Did Rachael Ray Make THAT?

I eat almost exclusively raw food. I’m still surprised so many people think it’s strange. Basically, I eat nutritious food prepared by none other than Mother Nature herself.

Recently, another raw foodist suggested I click on the “nutrition” button on the Dunkin’ Donuts website and look at the ingredients for their garden salad. To save you the steps, here they are (unedited):

INGREDIENTS: ICEBERG LETTUCE, ROMAINE LETTUCE, ROASTED RED PEPPERS (Red Peppers, Water, Salt, Citric Acid), CARROT, TOMATO, CHEDDAR CHEESE [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto (Vegetable Color), Potato Starch And Powdered Cellulose (To Prevent Caking)], CUCUMBER, RED ONION, CHEESE & GARLIC CROUTONS [Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Barley Malt, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Whole Wheat Flour, Yeast, Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, 2% Or Less Of The Following: Whey, Dextrose, Rye Meal, Parsley, Garlic, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Parmesan Cheese And Enzyme Modified Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Cultured Nonfat Milk, Caramel Color, Honey, Wheat Gluten, Calcium Propionate (Mold Inhibitor), Dough Conditioners (May Contain One Or More Of The Following: Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Peroxide, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Ascorbic Acid), Annatto, Extractives Of Turmeric And Paprika (Color), TBHQ (To Preserve Freshness)].

If Dunkin’ Donut’s so-called garden salad—please, may I never see that garden—is so scary, what are the ingredients in, say, their Bacon Lover's Supreme Breakfast Sandwich? Brace yourself (again, this is unedited):

Egg Patty [Whole Eggs, Whey, Pasteurized Process Monterey Jack Cheese (Monterey Jack Cheese (Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Water, Milkfat, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Hexametaphosphate), Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Skim Milk, Potatoes (Potatoes, Dextrose, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate (Added To Maintain Color), Potassium Sorbate (Added To Maintain Freshness), Swiss And Mushroom Round (Swiss Cheese And Pasteurized Swiss Cheese Product (Swiss Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes), Water, Milkfat, Sodium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Salt, Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Natural Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum), Roasted Mushrooms (Mushrooms, Canola Oil, Salt , Pepper)), Butter Flavored Oil (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Soybean Lecithin, Artificial Flavors, Butter Oil, Vitamin A Palmitate Beta Carotene Added For Color), Dried Cream Cheese Product (Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Milk And Cream Cheese Culture, Salt, Carob Bean Gum), Non Fat Dry Milk And Sodium Phosphate), Soybean Oil, Onions, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Liquid Pepper Extract And Citric Acid], Croissant (Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour (Flour, Enzyme, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Palm Oil, Sugar, Canola and/or Soybean Oil, Contain less than 2% of the following: Margarine (Vegetable Oils [Palm, Canola], Water, Mono and Diglycerides, Potassium Sorbate [to Preserve Freshness], Citric Acid, Artificial Flavor, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3), Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Salt, Artificial Flavor, Datem, Dextrose, Corn Syrup Solids, Fructose, Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative), Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Locust Bean Gum, Colored with [Tumeric and Annatto Extracts], Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Steroyl Lactylate, Leavening [Baking Soda], Azodicarbonamide, Pepper Bacon (Bacon Cured with Water, Salt, Sugar, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Bellies Coated with a Mixture of Ground Black Pepper), Colby Jack Cheese (Colby Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes and Annatto (vegetable color)], Monterey Jack Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes]).

I don’t know about you, but I’m waiting for the Dunkin’ Donuts Cookbook. Perhaps it will have spokeswoman Rachael Ray’s picture on the cover? Dinner in 30 Minutes meets Dinner with 30 Ingredients You Can’t Pronounce! And, instead of a chef’s hat, Ms. Ray can be wearing a hazmat suit.

Question of the blog: Do you think it would make a difference if all food—even fast food and restaurant food—had to be served with its list of ingredients?