Better for you breakfast?

How many of you buy breakfast on your way to work? Personally, I don’t. Yet, I’ve noticed this push towards healthy, fast-food breakfast lately and I’m tempted to try it out. Most mornings I eat a Dannon Light or a packet of low-sugar oatmeal and some almonds. Maybe I’ll have a cup of Kashi Mighty Bites or Puffins every now and then. Without fail, my morning routine involves a stop at Dunkin Donut’s or Corner Bakery for a cup of hazelnut coffee. And some days I think about how yummy a fresh coffee cake muffin would taste, but I never bite the bullet.

A few weeks ago Dunkin Donuts introduced its “DD Smart” menu which includes “better for you” breakfast items such as egg-white veggie flatbread sandwiches, egg and cheese on an English muffin and reduced fat blueberry muffins. With 9 grams of fat and 290 calories per serving, I would not suggest having the veggie flatbread every day, but I certainly applaud DD for including egg-whites on the menu. It sounds safe, but I would avoid the reduced fat blueberry muffin. Recognizable by its sugar crystal-coated top, this reduced-fat muffin has 4 grams of fat (not bad), 400 calories (ouch), and a whopping 78 carbohydrates (holy cannoli). Talk about a sugar high! Similarly, don’t let the words 'multigrain bagel' fool you. With 6 grams of fat, 380 calories and 68 carbohydrates, this bagel is not the best choice for those, like me, who sit in front of a computer all day. Rather, I’d stick to a whole grain English muffin with egg whites and maybe a slice of low-fat cheese.

Just this morning I read that Starbucks is trying to reinvent its breakfast menu yet again. Let’s not forget it was only a few months ago that Starbuckers complained how the smell of their morning coffee experience was being ruined by eggs. Thus, out went the stinky egg sandwiches and now Starbucks is back with more of an aroma-free menu. Starbucks doesn’t provide us with the carbohydrate count of its items so I can’t do my full analysis, but at first glance I think there are some decent options—especially the oatmeal. I have absolutely no clue what a Baked Berry Stella is. I’m guessing some sort of berry muffin created by a nice lady named Stella. Here’s the menu at a glance:

To put things in perspective, nutritionists suggest that Type 1 diabetics eat approximately 40 carbs at breakfast to keep blood sugar levels in check. That means taking that scrumptious blueberry muffin and dividing it in less than half. How sad.