I'm sure health is the first thing on your mind when you order fast food, right? No? Oh, well... I'll tell you today's big food news anyway. Burger King has just introduced it's new, "healthier" French fry, called "Satisfries." (GET IT???) They're krinkle-cut, they have 30 percent less fat, they have 20 fewer calories, and they cost 20 to 30 cents more than the original fries. Naturally we had to give them a try to see how they hold up against regular fries, so we conducted our own informal taste test here at CafeMom.
The results: People prefer the original, less-healthy fries to the Satisfries by an overwhelming majority. Eleven people voted for the original fries, while only three people preferred the healthier fries. No surprise there! But let's look into why people preferred the unhealthier fries.
Here's what people said about the original fries:
They're more fast-foodie. It seemed to have more flavor to me. Maybe it was more salty, but I do like salty! They're crispier. (Many people said this.) I only eat fries every once in a while, so... (In other words, a more decadent fry is justifiable.) As a fry lover, I’d rather have the fattier version and not sacrifice taste to save a couple of calories. I like the original fries better, because they are crispier than the new Satisfries.And here's what people said about the new Satisfries:
Satisfries will suffice with enough ketchup, but on their own, doesn’t cut it. They had a nice crunch on the outside, but the inside just fell apart and became mush within half a chew. Fries are about texture. These did not have that. Also the regular ones had more heat to them. Seriously, you’re eating at a Burger King. Health should be the furthest thing from your mind.
Kinda mushy.
I do like the concept of crinkle cut fries and think that I’d go for them just to save myself the extra calories. Plus, then I could have an ice cream cone.
It’s more potato-ey and reminds me of the French fries I used to get in grade school.
So there you go. Burger King says they'll keep the "healthier" fries on the menu if enough people like them -- and if that happens, other fast food restaurants could wind up creating their own healthier options. But will it come to that? Seems like people already know fast food is unhealthy and almost feel like, well... that's the point! And yet, it appears we eat a whole lot more of it than maybe we're willing to admit, maybe even to ourselves. It would be interesting to see what would happen if fast food restaurants just made lower-calorie versions of their foods without giving people a choice.
Would you try a lower-fat, lower-calorie French fry?
Image via Burger King