Chicken Nuggets...Would You Eat Them...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
March 29, 2010 7:02am CST
Recently I was watching a program about healthy eating and how certain foods aren’t good for you. This guy was showing a group of kids how chicken nuggets are made. Now, I always thought that chicken nuggets were just chunks of regular chicken that were breaded, nope. Now he does say that chicken nuggets are not made this way in this country but…you never know for sure. After all, just b/c the label says “chicken” it doesn’t specify what part of the chicken. Not to mention that companies are always looking for ways to save money.
This guy gets a whole raw chicken and begins by taking off the “good” pieces of meat like the breasts, the wings, and the legs. By the time he’s done, all that is left is the carcass. Now he chops that into chunks and drops it into a big food processor and adds about two handfuls of chicken skin…Yup, chicken skin. Now he grinds all that up into a paste that is pretty gross looking. Now, he says its squeezed through this machine that takes any hard chunks out and it squeezes all the liquid out of it. Then he mixes in spices and flour and rolls it out into a thick looking dough. Next you cut out the shapes, coat them in breadcrumbs and fry. Ta-Da…chicken nuggets. After seeing this video, I’ll never eat another chicken nugget. It is the grossest looking thing ever…I don’t care if it’s completely accurate or not.
I’m including the link to the video I saw it at…please take time to watch it…it’s not very long and the section is right at the front of the video so you don’t have to watch the whole program. The chicken section starts at 4:37
http://www.hulu.com/watch/138201/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-episode-102#s-p1-so-i0
Would you let your child eat these if this is how their made? Would you eat them if they are made this way? Do you think that mass produced nuggets might be made like this? Is this how big companies make things like hotdogs and lunchmeat?
[b]**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]
9 people like this
46 responses
@kaylachan (68467)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Mar 10
While I agree some foods might be made this way, it doesn't stop me from enjoying them. personally if I enjoy it it shouldn't matter what part of the chicken it comes from if at all. Everyone knows that a lot of food is "processed. I don't really stop to think about it really. If its good I eat it plain and simple. If not then I don't.
2 people like this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
29 Mar 10
I hope everyone has the chance to see these shows. That was a real eye opener, and sadly, too true. When I married my husband, he and his daughter ate pretty much the same diet that is shown: pizza, nuggets, tacos, etc. About the only vegetable they ate was corn, and hardly any fresh fruit. It's taken six years to work them off of what they'd been used to, and introduce new and fresh foods to them. The school lunches here where we live are every bit as bad as what is shown, too. I hope that some changes come about with these shows. It would be nice if nutrition were taught in schools, wouldn't it?
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
29 Mar 10
It's sad that the schools are more concerned with the money and costs then they are about the health of the children. I think it would be great if they taught an acutal nutrition class.
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
30 Mar 10
Because of copyright issues I couldn't see the Hulu stream beyond the fact that the show is presented by Jamie Oliver. However, if the show is about Jamie Oliver's attempts to change the content of school lunches you might be interested to know that whilst he managed to change Government policy he also became very unpopular with many of the nations mothers who were quite happy to pander to their children's wish ti eat fat, with a side serving of fat topped off with a sprinkling of fat! Washed down of course with a lb of sugar!! In the north of England two mothers even set up a lunch time supply of chips (fries) which they pushed through school fences when they were taken off the menu inside! Changing attitudes is very hard, better to educate them from the start if possible.
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
30 Mar 10
What Jamie Oliver did in the north of England is exactly is what he is attempting here in Virginia. And with lots of opposition. It's amazing that parents willingly feed their children diets that will lead to a worse life than they themselves have had. Sad.
Part of the problem for the schools is cost. It's cheaper to feed junk. With governments spending countless dollars on debating and bickering, perhaps extra dollars for school meals could be awarded to the lunch programs that produce plans that are healthy.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
30 Mar 10
Somebody I went to out lunch with once was raving about the chicken nuggets so I bought a serving and bit into one. Eww, I did not consider it food. I gave the rest of them to others to eat.
I really do not make a habit of eating anything that is coated in white bread crumbs and fried. To me that is YUCK!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160483)
• United States
30 Mar 10
I do not fry either, I hate what the grease does to the kitchen, and then to the inside of me as well. I think I was into "healthier" foods before it was cool. Not that I am perfect by any means.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
30 Mar 10
hi twoeye,
I haven't yet watched your video but I have a good idea of how it goes. Not much different than seeing hotdogs made when I was a kid...Gross! yet I still ate them. The thing is that now days, the way they raise the animals is what makes me sick. I grew up eating cows and pigs that we named and took care of. Now the way they raise these animals is just disgusting. It isn't just the nuggets...just watch the process in which your KFC goes from chicken to plate. It's nasty. But it isn't excluded to fast foods. Look aat how most of our meats reach our tables. Its all pretty ugly.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
29 Mar 10
I have not knowingly eaten any chicken product that is not free range or organic in five years. Jamie Oliver is one of a group of UK chefs who have been showing us just how awful the meat preparation of certain popular foods is. Chickens/poultry are probably the most abused form of livestock in the world although pigs are close behind and grain fed cattle are catching up. Learn the provenance of your meat and make your own nuggets from properly cared for birds. It's easy and a whole lot better for you.
