Saturday, February 7, 2015

Au Bon Pain Breakfast Review

Turkey Sausage & Egg White Flatbread

I used to visit Au Bon Pain a lot after 4:00 PM... ½-price baked goods! They serve sandwiches too, including their latest breakfast "invention," Turkey Sausage & Egg White Flatbread. At $4.69, it's far from affordable; but I'll say this, it definitely looks and tastes healthy. Paired with good customer service and a clean dining area, this pricey sammy is worth a look (especially if you eat often at Au Bon Pain.)

Ordering is a breeze; and I only had to wait about three minutes for a hot, wrapped sandwich. It comes with spinach and cheddar cheese, tucked inside a wholegrain bun. Knock a dollar and a half off the price, and I'd likely be singing its praises; but if you ask me, $5.16 (after tax) is hard to swallow. I ordered mine without cheese, but must applaud good quality turkey sausage and a generous patty of egg white. It was also nice and hot, after unwrapping it.


Whole grain rolls help bump up the fiber content (six grams total) and 370 calories (including the cheese) won't ruin your diet. Neither will 31 grams of protein (score!) What will... Seven grams of saturated fat (35% of your RDA) 75mg of cholesterol (a fourth of your RDA) and 830mg of sodium (more than a third of your RDA.) Those are scary numbers for a supposedly healthy alternative, don't you think? Oddly enough, an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's packs less calories, saturated fat and sodium (don't ask about cholesterol... yikes) for less than half the price.

As for taste, it's a bit on the dry side (I should have asked for a slice of tomato) and the flatbread tastes like... whole grain (not great.) The turkey sausage had sufficient spiciness; but spinach may as well be a throwaway ingredient (as far as taste goes.) The best part? Hands down, the egg white. Not only was it nice & thick, it was perfectly cooked and played well with the sausage.

Bottom Line: It's not healthy; but it is a lot better for you than some of Au Bon Pain's other hot breakfast sandwiches. For example, a 2 Egg, Sausage & Cheddar on Plain Bagel gets your day started with 650 calories, 12 grams of saturated fat (60% RDA) 390mg of cholesterol (would you believe, 130% of your RDA) and 1000mg of sodium. Hmm, maybe it's best to drink a smoothie at home.