Starbucks Matcha Water Tell that $7 Frappuccino it can kiss your ass, ‘cause you’re about to order a delicious Starbucks drink for 87 cents. Meet matcha water: Essentially, cup of ice water with a few scoops of earthy-sweet matcha powder stirred in. Be warned, though: Some ‘Bucks locations have caught on. When we ordered the drink in New York City’s Chinatown, we had to shell out almost $3 (the price of an an iced green tea, which is basically what matcha water is anyway). Order it quick before the 87-cent deal becomes the stuff of legend. Starbucks Espresso Banana Protein Smoothie Starbucks’ smoothies are a halfhearted attempt at healthiness: Yeah, they have some real fruit and even veggies, but most will run you about 40 grams of sugar. Eat This Not That suggests ordering the secret Espresso Banana Protein Smoothie instead: Ask your barista to blend up a banana, a scoop of whey protein, a shot of espresso, and ice. A medium ’nana has just 14 grams of sugar, and whey is the Rolls Royce of protein powders. MORE: The 10 Unhealthiest Salads You Can Order Chipotle Buritodilla No amount of “food with integrity” changes the fact that just about every Chipotle burrito has 1,000 calories. But we get it—burrito cravings are not easily conquered. When you’ve got a need for rice and beans and cheese, try the secret Buritodilla. Secretmenus.com reports that the burrito-quesadilla hybrid packs about half the amount of filling you’ll find in a normal burrito—potentially slashing lunch down to a reasonable 500 cals. (For even more savings, swap out rice for lettuce and go easy on the cheese.) MORE: Why Chipotle May Be the Best Fast-Food Restaurant in the Country Panera Power Chicken Hummus Bowl The release of Panera’s “secret” menu a few years ago wasn’t exactly elegant (they loudly announced it to the press—what’s secret about that?) but the meals are impressively healthy and totally bread-free. This lunch bowl features antibiotic-free chicken, cilantro jalapeno hummus, spinach, cukes, tomatoes, red onion, and little fresh lemon juice. It clocks in at 330 calories, 33 grams of protein, and 3 grams of sugar. That’s pretty close to perfect for a fast-food lunch. MORE: Is Panera the Newest Place to Eat Clean? Red Robin Petite Burger Sometimes the easiest way to eat better is to just shrink the unhealthy thing you want to eat (See: the comically small Starbucks Mini Frappuccino). That’s the idea behind Red Robin’s Petite Burger. According to Popsugar, the off-menu quarter-pound patty has only 136 calories, compared to 300 in the original size. Subway Eggs Florentine Flatbread Subway sandwiches are so customizable that the menu boards hardly matter. But a few customer-created combos actually caught the attention of the chain’s head chef and now form its “secret menu,” according to the Huffington Post. This breakfast option includes egg whites, tomatoes, spinach, olives, red onions, and banana peppers with a drizzle of dressing (and it’s about to get even cleaner now that Subway is phasing out all artificial colors and flavors). In a world full of cronuts, that’s not an awful way to start the day.
