Starbucks’ Frequent Flyer
Monday was a marathon day full of activities from double track practices, appointments and a team meeting, school and a 90 minute PE class. The entire day was spent on the opposite side of campus as my room, so I packed my laptop and some snacks and spent the day walking all over. With awkward amounts of time in between plans, I found myself at Starbucks twice during the afternoon. For me, I prefer to study in the coffee shop than the library; it’s comforting.
Welcoming all of the caffeine-seeking students.
My first trip was around lunch time and I paired my homework with a Spinach and Feta Breakfast Wrap. I love that Starbucks offers “healthy” alternatives to their pastry crap baked goods.
Starbuck’s Spinach and Feta (whole wheat) Wrap with egg whites and tomatoes contains 290 calories with 10 grams of fat, 19 grams of protein, 4 grams of sugar. It’s first ingredient is whole wheat flour, followed by vegetable oil and oat fiber. Hands down, this beats a sugary pastry like the Iced Lemon Pound Cake. Let’s look up the nutrition of this “breakfast” while we’re at it:
One slice of the lemon cake with white icing contains 490 calories, 23 grams of fat, with a measley 5 grams of protein. It packs 46 grams of sugar (the first ingredient, by the way), which will leave you hungry about 60 minutes after eating this fruity-flavored breakfast disaster. You are literally better off eating a Pop Tart.
A few hours later, I was back during one of the hour and a half gaps in my schedule and I really needed something warm to go with my accounting homework. Decaf Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte did the trick! I didn’t need caffeine, I just love the taste of espresso ;) The fat-free, sugar-free drink is a healthy “snack” because it still contains a sufficient amount of protein and calcium from the nonfat steamed milk without that sugar high and crash. With a sliced orange I had already packed, I was recharged for night classes and the third workout of the day.
*By making it “skinny” you are removing 40 grams of sugar and 13 grams of fat, while still keeping 12 grams of protein.
I am in no way affiliated with Starbucks, just a proud customer ;)
Just to be safe, I think I’ll skip the coffee shop today before the baristas start to think I have a problem.
Posted on February 18, 2013, in Coffee, Healthy Lifestyle and tagged college, fitness, healthy, snacks, starbucks. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Love Love Love that spinach wrap from Starbucks. The whole wheat wrap is crispy and soooo flavorful. You’ve hit on a supherb breakfast and/or lunch item here!!!! Starbucks should be hiring you to promote their “healthier” items!! ha ha. :)
I loved this blog post! Being a coffee lover myself, I know it can be hard to go into Starbucks and decide what are the healthiest options especially when there is everything from frappuccinos to lattes. I always ask for my drink to be “skinny,” as you mentioned, to cut down the calories. I like how you talked about the food at Starbucks. I would have never thought one piece of lemon cake would have 490 calories! Anyways, great post!