After getting dressed each morning, I would take off my clothes and hide them, hoping this would cause my mother to keep me home.

The ride from Eatontown to Ivy Hedge nursery school in Long Branch was, for me, the pathway to hell. Upon arrival and in between sobs, I ran to the window and watched my mom and grandfather pull away in his white Mercury Grand Marquis.

I vividly recall spending much of the afternoon sitting on a yellow block, waiting for the teacher to signal us toward the coat closet. I anxiously gathered my belongings, walked outside to the playground and scoured the parking lot waiting for the "rescue crew," aka my mother, to take me to the promised land — McDonald's.

The best part of the afternoon was spotting those golden arches and pulling in for a Happy Meal.

After preschool, my mom would pick me up with my little brother in tow, and we would hit the drive-thru for a cheese burger, fries and an "orange drink," the famed McDonald's beverage flavor that needs no elaboration.

When my father got out of work early enough to join us, we would park out front. He'd hoist us onto the roof of the car, and we would enjoy our fine food al fresco.

Each bite of my finely cut-up cheese burger was better than the last, and unwinding from my awful day in the classroom made it taste that much sweeter.

Or saltier, depending on how you slice it.

McDonald's has made headlines lately with its famed McRib, a piece of "meat" slathered in barbecue sauce with onions and pickles on top.

McRib goes viral in three videos

The sandwich has been said to contain the same material used in yoga mats, and the validity of its ingredients has come under fire.

Is it pork? Beef? Can it be called a McRib if there is no rib inside?

These questions and more caused McDonald's to take things to the next level, inviting former "MythBusters" host Grant Imahara to set the record straight.

The initiative is part of McDonald's latest campaign, "Our Food. Your Questions."

According to a statement released the by fast-food chain, "Some of the biggest questions about our food revolve around the McRib."

Now, we have our long-awaited answers.

According to Kevin Nanke, vice president of pork-supplier Lopez Foods, the McRib patty contains just "pork, water, salt, dextrose — which is a type of sugar — and preservatives which are BHA, propyl gallate and citric acid, which as used to lock in the flavor."

The McRib also contains 26 grams of fat and 980 mg of sodium, both close to half the daily recommended allowances for an entire day.

I'm an extremely healthy eater, but I do allow my 2-year-old son, Dylan, to indulge in a Happy Meal from time to time. After all, it was one of my favorite memories as a kid!

He loves to munch on fries and nibble chicken nuggets while sipping on low-fat milk from the comfort of his car seat — similar to the contradictory person who eats a bucket of fried chicken with a Diet Coke in hand.

Feeding my son has always been a very delicate subject for me.

I come from an Italian background, and food was a huge part of my upbringing. That, coupled with my desire to read books rather than run around the park, contributed to my being overweight as a child.

It traumatized me because kids can be so damn cruel. I never want my son to experience that type of torment, so I get nervous allowing him to splurge on things. And when I do let him have that (blue Giants) doughnut or unexpected order of fries, I feel completely guilty.

It's a pretty vicious cycle.

Fast food isn't something that appeals to me — especially when it's filled with fat, grease, salt and chemicals that, to some, taste like a yoga mat.

I think a good rule of thumb is if you can't pronounce the ingredient, you should keep it out of your mouth.

That means almost everything at McDonald's — and other fast-food joints — is off the menu in my house.

Except, of course, when you've had a hellish day at preschool and just want to bite into that burger, regardless of the ingredients.

Shari Puterman is Regional Content Strategist/Features Editor.