Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Wawa Trip

Going to Wawa is fun and a must-do experience for all people when they visit the Mid-Atlantic region. I love Wawa and look forward to going. However, it is usually a treat since I rarely eat out (because, really, I could make a much cheaper sandwich at home). Wawa in theory doesn’t sound like it would be hard to find healthy foods… but it is (mostly due to the high sodium content of foods).

Kelly’s Guide to Healthier Eating at WAWA:

HOAGIES: Hoagies or sandwiches on 100% whole wheat bread can be a healthy choice if you choose correctly (ie: eliminate cheese, choose lean meats, and eliminate fancy sauces) except for the high sodium content. Ask for low-sodium items and eliminate mustard if you are watching your salt intake:
MeatTurkey, Ham, or Roast Beef120-135 kcal
RollWhole Wheat Shorti220 kcal
ToppingsLettuce, Tomato, Onion20 kcal
SauceSpicy Mustard, Yellow Mustard, or Oil & Vinegar30 kcal, 50 kcal (oil)
NUTRITION TOTALSCalories: 390-405, Fat (g): 5.5-7 (add 5 if oil), Sat Fat (g): 0-1.5 (ham), Sodium (mg): 1680-2320 (mustard), Carb (g): 50, Fiber (g): 5, Protein (g): 28-32

 SOUPS: Soups can be a very healthy option in terms of calories, fat, and vegetable content.
Again, the only problem with Wawa Soups is the extremely high sodium content. Always choose a size small:
SOUP NAMECaloriesFat (SFA) (g)Carb (Fiber) (g)Sodium (mg)Protein (g)
Chicken Noodle1002 (0.5)15 (1)8205
Maryland Crab700.5 (0)13 (1)8604
Minestrone902.5 (0)14 (3)6704
Santa Fe Chicken1004 (1.5)11 (3)8305
COFFEE: If you have read my blog, you know that I believe coffee is a healthy beverage, if not consumed in extremely large quantities. At Wawa, stay away from the cappuccinos and fancy coffee-house drinks (even if they say “low fat”). These products are loaded with sugar, fake additives, and sometimes heavy cream. If you have to have that cappuccino flavor, add a very small amount (1/4-1/2 cup) and fill the rest with black coffee. Add skim milk and a max of  2 sugar packets to your black coffee (I recommend caffeinated or ½ decaf and ½ regular). 

BAGELS, PASTRIES, BREAKFAST FOODS: I do not advise eating the whole bagel, even if it is 100% whole grain. Eat only ¼ to ½ of the bagel with your meal, and be sure to add in some fruit and protein. Obviously I do not recommend any pastries or muffins, even if they are “low-fat.” I also do not advise eating any sausage and cheese product, even if it is Turkey Sausage- this is still high in sodium and preservatives and not the best choice (but better than regular!) 

HEALTHY SNACKS & MEALS: As far as salads, choose the Garden with low-fat dressing, or eliminate the croutons, cheese, and bacon found in others. Stay away from wraps, they are loaded with calories and are not much lower in carbs than the hoagies. I recommend the fruit bowls, light yogurt, cottage cheese, pita & hummus, or protein pack (fruit & cheese is okay if you can limit the amount of cheese you consume.)

ENJOY THE WAWA EXPERIENCE!!!
Source of nutrition info: Wawa Website “Meal Builder” http://www.wawa.com/WawaWeb/Nutrition/Default.aspx

8 comments:

Betsy said...

Kelly! this is GREAT!
I am dairy free, sugar free and gluten free these days (as much as I can be because all three of these make me sick), so Wawa is really tough for me. BUt I've found a few things that I can eat there. The clear soups are obviously good, though in the summer not appealing. Every once in a while I get a couple meatballs in a cup. I know meatballs have all kinds of hidden fats and the sauce has a bit of sugar, but they are filling and tasty and meet most of my dietary restrictions.

I also really like the soy crisps, as they are really high in protein and not so high in calories. Though, as you noted, very high in sodium.

They also make these two packs of hard boiled eggs that are good, and even come with salt and pepper!

thanks for the blog! keep em coming!
Betsy

Kelly Bakes, MS, RD, LDN said...

Wow Betsy, that is a tough diet to follow! Thanks for the comment and be sure to check out my previous blogs on the lefthand link "December" (I copied and pasted a bunch from my old blog URL yesterday).

kat_cafe said...

Nice blog, the article you have shared is good.This article is very useful. My friend suggest me to use this blog.



Tell the bell survey

James Sand said...

Hey I loved your site and much thanks for this valuable information. I am highly obliged with the efforts. Kindly do share more and keep us updated. pandaexpress.com/feedback

KrogerFeedback said...

Hey I must say that you have written a masterpiece with lots of information and i must say tha you have to post daily. kroger feedback

Joshi said...

Hi Kelly,
I have recently gone to mywawavisit and I am gluten and sugar-free. I must say the food quality is really good and all the items are fresh. Moreover, this chart will help me to choose best food comparing calories.

Regards,
Josh

Survey said...



tell the bell

Rick Wilson said...

Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here