By: Kayla Zamary
As everyone knows, spring break is quickly approaching and right after that it is summer time—which means right now is the prime time to get your body into warm weather shape. I know when I go to restaurants around campus, I try to go somewhere that I think has the healthiest choices. Unfortunately, most restaurants don’t have nutritional information on their menus, so you have no idea how unhealthy their food is. So, I decided to look up the nutritional information of three foods I typically order; be careful, what I discovered might surprise you!
Piada’s Piada stick: If you have ever eaten a piada stick, you know they are extremely delicious and hard to resist as you walk through the food line. On occasions when I am really hungry and am dining at Piada, I order a pasta bowl and a piada stick. I assue that it can’t be that bad, especially since I most likely haven’t eaten a lot that day, so why not? But as I discovered one night, there are a lot of high-caloric reasons “why not.” I had been debating between Piada and Noodles and Company, so I went to Piada’s website and looked at their nutritional facts. To my surprise, the amount of fat in a parmesan Piada stick has 57 grams of fat, which is 8 grams less then what someone on a 2,000 calorie diet should be consuming. To make matters worse, the stick also has 781 calories, which leaves you with 1,219 calories to consume over the course of your day. I don’t know about you, but that is too many calories for me to sacrifice just for the side of my meal. Just think about the amount of calories in the stick, plus the Piada bowl you are consuming—the sum could easily be a day’s worth. And don’t even think about ordering a pepperoni Piada stick—it’s even worse for you! I won’t even mention its nutritional facts; what I will say is that it definitely won’t help you get into bikini-ready shape! If you still want a Piada stick, order the artichoke stick, which is a slightly healthier choice.
Noodles and Company’s Wisconsin Mac & Cheese: Ask almost anyone and they’ll tell you that Mac & Cheese is one of America’s favorite food dishes. I am one of the many people that loves it and when I go to restaurants, especially Noodles and Company, it is one of my favorites to order. I always knew how bad Mac & Cheese is in general, but I usually assume that it can’t be that bad—it is just pasta and cheese, right? Of course, I was wrong: a large bowl of Mac & Cheese at Noodles and Company can negate all of the calories you burned at the gym and then some. Next time you go to Noodles and Company, don’t make the regular bowl of Mac & Cheese your first choice. In a regular bowl, there is 43 grams of fat and 1,030 calories. That leaves you with less than 1,000 calories and 22 grams of fat for the rest of your day. On the other hand, a small bowl is the right portion for a meal, with 21 grams of fat and 510 calories. I know I am guilty of this too, but just because you are super hungry, it doesn’t mean your body needs the larger portion. If you still want the Mac & Cheese next time you go to Noodles and Company, make sure you opt for the smaller bowl, which will also leave you enough room for a salad or fruit.
Starbucks’ Bakery items: Starbucks is obviously famous for their coffee, but costumers also buy their bakery treats all the time. I know how it is—going through the line and seeing the bakery treats can be so tempting for you to indulge in a quick treat. Most of the treats are small and appear like they are not loaded with calories and fat. I see a lot of people chose bakery items in the line and the most common item I see purchased is the butter croissant. The croissant is very small and seems like a sensible snack that you cannot feel guilty for eating. However, the croissant has 310 calories and 18 grams of fat. Along with your choice of coffee, it could add up to a small- or even regular-sized meal. Even though there are many unhealthy bakery items, there are a few healthy choices as well. If you have a sweet tooth, the vanilla scone is a better choice, with 140 calories and 5 grams of fat. The best choice would be the apple bran muffin, with 300 calories and 7 grams of fat. The apple bran muffin is the best choice because it also contains 7 grams of fiber, which is the most out of the other bakery items. Next time you’re in Starbucks, don’t be deceived by the small treats and reach for the fiber!
Ladies, I am sure you will all be ready and fabulous for the warm weather seasons, no matter what you do! But regardless of the time of year, it is always important to make sure you are making the most informed and healthiest food choices when dining out. Healthier food choices make for a healthier you!
Source #1:http://dishingitup-columbus.blogspot.com/2011/02/piada-italian-street-food.html
Source #2:http://www.mypiada.com/portals/0/pdf/piada_nutrition_information_v3.pdf
Source #3: http://www.prettykittenskitchen.com/2009_11_01_archive.html
Source #4:http://www.noodles.com/mobile/nutrition/detail.php?d=18
Source #5:http://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/butter-croissant?foodZone=9999
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at OSU chapter.
