Most French Fries Are Cooked in Seed Oils
Many french fries today are fried in seed oils that may not be good for your health. However, some places now use natural cooking fats that are low in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), like beef tallow or avocado oil.
French Fries Made with Natural Cooking Fats
These are some of the known places offering fries made without seed oils. Hopefully, more will follow.
How to Find Restaurants That Don’t Use Seed Oils
Here are two helpful resources that show restaurants using better oils:
- A list of restaurants that use natural fats like beef tallow
- A detailed map showing where to find these locations
French Fries Made with Seed Oils
| Fries Location | Cooking Fat Used | Estimated PUFA | Artificial Additives (including Iron) |
| Freddy’s | Canola Oil | 7g | Unknown |
| Culver’s | Canola Oil | Not listed | Unknown |
| Five Guys | Refined Peanut Oil | Not listed | Unknown |
| In-N-Out | Sunflower Oil | Not listed | Unknown |
| Dairy Queen | Vegetable Oil Blend | Not listed | Yes |
| UNO | Vegetable Oil Blend | Not listed | Unknown |
| McDonald’s | Vegetable Oil Blend | Not listed | Unknown |
| Burger King | Vegetable Oil Blend | Not listed | Unknown |
| Wendy’s | Vegetable Oil Blend | Not listed | Yes |
| Arby’s | Vegetable Oil Blend | Not listed | Unknown |
| Applebee’s | Soybean Oil | Not listed | Unknown |
| Wayback Burgers | Soybean Oil | Not listed | Unknown |
Why Seed Oils Replaced Beef Tallow in Fast Food
Today, the biggest fast food brands use seed oils like canola or soybean oil in their fryers. But this wasn’t always the case. Until the early 1990s, most fast food chains used beef tallow or tallow-based blends to fry their french fries.
There was a strong public push at the time to switch to seed oils, believing them to be healthier. But today, many experts say that seed oils may actually be worse for health than beef tallow. These older fries cooked in beef tallow were not only more natural but also better tasting—something many people still remember fondly.
Better Fries Are Still Possible
If you’re looking for fries without seed oil:
- Try Jesse and Ben’s frozen fries made with beef tallow or avocado oil.
- Make your own! You can fry them at home using beef tallow, which you may find online or at a local farmer’s market.
Snacks Without Seed Oils Are Out There
You don’t have to give up snacks just because you’re avoiding seed oils. Our site offers guides to many foods cooked in healthy, traditional fats—many of which taste better than those made with seed oils.
