The introduction of apple slices helped pave the way for McDonald's continuing evolution to improve its kids' meals and offer more wholesome options for its youngest customers. But the impact has been larger than that.

2004 Since McDonald's introduced sliced apples to the menu in 2004, America's sliced apple consumption has more than tripled. The fast-food chain sells more than 10% of all sliced apples in the US, with its influence helping make sliced apples a common side everywhere from grocery stores to school lunches.

With the help of honey bees to pollinate the trees and Pheromone traps to reduce the need for pesticides, Leo Dietrich & Sons can supply some of the crisp, juicy apples that are used to produce the apple slices that go into a McDonald's Happy Meal®.

A plastic pouch containing 2.4 oz of ready-to-eat apple slices is part of McDonald's new New Happy Meal Choices, aimed at providing parents and children with mix-and-match menu options. Launched nationally in June, Apple Dippers are served with a low-fat caramel dipping sauce that comes in a separate package.

McDonald's Apple Slices are a wholesome, tasty side made from real apples.

Why do McDonald's apples taste better? The McDonald's apple slices are NOT the same apples you find in a grocery store. They are tree-ripened for higher fructose content and then sprayed in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) making them taste tangy.

McDonald's revamped its Happy Meal choices in 2004 by including soda alternatives such as 1 percent milk with a meal of hamburger, cheeseburger or chicken nuggets and fries, and offering an option of replacing the fries with sliced apples served with low-fat caramel sauce.

Its apples are made in the USA McDonald's apple pie contains a combo of Golden Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold, Rome, Gala, and Ida Red apples.

Why do McDonald's apples taste better? The McDonald's apple slices are NOT the same apples you find in a grocery store. They are tree-ripened for higher fructose content and then sprayed in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) making them taste tangy.

The apples are picked at the perfect ripeness, then stored in a controlled environment and sliced, peeled and hand-sorted before they go into individual packages with Ronald McDonald on them.

The sweetness comes from ketchup and sweet pickle relish; the savory from yellow mustard, fresh onion and a little vinegar. The ingredients are blended with mayonnaise to create a creamy, piquant sauce that is really delicious on burgers.

Why do McDonald's apples taste better? The McDonald's apple slices are NOT the same apples you find in a grocery store. They are tree-ripened for higher fructose content and then sprayed in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) making them taste tangy.

calcium ascorbate Sliced apples will undergo browning within a few minutes of being cut. Packaged apples found at McDonalds or in your local produce section are usually treated with a solution of calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C) or citric acid (found in citrus fruit) to maintain freshness and color.

McDonald's Apple Slices are a wholesome, tasty side made from real apples.

The wax coating that covers most apples will prevent the caramel from adhering to the apple, and the caramel will slide right off. Insert a popsicle stick into each apple, then bring a large pot of water to a boil (the water should be high enough in the pot to submerge an apple).

Phenomenal Filling So yes, McDonald's fills their pies with a lot of apples, but it's not just those six varieties that give the pie an apple-y taste. McDonald's uses a special thickening agent that adds an additional apple flavor to the filling.