter, emulsifiers (340,452,331), salt, acidity regulators (260, 330, 339), Colours (160b, 160c), Preservative (200), Soy lecithin
Ketchup
Water, Tomato paste, high fructose corn syrup, glucose corn syrup, vinegar, salt, flavouring
Pickle
Cucumber, water, vinegar, salt, preservatives (202,211), flavour
Onion
Mustard
Water, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, colour (100), Spice, Flavour
Happy Meal – Cheese burger
Regular bun
Wheat flour, water, yeast, sugar, canola oil, iodised salt, gluten (wheat), soy flour, Preservative 282, Emulsifier (471, 472e, 481), Malt flour, Mineral salt (170), Antioxidants (300, 304, 307, 330), Enzymes (1101), Vitamins (thiamin and folate)
Beef patty
Beef 100%
Cheese
Cheese (milk, salt, culture, enzymes (rennet, lipase), water, milk solds, butter, emulsifiers (340,452,331), salt, acidity regulators (260, 330, 339), Colours (160b, 160c), Preservative (200), Soy lecithin
Ketchup
Water, Tomato paste, high fructose corn syrup, glucose corn syrup, vinegar, salt, flavouring
Pickle
Cucumber, water, vinegar, salt, preservatives (202,211), flavour
Onion
Water, dehydrated white onion.
Mustard
Water, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, colour (100), Spice, Flavour
Fries
Potato, Canola oil, Mineral Salt (450), Dextrose, Antifoam (1521)
OR
Potatoes, canola oil (antioxidant 307), dextrose, mineral salt (450), Antifoam (secondary fatty alcohol, ethoxylated and propxylated)
Now most of these ingredients do not surprise me in the least. I really believe in the saying you get what you pay for.
However, what did surprise me, immensely, is that the McDonald’s beef pattie, is 100% beef!!
Nothing else! It is an additive free pattie!
Who would have thought! My kids were very surprised!
I couldn’t say the same for their bun though or condiments though!!
If you look at the ingredients of the Grill’d bun it is amazing!
Now imagine this…. wouldn’t it be awesome if you could take your children out for a treat one night, without having to worry about whether the ingredients are going to set your children off behaviourally or with asthmatic symptoms, hives or rashes?
Surely it isn’t that inconceivable to think that the perfect burger is so hard to make?
The problem for manufacturers is they want their burgers to taste the best.
These manufacturers are competing with taste buds that have been overexcited to death and now do not recognise what real food tastes like anymore.
The thing is, that real food tastes AMAZING all on its own.
Imagine the perfect burger could be as simple as:
A Grill’d bun
+
a McDonald’s pattie
+
lots of fresh veges (salad, tomato)
+
quality tomato sauce and condiments (that are additive free).
Wouldn’t that be amazing! It really isn’t hard!
All it requires is a shift in focus. A shift to health first, profits second.
In my discussions with Grill’d last week, they advised me that they could not be everything to everyone, that the use of additives can be seen as unhealthy for some and the confines of healthy varies for many.
The fact is, I chose to vote with my dollar at Grill’d as I believed in their values and using quality ingredients.
I walked away with numerous members of my family being sick.
One of the main reasons, in my opinion was the use of Antioxidant 320 which is prohibited in the use of foods for infants.
I was advised that my family was the first example that Grill’d had heard of involving asthma related symptoms.
Somehow I doubt this. The reality is that reactions such as ours are often delayed and most people do not make the connection to something they have consumed (especially if it is 24-48 hours ago).
I was encouraged to reach out to my health care professional to help identify the cause of the asthma symptoms.
In this instance, I didn’t need any assistance to identify the cause….it was plainly obvious to me.
I nearly needed health care professionals at the emergency department with my son though!
I know what the cause was for my family.
I urge you to take note of your family symptoms.
Make a connection between your symptoms and what you have eaten.
I believe Grill’d has a responsibility to stop using this Antioxidant 320 in their chips.
The reason Grill’d uses it is because the Antioxidant 320 is in the oil as a stabiliser so that their fryers don’t foam up and bubble over, which is important in high temperature frying, otherwise posing a safety risk to everyone using them. It also ensures the longevity of the oil. This means that they can keep using the same oil for a lot longer and thereby reduce their costs (and increase profits).
I support Grill’d’s philosophy of using quality ingredients.
Grill’d have an amazing opportunity, to stand out in their field and truly sell the healthiest burgers around.
We urge you to take that step Grill’d!!
We urge you to take the first step by removing Antioxidant 320 from your chips, which are prohibited for use in food for infants.
Comment below if you would love to see Grill’d remove additives from their menu or even to take the first step in removing Antioxidant 320 from their chips!
References
^ Chemical Maze: Shopping companion – Bill Statham
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My passion and mission is to work with families to reduce the overwhelm when going additive free. Moving to additive free living can bring back peace, calm and joy to families. I know it's possible and I've experienced it first hand with my 5 boys.
Please take out 320 from your chips grill’d if McDonald’s can surely you can too.
YES! I would love them to stand by the food philosophy they advertise and be the ‘healthy alternative.’ We stopped going to grilld after researching their ingredients 🙁
Please remove the additives from your food. Especially antioxidant 320 from your oil so I can bring my child there to eat! So many families would be in the same boat. It won’t affect your current customers but really is an untapped market.
