Wendy's Fries Have a New Taste and Look

Wendy's fries have a whole new taste and look. The fast food chain changed the recipe of familiar Wendy's fries to include Russett potatoes with the skin on and a dash of sea salt on top.

The idea of using "real" ingredients isn't new for Wendy's. One of the most familiar slogans associated with Wendy's advertising is "You know when it's real."

Wendy's fries are now more in line with the rest of their menu offerings including salads, wraps, baked potatoes and chili. Their recent promotion for a half salad and side dish is easy on the wallet and diet.

For 41 years, Wendy's fries have remained relatively the same. Now their fries are crispier, smaller and thinner. But are they really a healthier choice?

A medium size of Wendy's former fries contained 350 milligrams of salt. The new Wendy's fries have 500 milligrams of salt. Those watching their salt intake might want to reconsider french fries altogether. Calories also jump from 10 to 420, which might not fit into a dieter's menu.

According to the Daily News, Chief Marketing Officer Ken Calwell said about the new Wendy's fries, "We want every ingredient to be a simple ingredient, to be once you can pronounce and one your grandmother would recognize in her pantry."

The ingredients used in Wendy's fries are in line with the natural foods people want. The new fries are cooked in a different blend of vegetable oils. Using Russett potatoes will only cost a fraction more than the blended potatoes formerly used. The Wendy's fries will still be priced the same for consumers.

CBS reports Wendy's will start to serve their new fries on Thursday. Over the next two weeks, Wendy's new fries should be distributed throughout their fast food chain locations. Just like their predecessor, Wendy's fries will arrive frozen to each location.

For those watching their diet, it seems a plain baked potato is still a better choice.