Foodie for a Day // Starbucks Nation

As someone who is working to become even more financially stable (I’m kind of there I guess but it’s far from comfortable), I choose to bring my lunch to work nearly every day and watch how often I eat out.  And eating well is something that’s extremely important to me as I do feel that what we put into our bodies plays a big role in our overall well-being.  But times come up where we have to (or want to) eat out and it doesn’t have to mean we eat unhealthy or expensive.

I bring this up because I was working at a different store a couple weeks ago and not knowing how the day would go and if I would be spending my lunch break with others, I chose not to pack a lunch and prepared myself for buying my meal that day.  It turned out that I was on my own for lunch (which was fine), but not really knowing what was around to eat, though I knew there were plenty of options, I went walking through the Farmer’s Market on the hunt for something to eat.  ...nothing stood out.  Obviously, there were plenty of options, but nothing stood out as anything I wanted to eat for lunch and I really wasn’t in the mood for fried and unhealthy foods, so I made my way into Starbucks.  I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get, but figured that worse case scenario I get a cup of oatmeal, yogurt or a protein plate.

In no way, was I expecting to walk away with this: The Sesame Noodle Bistro Box

Sesame noodle salad tossed with broccoli florets, carrots, red peppers, sugar snap peas and a creamy peanut dressing is served with a cucumber carrot salad, crunchy sesame peanuts and baked tofu with lightly spiced glaze.  For dessert, a premium Starbucks chocolate. (Source)

It actually surprised me by how good it was and how it satisfied my hunger until mid afternoon when I had my usual snack.  For a pre-packaged lunch, everything felt and tasted relatively fresh and surprisingly was also relatively healthy.

Of course I had to have a drink alongside and while I had already had enough coffee for the day, an iced green tea hit the spot.  It was a great little lunch.  

I love to see companies expand their healthy and vegetarian options, without making food be a pile of flavorless mush.  I’m impressed, Starbucks, I’m impressed.

(Now, we do need to address my current addiction to a daily Soy Misto before it makes me broke...)