Canada’s worst breakfast foods
Updated: Jul. 16, 2019
When you need to eat but you’re short on time, a fast-food restaurant is often where you’ll end up. Here’s how to make a healthier breakfast choice
Fast-food breakfast
Argh! You hit the snooze button one too many times this morning and are now sprinting to work. Of course, you forgot to eat breakfast and now feel like you’re going to pass out. So you stop for a fuel-up, only what’s the better pick when it comes to coffee shop snacks: a muffin or a scone? A Danish or a doughnut? Here’s your guide on what to pick up at the coffee shop, and what to put right back down.
Coffee Time
The culprit: Are you a fan of the Zucchini Nut muffin? You might not be anymore once we tell you that it has 780 calories, 42 grams of fat and 49 grams of sugar. (That’s almost as many calories as a Wendy’s ½ lb. double burger with cheese!)
What should I have instead? While there are lots of lower-calorie choices on Coffee Time‘s menu, if it’s the nut flavour you’re after, then pick up two Almond Hazelnut Biscotti (each 160 calories, 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of sugar). You could also get a Rice Krispy Square (270 calories, 8 grams of fat, 24 grams of sugar).
The Great Canadian Bagel
The culprit: While the majority of bagels (sans cream cheese or other toppings) come in under 400 calories, some of the cheesier bagels pack in a few more calories-we’re looking at you, Cheddar Bacon (434 calories, 11 grams of fat, 3 grams of fibre), Cheddar Salsa (421 calories, 11 grams of fat, 3 grams of fibre) and Cheddar Onion (425 calories, 9 grams of fat and 3 grams of fibre).
What should I have instead? Thankfully you can still have your cheesy-bagel fix with an Asiago Bagel (367 calories, 5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fibre) or, better yet, Cheddar Herb, which weighs in at a slim 285 calories, 3 grams of fat and 2 grams of fibre).
McDonald’s
The culprit: The delicious-looking but heavyweight Double Chocolate Muffin with Oreo Crumble, which has 450 calories, 15 grams of fat and 43 grams of sugar. Yum but yikes!
What should I have instead? Start your morning with some warmth and have a Baked Apple Pie instead (270 calories, 16 grams of fat, 14 grams of sugar).
Starbucks
The culprit: The Raspberry Scone. Oh, who can resist the Starbucks scones? If you need extra incentive to avoid picking one up, here it is-the Raspberry Scone will cost you some 500 calories, 26 grams of fat and 18 grams of sugar. (Need some perspective? That scone has the same number of calories as two regular McDonald’s hamburgers.)
What should I have instead? If that raspberry flavour is what you’re after, pick up a Low-fat Red Raspberry Muffin, which comes in at 340 calories, 6 grams of fat and 37 grams of sugar. Or if you’re craving a scone, opt for a Petite Vanilla Bean Scone which only costs 140 calories, 5 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar.
Tim Hortons
The culprit: Chocolate is what gets you going in the morning, so you generally choose a Chocolate Danish (490 calories, 27 grams of fat, 27 grams of sugar) or Chocolate Chip Muffin (410 calories, 15 grams of fat, 37 grams of sugar). Who knew a muffin could pack in so many calories?
What should I have instead? There’s a less calorically costly way to get your chocolate on. A Chocolate Dip Donut, for instance, only weighs in at 210 calories, 8 grams of fat and 7 grams of sugar). A Chocolate Chunk Cookie costs about 230 calories, 9 grams of fat and 19 grams of sugar.
Related:
• 5 ways to fit in breakfast
• Canada’s worst fast-food meals
• 4 breakfast excuses and how to beat them
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