This article will focus on a review of the Shamrock Shake, Shamrock Shake calories and it’s ingredients.
The Shamrock shake is 50 years old this year in 2021! Time to celebrate with a large shamrock shake!
It’s a real treat in the late winter- pre-spring to enjoy a creamy and tasty shamrock shake at McDonald’s. The minty green concoction is really worth the wait and provides a great introduction to the eventual spring thaw is coming. It’s got mint, it’s got chocolate, what more do you want? It’s got everything!
For a limited time only! As this is a special promotion, its only available near saint Patrick’s day.
I’ve heard the promotion is on from February 7 to mid-March this year. Please check as locations may vary.
Calories in a shamrock shake
Let’s get down to business. Here are the calorie counts for McDonald’s shamrock shakes.
You know what goes well with the Shamrock shake? Mcdonald’s Cookies! Find out more about them here:
https://yourtopshelflife.com/mcdonalds-cookies/
How many calories are in a small shamrock shake
The small shamrock shake clocks in at around 460 calories.
Medium Shamrock shake calories
The medium shamrock shake clocks in at around 560 calories.
Large shamrock shake calories
The medium shamrock shake clocks in at around 800 calories.
Shamrock Shake Ingredients
The Shamrock shake is made up of 3 main ingredient types.
They are listed as
- Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream
- Shamrock Shake Syrup
- Whipped Light Cream.
Here is the breakdown of each ingredient type ( results taken from https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/shamrock-shake-large.html)
- Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream
Ingredients: Milk, Sugar, Cream, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Mono and Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Vitamin A Palmitate. Contains: Milk. - Shamrock Shake Syrup:
Ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Glycerin, Contains 2% Or Less: Natural Flavor, Xantham Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Yellow 5, Blue 1. May Contain Small Amounts Of Other Shake Flavors Served At The Restaurant, Including Egg Ingredients When Egg Nog Shakes Are Available. - Whipped Light Cream
Ingredients: Cream, Nonfat Milk, Liquid Sugar, Contains 2% or Less: Mono and Diglycerides, Natural Flavors, Carrageenan. Whipping Propellant (Nitrous Oxide). Contains: Milk.
Mcdonald’s shamrock shake nutrition
This is the nutritional information for the large 800 calorie serving size.
Fat: 21 grams (27% Daily Value)
Carbs: 133 grams (48% Daily Value)
Protein: 19 grams
Saturated Fat: 13 grams (67% Daily Value)
Trans Fat: 1 gram
Calcium: (50% Daily Value)
Sugar: 103 grams
Cholesterol: 80mg (27% Daily Value)
Potassium: (20% Daily Value)
Sodium: 270 milligrams (12% Daily Value)
Note: The Daily Value Percentages are based on an average diet of 2,000 calories.
How much is a shamrock shake?
The rates for a shamrock shake may fluctuate, but I found this information on the costs (US):
Small: $2.19 US + Tax
Medium: $2.59 US + Tax
Large: $2.99 US + Tax
Shamrock shake history
Hal Rosen was a Connecticut McDonald’s owner and operator who first concocted the shake in 1967.
It debuted in certain McDonald’s locations in 1970. It went nationwide in 2012.
McDonald’s tried to create a Shamrock sundae in 1980, but that flopped.
Several new Shamrock renditions happened in 2017 like the Shamrock mocha and hot chocolate.
Oreo shamrock Shake
Along with the regular shamrock shake is the extra special, super-duper Oreo Shamrock Shake. I mean take the two best things in the world and put them together. Highly recommended! I like the contrast between the crunchy chocolaty Oreo cookie, the Oreo icing and then the minty shake. It’s amazing!
What does a shamrock shake taste like?
Ah yes the review, my favourite part!
Some say a shamrock shake tastes like “leprechaun tears, a little luck and a pot of gold.” I don’t know what that means, but I’ll go with it.
In short, a shamrock shake is amazing! Because its only around for a couple months a year, it’s something to look forward to, like the spring time during a long cold winter.
The tastes that come from the shake are a mixture of mint and vanilla. The minty freshness helps to smooth out the creamy richness of the vanilla.
If you have ever had a Dairy Queen Blizzard, the shamrock shake is a little more liquidy. It is a milkshake!
I love them. And like Egg Nog, it helps that they are only available for a couple months out of the year. I will enjoy mine now and wait for the next craving come next spring! Don’t wait, get yours today!