Salt is the nutrient McDonald's publishes but nobody checks. Boone ranks all 151 items on the UK menu by salt per portion as served, and measures each against the NHS daily maximum for the person eating it, which is 6g for an adult but only 3g for a four to six year old. That difference is the point: no item on this menu reaches an adult's daily limit, but four exceed a young child's, and a Cheeseburger Happy Meal accounts for more than half of one. Set the age below and each figure recalculates.
































The full McDonald's UK breakfast menu ranked by salt. The Breakfast Wrap with Ketchup tops it at 2.6g, more than 40% of an adult's daily limit before nine in the morning, followed by the Hot Honey Double Sausage and Egg McMuffin at 2.4g. Plain Porridge and Pancake Syrup are at or near zero, so the salt tracks the bacon and sausage rather than the meal type.
























All McDonald's UK sides, fries and dips ranked by salt. The nine-piece Mozzarella Dippers Sharebox leads at 3g, an entire day's salt for a four to six year old. Dips run up to 0.84g for Spicy Mayo, which is more salt than most desserts contain, and they are the item people are least likely to count.

























The McDonald's Happy Meal and kids range ranked by salt, measured against a child's 3g daily limit rather than an adult's 6g. The Cheeseburger Happy Meal is highest at 1.69g, which Boone measures as 56% of a four to six year old's whole day in a single children's meal. Cucumber Sticks are 0.01g.










McDonald's UK cold drinks ranked by salt, which is not where most people look for it. A large Chocolate Milkshake contains 0.85g, more than a portion of fries and more than any dip on the menu. The fizzy drinks and juices are at or close to zero, so within this section the milkshakes account for almost all of it.


































McDonald's UK hot drinks ranked by salt. Hot Chocolate is highest at 0.57g and a plain Latte 0.32g, both from the milk rather than anything added. Black coffee is effectively zero, which makes this the lightest section on the menu for salt as well as for calories.









McDonald's UK desserts ranked by salt. Muffins lead at around 0.44g, from the raising agents in the batter rather than added salt, and McFlurries sit between 0.2g and 0.35g. The Chocolate Brownie is lowest at 0.04g. Nothing in this section is significant against a daily limit, but it is the clearest illustration that salt is present in sweet food.













