Help us turn our website into an app, Support our Fundraiser!

Wendy’s

Flavor:

Queso Fries

Ingredients:

French Fries: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Soybean, Canola, and/or Cottonseed Oils), Modified Food Starch (Potato, Corn, Tapioca), Rice Flour, Dextrin, Salt, Pea Starch, Leavening (Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate (To Promote Color Retention). Cooked In Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil, Vegetable Oil [May Contain One Or More Of The Following: Canola, Corn, Or Cottonseed], Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Dimethylpolysiloxane [Anti-Foaming Agent]). Seasoned With Sea Salt. COOKED IN THE SAME OIL AS MENU ITEMS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, MILK, EGG, SOY, SESAME, AND FISH.

Poblano Queso: Water, Whipping Cream (Cream, Milk), Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread (American Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Sodium Phosphate, Contains less than 2% of Milkfat, Salt, Sodium Alginate, Lactic Acid, Apo-Carotenal [Color]), Roasted Poblano Chili Peppers, Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese Product (Cultured Milk and Skim Milk, Milkfat, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Enzymes), Seasoning (Nonfat Dry Milk, Sodium Caseinate, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Onion Powder, Spices, Guajillo Chili Pepper, Paprika [Color], Citric Acid), Modified Corn Starch, Jalapeno Peppers, Contains less than 2% of the following: Tomato Paste, Minced Garlic (Water, Garlic, Phosphoric Acid), Cheddar Cheese Ingredient (Cheddar, Granular, Semi-Soft and Blue Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Sodium Phosphate, Vinegar, Salt), Red Bell Peppers, Soy Lecithin. CONTAINS: MILK, SOY.

Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto Color), Potato Starch (Added to Prevent Caking), Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor). CONTAINS: MILK.

Salt: Sea Salt.

Rating: We Avoid

Ingredient Score:

Rating: 1/5 Green Leaves

Wendy’s Queso Fries receives our lowest green leaf rating due to its composition and lack of healthier, cleaner food attributes. This product is not organic, does not use non-GMO ingredients, and contains added sugars and potentially harmful additives. Specifically, Citric Acid and Dextrose contribute to the added sugars content, while ingredients such as Natural Flavor, Flavor, Soy Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Modified Food Starch, and Corn Starch raise concerns over potential harm. Furthermore, the use of various oils such as Canola and Soybean Oil, which are considered harmful in our evaluation criteria, negatively impacts the product’s score.

The French fries are made from potatoes and a mix of oils, including Soybean, Canola, and Cottonseed, with several additional ingredients to modify texture and taste. The Poblano Queso, which tops the fries, is a blend of water, dairy products, processed cheese, and seasoning, along with stabilizers and emulsifiers like Sodium Phosphate and Soy Lecithin. Roasted poblano chili peppers, jalapeno peppers, and red bell peppers are included for flavor, with Modified Corn Starch used as a thickener. The product also features shredded Cheddar Cheese, which contains an anti-caking agent and a mold inhibitor.

The presence of these ingredients, particularly the non-organic and GMO elements, along with the additives and oils deemed harmful, lead to the low rating. The product is cooked in oil that may contain allergens such as wheat, milk, egg, soy, sesame, and fish, which could be a concern for those with allergies or dietary restrictions.

The Wendy’s Queso Fries are positioned far from the cleaner food options we aim to highlight. For those seeking healthier alternatives, this product does not align with our criteria of clean eating, and we recommend caution or avoidance when considering it as a food choice.