Whoever coined the term “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” probably wasn’t on many PR flacks’ email lists.
I’m not entirely sure why someone thought the Courier would be interested in doing a story on a multinational corporation introducing a new line of salads but I’m guessing they saw the most recent installment of our hard-hitting investigative series What’s Howell Having for Lunch? and hoped Wendy’s new Asian Cashew or BBQ Ranch chicken salads might make an appearance.
Since Mike Howell is far too principled to even consider bartering his journalistic integrity to shill for a fast food company, and also because he is away this week, I figured I’d give these salads a toss instead after they were sent to the office.
I confess I don’t really eat much fast food anymore. Partly it’s because most of it is the equivalent of injecting MSG-laden lard directly into your arteries. There’s also the whole destroying the rainforests thing and it’s always a bit depressing being waited on by disillusioned new immigrants and/or bored teenagers.
According to a recent survey, 75 percent of women and 66 percent of men say they’re trying to eat healthier at restaurants than they used to, and Wendy’s is one of many chains now offering healthier fare on their menus in response.
“Our new premium salads feature innovative flavour profiles inspired by contemporary culinary trends and include the highest quality ingredients, made fresh every day,” said Wendy’s marketing director Lisa Deletroz in a press package that came with them.
The Asian Cashew was quite tasty, featuring roasted edamame, sliced red peppers and cucumbers with a light vinaigrette made with a chili garlic sauce. A full-sized one is just 370 calories too, considerably less than the BBQ Ranch salad which includes rashers of bacon and came in 590 calories and 31 grams of fat.
Sadly, our fast food rations didn’t come with the third and final salad debuting this week dubbed the Taco Supreme. “Where’s the beef,” you ask? (Or you might ask if you’re old enough to remember their ad campaign from the '80s.) Why it’s right there in this “salad” — which along with 760 calories worth of chili and cheese features 39 grams of fat (18 of them the unpopular saturated variety) and 1,870 milligrams of delicious sodium.
To put numbers in perspective, doctors say people should limit their total daily fat intake to 65 grams and sodium to 1,500 milligrams.
But they’re still a lot healthier than most of the things on the menu. If Wendy’s late founder Dave Thomas had eaten fewer burgers and more salads back in the day, maybe he never would’ve needed quadruple-bypass surgery like so many of his regular customers.
