cafes and coffee shops

bitterbrownie

i always try to eat out at places where i can find nutritional information. however, what are your favourite healthy/low calorie choices when no nutritional information is provided in cafes/sandwich shops? what foods is it good to avoid and what foods are best to choose? looking mainly for sandwiches/baguettes/light snack ideas etc =]

cheers for ideas!

raychybabe

starbuck$ do leaflets with all the nutritional info listed for the various options ie: varieties of milk, sizes of drinks, with cream, without cream etc. which I've found particularly useful.

poustotah

If I don't have the nutritional info readily availble I will trypically get turkey or chicken preferrably with swiss cheese (unless there is a low-fat option) on whole grain something with veggies and spinach instead of lettuce, light mayo and that's about it. If I'm in the mood for a salad and that's available, I'll get that instead with a lite dressing.

swinginchandra

I rarely get to go to coffee shops nowadays, because I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere, but when I do, I try to find the smallest, healthiest looking thing on the menu, and order it. Then I consider it my cheat meal for the month. LOL. Love bran muffins, banana breads, hummus plates, that type of thing. (Biscotti is ussually pretty low cal)

theflyingartist

I always drink brewed tea, straight up. My favorites are chai (unsweetened), matcha green tea, and earl grey. Or, if I need more energy, it's an Americano with cinnamon and (literally) a second-long pour of soymilk.
Food? being gluten-free automatically cuts a lot of calories.. go for a salad if they have it. If not, I typically eat something like a rice krispie treat, macaroon, fresh fruit (hey, a lot of cafes here in Seattle have it!), and the biggest tip of all:

Bring your own snack to go with it. Carrot sticks, cherries, or a protein bar. I really like Luna bars (protein and regular types).

cedarhurst2006

Panera bread has calories right on their menu board and offer 1/2 sandwiches and 1/2 salads. If it's a chain, I always look on line first. I usually get a sandwich similar to what you mentioned but will only eat half and have an apple or fruit salad.

svetlana_vs

Chicken salad (not a caesar), dressing (low-fat) on the side, no mayo. Skim milk Capuccino. Grilled chicken breast. Or a glass of wine :-)