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
29 Mar 10
It's really hard to eat fresh meat if you don't know a farmer or raise your own meat. I just hate that kids are being fed things like this. Is it any wonder that this country has a weight problem?
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
30 Mar 10
Well it's important not to feed your kids chicken nuggets on a daily basis. Variety is key, and fresh produce is important, as well as a smaller reliance on processed foods. However, I really think you can make anything part of a balanced and healthy diet, and as much as some folks like to disagree with me, I think it's probably because they can't just eat a few chips, or one cookie, or one soda or 4 chicken nuggets - and STOP. I can. Therefore, you can include almost anything in a balanced diet and still be balanced.
@biancagunda (4)
• Philippines
30 Mar 10
I heard that some manufacturing companies of chicken nuggets are spraying butane in their products. And after hearing that and discussing it with some of my friends, I found out that one of the well-known food chain here in the Philippines are actually doing that practice. I had my own research and found out that it is really true. Butane is a kind of chemical that goes all the way to our pulmonary system, they enter to our blood supply. And after several intakes, they produce intoxication. The acute effects of this are dizziness, hypertension, temporal distortion, thick slurred speech and even hallucinations.
@BarBaraPrz (47114)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
29 Mar 10
Chicken lips and horse feathers!
I think I've had some of those chicken nuggets, and yeah, they're kinda gross.
I occassionally get the ones from McDonalds, which are made from whole meat (not minced).
@jezzmay (1845)
• United States
30 Mar 10
I have stopped eating this type of food years
ago. I am glad they are making people a ware
of the way the foods are made. I eat chicken
but I eat the boneless chicken. We can
not even know how these chickens are raised.
I believe this is the best way to eat it.
@JJ4Ever (4693)
• United States
30 Mar 10
I did watch part of the video clip about the chicken, and maybe I'm weird, but it didn't bother me too much. I guess I feel like chicken is chicken no matter what part it comes from. I will probably still eat chicken nuggets and someday when I have children, I will probably let them eat chicken nugget as well because they're so easy to cook! My husband and I normally have a stash of frozen chicken nuggets in the fridge or freezer just waiting to be cooked when we feel like being lazy. (LOL) I guess the biggest reason I will still eat them is because they taste good...they still taste like chicken no matter what part of the chicken they came from. Maybe someday when I need to watch my health more or lose weight, this might be one of those things I'd want to omit from my diet, but for now I will still eat them. Excellent discussion and thanks for sharing that clip with us. Very interesting!
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
26 Sep 10
Hi. twoey68. I am unable to view this video. It specifies that I need to be a subscriber to watch this full video. But you really gave a great full description of how chicken nuggets is made. From the inside and from the outside. I will have to see exactly how chicken nuggets is made. Is this man using the meat from the inside of the chicken to use as the main part in the chicken nugget?
@midasfx (10)
• United States
31 Mar 10
Humans were designed to eat meat. Sure we have found ways to ruin good things like chicken nuggets but throw a little ( or a lot of) ketchup on it and it will taste fine.
Here's a funny one for ya...
I just found out that farm raised salmon are typically fed chicken feathers, chicken feed and chicken liter. When was the last time you heard of a fish eating a chicken in the wild? what would possess us to feed fish chicken food? or chicken poop? haha.
Its only safe to eat pacific wild caught salmon.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
2 Apr 10
Just grand.... but see, I like salmon and I will buy and cook what is available. I would never NOT EAT IT just because the only kind available is farm raised... just like I don't buy organic produce because it is too expensive.
Perhaps if I had chronic health problems I might consider being more careful, especially if the content of certain things in the food exacerbated the condition, but since I don't have any issues like that, I don't see any reason to deprive myself because of these things. None of us are going to live forever, and I am going to die happy.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
30 Mar 10
I have to say that I am aware that chicken nuggets are processed chicken, not ACTUAL chicken. I am also aware that it is 'ok' to have a certain 'ppm' (parts per million) of disgusting things like insect legs and heads and other 'things' in multiple canned or packaged food products.
However, I think a lot of these things exist to gross people out and make people paranoid, and if you are not eating chicken nuggets 3 meals a day every day for 30 days, the occasional chicken nugget is NOT going to kill you, it's not going to ruin your diet, it's not going to make you unhealthy, etc.
I will eat some things people tout as unhealthy. That doesn't mean I eat 395868 of them. I also don't eat them ALL THE TIME.
BALANCE, PEOPLE!
So many people say 'don't eat this. don't drink that. don't use this. don't use that'. I think I get a migraine and a nervous breakdown just trying to process all that garbage people and the media say. As a result, I have decided to toss all of it into the recycling bin on my home computer screen and then when the recycling bin is full, I hit delete. 
OH! BTW, hotdogs ARE kinda gross. I will eat a hot dog once in awhile. I try to get only beef hot dogs, and I know they still may contain some 'ppm' percent of other things, at least it is mostly beef product lol. 'Meat' hotdogs are the worst, they are apparently made with all the crap that cannot be used for other things.
