While many better-for-you menus tout items below 500, 400 and 300 calories, 7-Eleven, Inc. breaks the 200-calorie barrier with its new Egg White Breakfast Sandwich. Not only is the calorie count low, the price is too – just $1.99.
The new breakfast sandwich stacks fluffy egg whites, lean Canadian bacon and cheddar cheese on a whole wheat English muffin. Weighing in at 180 calories, the sandwich contains 13 grams of protein, only 5 grams of fat (2.5 grams, saturated fat) and is lower in sodium than most other breakfast sandwiches. Customers can request to have their breakfast sandwiches toasted at select 7-Eleven stores, microwave it at the store or heat the sandwich later.
"Our primary task was to create a great-tasting breakfast sandwich for people looking for a better-for-you alternative," said Kelly Buckley, 7-Eleven vice president of fresh food innovation. "We have fresh-cut fruits, salads, yogurt parfaits and healthy, low-calorie sandwiches, and we wanted a breakfast option that fell into that better-for-you category without sacrificing taste and quality."
Just don't call it diet food. According to a study by the University of Scranton, losing weight is the top New Year's Resolution people made in 2014. Yet the term "diet" has lost favor, even among those who admit they would like to lose a few pounds. Instead, they are looking to make healthier choices in the New Year and seek better balance in the foods they choose.
Millennials especially avoid the D-word. So-called "dieting" peaked in 1991 when 31 percent of Americans said they were following a diet. Today, the number stands at 19 percent, but is only 12 percent for the 18-34-age crowd.
"Many people are looking to make better choices, but not at the expense of flavor, quality, convenience or value," Buckley said. "Eating away from home adds extra challenges for those looking for healthier food options. We wanted to remove that dilemma for the morning crowd who prefers a hot breakfast that is low-calorie, low-fat and high-protein."
And breakfast sandwiches are "hot," according to recent consumer dining polls. The portable, hand-held breakfast cracked the top-10 breakfast foods list compiled by The NPD Group market research firm, beating out bacon for the last spot on the list. Coffee maintains its No. 1 ranking on the list, however, for those eating out, breakfast sandwiches even beat this morning "waker-upper."
7-Eleven has the morning menu covered on both counts, with the new Egg White sandwich and several other breakfast sandwiches, along with its new, limited-edition Santa Rosa Guatamalan coffee.
"Eating healthy shouldn't be hard," Buckley said. "When it comes to fresh foods, we try to meet our customers' cravings, whether they're looking for an indulgent treat or a healthy start to the day."
7-Eleven has been expanding its fresh food menu to include healthier options like entree and side salads with low-fat dressings, better-for-you sandwiches, Yoplait yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit and Nature's Valley granola, vegetable and hummus snacks, fresh-cut and whole fruit, and hard-boiled eggs.
