The marketing experts at McDonald’s know what they’re doing: the minty green ice cream treat topped with waves of whipped cream, green sprinkles, and a single red cherry simply shouts spring vibes and Irish cheer.
But the Shamrock Shake is disappointing.
Maybe it’s my disrespect for McDonald’s (watch the movie “The Founder” if you don’t know what I’m talking about). Or maybe it’s the shake’s neon green color that would put any true shamrock to shame. I just think there are better ways to celebrate March 17 and enjoy a sweet treat than to flood your body with unnatural substances.
Packed with high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, and a whopping 63 grams of sugar (and that’s just in a size small). The Shamrock Shake ultimately won’t bring you the good luck you hope for. Think about it–you’re only supposed to have a maximum of 50 grams of sugar in a whole day, and definitely not in just one sitting.
There’s also something so fake about the mintiness of the Shamrock Shake. Oh wait, probably because the mintiness is fake. Shocker. If you close your eyes, you might mistake the overpowering taste and thick texture of your shake to be toothpaste – and this is coming from a girl who loves all things mint.
I’ve enjoyed my fair share of Shamrock Shakes. There’s a sweet nostalgia about the minty treat. But you can still indulge in something slightly more healthy and mature than the neon green milkshake that haunts every Spotify commercial and Instagram advertisement during March.
So what’s the solution? Make it yourself. Grab a quart of mint-chocolate chip ice cream (try to avoid food coloring by going all-natural) and blend it with your choice of milk . Top it off with hand-whipped heavy whipping cream, and voila! You have yourself a delicious, homemade, non-toxic St. Patrick’s Day treat. And if you really want to eat something green for good luck, maybe try a salad or some broccoli.
If you’re still not convinced, maybe you’ll get lucky and the Hillsdale McDonald’s ice cream machine will be out of order.
