I feel like I just got back from our last McDonald’s All Access Moms trip to New Brunswick (the details of which will be posted soon!) and here I am once again packing for another trip.
If you recall, our first trip was to Toronto & Chicago over the course of 5 days to learn about the Canadian and Global Head Offices of McDonald’s. There are commercials currently airing across the country with a few clips from that week, and next week there will be a piece on CityLine showcasing our trip in more detail (I’ll share a reminder post with the exact date and time next week).
Our second trip was to New Brunswick to learn more about how potatoes grown by Canadian farmers become delicious McDonald’s french fries.
This trip (and the next trip in November) are the two trips I am least looking forward to. This time, we’re off to Spruce Grove, Alberta to learn more about beef. Yes beef. Moo.
We’re going to visit the Cargill Meats facility – they are the meat supplier to McDonald’s here in Canada. We’re going to see the process from the point the beef arrives at the facility (thankfully not the part before) and how it’s processed to become the 100% pure beef in McDonald’s hamburgers. Then, the following day we’re going to visit a local bull farmer that supplies beef to Cargill Meats.
Farms are not at all foreign to me, growing up in Saskatchewan and having family who have owned farms for decades. I’ve never been much of a fan of visiting the farm. There are stories of my cousins taunting me as a child and I do recall a turkey or two chasing me when I was very small (I had nightmares for months!)
I would rather not see the entire process on how hamburgers are made. As long as the facility is clean, the beef doesn’t have weird things added to it, and the beef arrives in the restaurant or grocery store in a safe and sanity manner, I’m cool with that.
Still, I know that many people have concerns about how our food is processed and some are very skeptical about the beef used in fast food. So, as part of my responsibility as a McDonald’s All Access Mom, I’m going on this tour to learn what I can and bring the information forward to you. Got questions? Heard rumors? Here’s your chance to ask! Leave them here and I’ll bring you back the answers!
But if a turkey starts chasing me on the farm, I’m outta there. Just sayin’.
My two questions would be, are the cows (for the whole operation) grass fed and allowed to walk in pastures and the other question would be do they soak the meat in ammonia to kill bacteria.
(being chased by turkeys stays with you for life its not fun!)
I would like to know what’s actually in the beef? Is it all parts of the cow smashed together, or is it an actual piece of beef?
My question is – if their beef patties are 100% beef, what makes theirs look so different from my own (when I buy ground beef). Their patties are completely different and I would like to know what else is in there to make them look/taste so different.
Hmmmm for me, it was roosters chasing me. Seems to me that particular rooster was eaten much sooner than expected! 😉 I hear cellulose (tree pieces) are landing in a lot of our food…any of that going in the burgers?
Great questions so far! I too just want to know what’s EXACTLY in a burger when you order it.
Kas
Hey that’s where I live in Parkland county, when will you girls be here? Would love to meet some of you!