This is so disappointing to find out. My family eats at Grill’d once a fortnight as a treat. Well we did! I feel so annoyed at myself for thinking they were the healthy option without looking into ingredients. We have always struggled with my daughters behaviour, and whilst keeping a super clean diet at home and always questioning why her behaviour gets triggered over the weekend…I now have my answer!! Why does it have to be so hard to find real food as a take away option?! So disappointing Grill’d!
It is disappointing. I hope that once I provide the community feedback to Grill’d they will see this as the massive opportunity that it is for them!
Are the corn starch & canola oil GMO??
I’m not sure…I haven’t questioned Grill’d about these ingredients…there are so many to tackle…I wanted to start with the worst one and request 320 be removed as it is prohibited for infants.
What a huge shame that once again customers are fooled by the “healthy option” we love grill’d but won’t be going back until the additives are dropped. My son had a bad asthma attack within 48hrs of eating a grill’d meal last week!
We recently dined at Grill’d for the first time last week, if I’d had known all of the ingredients I wouldn’t have! Please remove antioxidant 320.
I have taken my family to Grilled a couple of times as I love what they stand for, mostly. But after reviewing their ingredients I haven’t been back. So sad they can do so many things right but completely miss a large aspect of health. We will return if this is fixed.
Yes please!
And nightshades and onion out of the pattie, so people allergic to tomato, or nightshades, or react to onions (there are a LOT of us!) can also eat the burgers.
When I told Grill’d staff I can’t eat tomatoes, not one told me there were tomatoes in the patty.
I think they need to seriously look at the meaning of healthy before throwing it around. I will not dine there until 320 and a few other ingredients are removed.
Hey Team,
Thanks to Francine for a great conversation offline around the use of additives in food and the ways that Grill’d can improve upon our already established food philosophy of low to no additives and clean labelling.
What we wanted to ensure was clear here is that while the use of 320 is listed as permissible at 200 MPL by FSANZs, a number we are well below and while not listed as permitted in foods for infants (less than 12 months old) we wish to make it clear that our meals and specifically kids packs are not marketed towards this age group.
In regards to specific ingredients, we are extremely confident in the transparency of our ingredients lists and are more than happy to assist with customers who have identified allergens in identifying what products of ours they should avoid.
We wanted to highlight points made that McDonalds only use 100% beef in their patties, making them “healthier” than ours. We believe despite the addition of our relish, salt and parsley to our beef patties, giving that signature Grill’d flavour, that our patties are a much more premium option (having used premium forequarter cuts such as chuck and brisket) and a healthier option, a quick comparison of per 100g nutritionals can highlight that. However for us healthy eating is more than simply kilojoule content it’s about sourcing good ingredients , having respect for the people who produce the food and being mindful of sustainability and wastage and of course the pleasure and enjoyment of eating delicious tasting food.
In addition, our burgers can be customised so you can start from scratch and DIY. Choose to order your burger without some ingredients (e.g. mayo) or with something else added, building your own burger to your preferred taste and dietary needs.
Many here have highlighted a desire for a cleaner product to accommodate preferences (such as fructose friendly, etc), which is something we do have available. Our Wagyu patties are 100% Australian bred Wagyu breeds of cattle, free from preservatives, antibiotics and all added hormones. We still use high quality chuck and brisket cuts in these patties as well. What this means, is you can order a Wagyu build a burger using our artisan made buns and only add ingredients you want, like fresh local baby cos lettuce, tomatoes, carrots etc. Worth mentioning you can also feel confident ordering our Chicken range, which includes 100% RSPCA Approved chicken breasts.
We appreciate that many here, including Francine, believe in our values and our use of quality ingredients, and while we acknowledge we cannot be everything to everyone, we do believe in being the best we can be and will continue to improve.
Good on you for being open to feedback & discussion.
Disappointed to read this. Love the fact that Grilled have gluten free burger options! Hoping Grilled make the changes necessary in order to sell high quality additive free products all round.
I had a terrible reaction, (gut issues)to burger designed byLola Berry, but seem ok with the simplest one on the menu. But this post has definitely made me rethink eating there at all, give all the additives.
Great article thanks. Good to see Grill’d response too. I’ll have to keep an eye out next time we visit, hadn’t noted any reactions previously.
Just questioning the 100% beef burgers at McDonalds though – I questioned staff about whether the patty contained soy as my son is intolerant to soy and they said it did. Unless it is fried in soy oil I’m not sure why this would be the case if its listed as 100% beef on the website. Might have to call head office.
Yes that is very interesting Hannah….let me know what you hear back.
I found this thread because I ate Grill’d tonight and had bad asthma not long after eating it. I only ever get asthma from eating preservatives which I avoid! I ate quite a few chips so can only put it down to that as I don’t usually eat their chips. So disappointed! Will not be letting my family eat their chips again that’s for sure!
Sorry to hear that. I should contact them again and see what their plans are now.
100% beef means very little to me, could be any part of the animal. It also says nothing about where the animal is from or what it was fed. Grill’d have provided this information. The overall toxic load of the Grill’d burger and chips is still much less than McDonalds and as my family have no reactions to it, as an occasional food I have no problem with my family eating it.
That’s great Sally. This information has been provided for those people that are unaware of the hidden additives in Grill’d food. People generally perceive it to be a healthier option. For those that are sensitive they need to be made aware to make an informed choice.