McDonald's Created A Broccoli Side So Unusual It Never Saw The Light Of Day

Broccoli has a bad reputation, which it honestly doesn't deserve. For every person who says they hate it, you can find at least another who is bound to love broccoli. Still, it's a cliché that children, in particular, simply don't like broccoli. McDonald's apparently went to baffling lengths to get kids interested in the vegetable. So the story goes, the company once tried to create bubble gum-flavored broccoli in an effort to make the produce seem more enticing.

This little factoid resurfaces on the internet every few years, and dates back to 2014, when Don Thompson, then CEO of McDonald's, dropped the bizarre claim during a presentation when asked how the fast food chain was taking steps to make Happy Meals healthier for kids. He promptly swept the failed venture under the rug, simply saying, "It wasn't all that" (via Business Insider). But while kids may not have cared for the bubble gum broccoli, it's since achieved urban legend status on the internet. One commenter on a Reddit thread perfectly summed up any consumer curiosity, saying, "That is the most Willy Wonka thing I have ever heard!"

Sadly, beyond Thompson's offhand remarks and a lot of online commentary, there's no actual record of the bubble gum-flavored broccoli itself, or how it might have been made. McDonald's has not made any official comment on it, either. Which is a pity, because while kids may not have cared for the strange food, we're strangely fascinated to try it — and surely we can't be the only ones. Though considering Thompson was pressured to step down as CEO in 2015, it's hard to know whether to believe his bubble gum claims.

It's hard to say exactly what bubble gum-flavored broccoli would taste like, because it's difficult to say what bubble gum specifically tastes like to begin with. It's an entirely artificial flavor, made from a medley of fruity flavors resembling strawberry, banana, and the like. Candy companies making a bubble gum flavor all have their own recipes, adding hints of orange, lemon, or cherry, depending on what they want the final flavor to be.

From a food science perspective, all flavors come from volatile molecules in the things we eat, with some having very distinctive tastes. Believe it or not, broccoli contains several that are similar to those used as artificial fruit flavors in bubble gum. Per a study in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology, some include methyl acetate, commonly used in flavorings like banana; ethyl isobutyrate, used in cherry flavorings; and alpha-ionone, which gives the scent of violets. 

These similarities mean that perhaps bubble gum-flavored broccoli wasn't an entirely terrible idea. Clearly, though, "not terrible" does not mean "good." Reportedly, the reason why McDonald's dropped the bubble gum broccoli was that kids found the flavor confusing, but it's not hard to see what the company was going for.

While a lot of people contest the idea that kids don't like broccoli, one thing is certainly true: young children naturally prefer sweet flavors over bitter ones, such as those common in brassica vegetables like broccoli. This is compounded by the fact that some people are genetically predisposed to taste bitter flavors more strongly (similarly to the way some people find that cilantro tastes like soap). In other words, broccoli is a hard sell for some kids, and it's not just because they're being fussy about their food. Although bubble gum-flavored broccoli may sound outlandish, McDonald's may have been onto something with the idea.

You don't need to give your vegetables bubble gum flavoring, though. An easier way to make broccoli more appealing to kids is to prepare it in a way that tempers bitterness while bringing out other flavors. Blanching broccoli will remove some of its bitterness, but cooking it properly using any method will break down the enzymes that result in a bitter taste. Broiling is another ideal method, browning the vegetable as the edges caramelize. Roasting broccoli is also good option as it helps remove any bad-tasting sulfuric compounds. It'll also give new flavors by creating furans, which are volatile molecules that give a sweet and nutty flavor to foods like bacon (this is also why bacon and broccoli make such a good combination). One furan compound also plays a major role in the flavor of strawberries, incidentally — just in case the idea of mixing broccoli with fruity flavors still appeals to you.