Back to the chicken nuggets. I like them actually, they taste good. My daughter loves chicken nuggets.... so.... i like them, she likes them, they taste good. Yes, we will still eat them regardless. Proudly. Now if they tasted like s***, we probably would not eat them lol.
OH! BTW, hotdogs ARE kinda gross. I will eat a hot dog once in awhile. I try to get only beef hot dogs, and I know they still may contain some 'ppm' percent of other things, at least it is mostly beef product lol. 'Meat' hotdogs are the worst, they are apparently made with all the crap that cannot be used for other things.
Back to the chicken nuggets. I like them actually, they taste good. My daughter loves chicken nuggets.... so.... i like them, she likes them, they taste good. Yes, we will still eat them regardless. Proudly. Now if they tasted like s***, we probably would not eat them lol.1 person likes this
@missybear (11391)
• United States
30 Mar 10
Sounds gross but I love chicken nuggets and therefor I won't watch the video.
I don't wanna get grossed out and be deprived of chicken nuggets
lol
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
29 Mar 10
I saw this show Friday night it was very informative. I do believe that everything Jamie Oliver said on that show was the TRUTH. He is trying to change the way families eat. That truck load of chicken fat was so disgusting. The parents of America should be appalled as to what their kids are eating in the schools today. Pizza for breakfast is CRAZY and it's showing the kids the wrong way to eat. I couldn't believe how the 6 year old kids n one class didn't know their vegetables when Jamie asked them. That was shocking to me. My granddaughter who just turned 4 and has not been to school yet, but her mother and I have taught her what the different fruits and veggie are. They should know this stuff before they go to school. I blame that totally on the parents. That also goes to show the parents are not buying the veggie or fruits at home. This fast food stuff is all garbage and the stuff they serve in school is all garbage. They serve this type of food because its cheaper and faster to prepare. Meanwhile our kids are growing up with very bad eating habits and with obesity. The shame of it all if they continue on this path they will not live has long as their parents.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
30 Mar 10
I agree that kids should know about fresh produce and be able to name veggies and fruits - hopefully from being exposed to them and eating them as small children. I don't like what the school lunches include - my daughter's school does have some good things, fresh fruit, milk, and sometimes they include veggies but when I look at the menu and a lot of stuff on there is like pizza and burritos and processed junk, eww... My daughter will eat pizza but she doesn't like burritos, and she hated fries until she was over two years old.
I wish they had a little salad bar, soups, cold cut sandwiches, and small bottled waters. If I go to the high school it's nearly impossible for me to find anything to eat! I went to have lunch with my older kids once and a teacher took pity on me and found me a sandwich and some fresh fruit. I had to pay almost five bucks for it but I did NOT want a greasy pizza or burrito or french fries covered in thousand island dressing. Yuck.
I think the school lunch program also gets sponsored by certain corporations, which is why they carry things like Swanson and Tyson and Nestle, and Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, to name a few. They also get supplied with overstock items, which may be why they have so much low cost high calorie fare.... fast food is cheap and calorie dense. It costs four times as much to make a healthy meal
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
1 Apr 10
yuck!!!!!!!! So glad i dont eat this at all tasted them once and didnt like for it didnt taste right now I know why.
And Am telling my daughter that grand daughter shouldnt eat any more even if she does like them now chicken strips loo and tatse like chicken so thats what we will go for now!
@laydee (12798)
• Philippines
3 Apr 10
Well, that may be the case for that chicken-nugget maker, but there's a good recipe for chicken nuggets (less the gross things) and you could make your own so that you won't need to worry not knowing what's inside them. The recipe is great too because it's healthy due to addition of milk and 'good' parts of chicken, without the skin, plus the recipe also allows you to put big chunks of chicken so you can actually 'feel' the chicken instead of pure flour.
Further, it really pays to know how to cook rather than let someone else handle your food.
@tjades (3591)
• Jamaica
9 Apr 10
I have only had chicken nuggets two or three times in my entire life and all since last year. My nephew (the main reason I decided to try it out in the first place) doesnt seem very fond of it anyways.
Half the things we eat would gross us out if we were to really pay attention to the preparation process. The sausage family fits well into this group as far as I have heard. That too I started eating about seven years ago and again because of my nephew. Now that he just never seems to refuse and he's one hard child to please.
@scififan43 (2434)
• United States
7 Aug 10
I have not seen this vid yet but made I do not want to know what realy goes on. i do eat chikken nuggets form time to time and never had any problem. I hope that mcdondals and other fast foods chains. I hope some of my favortie restuanst don't have them made this way either.
@beho82770 (63)
• Philippines
31 Mar 10
After watching the video, it only made me not to recommend eating to any kids or adults as well. It can happen in any big food processor companies just to cut down on production expenses without thinking of the quality of the final products they manufacture!
The bottom line is that we as consumers must be fully aware of such inappropiate and unhealthy practices of some individuals just to make a profit. We must be vigilant consumers and have the right to know what comes in our food table.
I'm glad you were able to post this important video and let us continue to be cautious in what we eat or drink. Have a nice day.
