Food Showdown: McDonald's 6-piece Chicken McNuggets® vs. Chicken McBites Snack Size™

By , SparkPeople Blogger
You're strapped for time and decide to hit the McDonald's drive-thru for a quick afternoon snack. How about some Chicken McNuggets®? They're small, portable, and surely fewer calories than a sandwich. You could go with the tried-and-true 6-piece chicken nugget box, or… wait a minute! There's a new item on the menu: the Chicken McBites Snack Size™. It's only 3 ounces, whereas the 6-piece box of nuggets weighs in at 3.4 ounces. The bites may weigh less than the nuggets, but does a lower weight indicate a lower calorie count?

Quick, you're almost to the drive-thru window-- which chicken snack is better for your waistline? 
 

The Winner: 6-piece Chicken McNuggets®!
The lower-calorie victor this round is the good 'ol fashioned 6-piece Chicken McNuggets® box. Even though the Chicken McBites Snack Size™ weighs less than the nuggets, it still packs in 310 calories and 19 grams of fat... and that's without any dipping sauce! By comparison, the 6-piece nugget box clocks in at 280 calories and 18 grams of fat. Since the chicken bites are smaller, they have more surface area for batter to stick to, upping the fat and calorie content. This is a perfect example of calorie density. Don't be fooled by the size or weight of a food-- even ''snack-sized'' portions can pack a caloric punch! If you're looking for an even lower-calorie chicken snack option, go for the 4-piece Chicken McNuggets® box (190 calories and 12 grams of fat).

Photo Source: found on Flickr and mcdonaldsarabia.com