I find myself in search of healthy food I can consume on demand all too often. Whether it be that my wife and I have gotten busy and not set anything out of the freezer to defrost, we're heading out with friends, or I've just hit level 5 of hunger and need.food.now., it can be tough to find a place that doesn't serve fake, preservative-filled crap that would barely be identified as food 200 years ago.
Unfortunately, options that can provide healthiER food fast (not to be confused with fast food) are all too rare where I live. I was, however, in an unfortunate sitation late last year where I found myself thanking the FSM for a restaurant I'd not previously heard of -- Au Bon Pain.
Here's the story (and what makes Au Bon Pain so cool, on both a health and environmental level.
With more than 280 locations in the United States (but none where I live, unfortunately), Au Bon Pain is changing the face of fast food. Health Magazine says,
A pioneer in healthy fast food, Au Bon Pain serves up sandwiches, soups, salads, and hot entrees made with whole grains, veggies, and hormone-free chicken.
New this year: Portions, a 14-item menu of nutritious small plates—from appetizers like apples, blue cheese, and cranberries to salads like chickpea and tomato—all of which are less than 200 calories. Another impressive feature: Au Bon Pain provides on-site nutritional information via computer kiosks, so before you even order you know each option’s calories, fat, and sodium. “It’s a great way to empower customers,” praises judge Amy Jamieson-Petonic.
We love: Yummy low-cal soups, from Jamaican Black Bean to Fire Roasted Exotic Grains and Vegetables. Danger zone: The sodium counts can get high if you don’t pay attention.
Au Bon Pain goes above and beyond the healthier, more natural menu items and hand-made pastries, and also uses paper goods made from 100% recycled content. That just seems like a no-brainer to me, but I’m always amazed at the amount of establishments that do NOT use recycled paper products.
What's your favorite place to find healthiER food fast? Does eco-friendliness play into the decision to dine at such establishments?
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