Starbucks Breakfast Sandwiches - Healthy or Not?

In an effort to boost slow sales and compete for a share of McDonald's robust recession business, Starbucks has widened its breakfast food offerings at many locations nationwide.

In addition to oatmeal, muffins and pre-cut fruit and cheese plates, the world's largest coffee chain now serves warmed sandwiches. Though breakfast options were made available to customers in L.A. and NYC over a year ago, Starbucks has only recently expanded its morning offerings to most mid-size and smaller cities. Many stores still don't list their breakfast sandwich selection comprehensively on the menu board. Some places have a stack of small paper printouts, others force customers to inquire.

Baristas heat the sandwich for about two minutes in a small industrial oven using a proprietary insulated bag, and then deliver it warm and fragrant alongside coffee. Look for promotional combos that include a Tall coffee and sandwich for under $4.

Just how healthy are Starbucks' breakfast sandwiches? The company touts each sandwich as being "free of artificial flavors" and does offer some sensible choices. We culled the nutritional information from the official, irritating-to-navigate Starbucks.com website.

Ham, Egg Frittata, Cheddar Cheese on Artisan Roll
370 calories
16g Fat
32g Carbohydrates
23g Protein

The extra small ciabatta bun saves this scrumptious sandwich from being a caloric nightmare - it's more like a mini burger bun than a regular size ciabatta roll. 'Frittata' is Starbucks-speak for the generic fast-food egg patties found on most breakfast sandwiches.

Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon, Cholesterol-Free Egg, Reduced-Fat White Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich
390 calories
12g Fat
46g Carbohydrates
22g Protein

Surprisingly, this healthy-sounding, full-sized sandwich has more calories than the Ham Artisan Roll. Bland despite 46 grams of carbohydrates.

Classic Sausage, Egg & Aged Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich
500 calories
29g Fat
42g Carbohydrates
22g Protein

The savory cheese on this full-sized sandwich melts into the egg exquisitely. But at 500 calories, better skip the coffee creamer.

Spinach, Roasted Tomato, Feta & Egg Wrap
270 calories
11g Fat
32g Carbohydrates
14g Protein

A flavorful pick, this small wrap is also a wise waistline choice. It may not satisfy larger appetites but compliments a bold roast nicely.

Sausage Piadini
500 calories
32g Fat
36g Carbohydrates
19g Protein

Don't let the sophisticated, awkward to pronounce name intimidate. A piadini is a small, folded, pizza-like pastry. The thin flat dough of this nicely presented choice makes it one of the more balanced, nutritionally, but at 500 calories it's not exactly diet-friendly.

Breakfast on-the-go is a lifesaver for many busy professionals and full-time moms. Making smart food choices at the beginning of the day not only allows for increased energy and concentration, it can also set the tone for future dietary habits. Happy Eating!