UPDATE: 1/13/2017: I went to my local Starbucks and the Power Lunch is still there! Plus they’ve added the option to have a cold pressed juice drink instead of the bottle of water.

I cannot even tell you how excited I was when I pulled up to the menu board for Starbucks and saw a sign for their new Power Lunch bag for $8!  When I’m in production I always feel like there are never enough hours in the day so I have to grab my meals on the go. Healthy fast food options are hard to find but I can always count on grabbing a yummy sandwich with my Starbucks coffee. This, however, is never a cheap option and usually runs me around $12.

The Power Lunch is a great deal… that is, if you only go there for the bag.  It comes with a bottle of Ethos water so if you want an afternoon caffeine fix, you’ll have to order your coffee on top of the bag because there are no substitutions. Still it’s a good option to know about if you’re like me and are on the lookout for fast food that’s not full of fat and sodium.

Here are the options the Starbucks website lists for the bag which are a little different than the board at my local shop:

• 1 Lunch Item: Salad, Sandwich, Wrap or Bistro Box
• 1 Snack Item: $1.75 or less
• 1 Sweet Item: Banana, That’s It Fruit Bar or Frappucchino Cookie Straw
• 1 Bottled Water

For $8 you really can’t beat this for a healthy drive thru lunch. However in order to keep your Starbucks trip to $8, you have to resist the sweet smell of coffee during your time in line. I’m not sure how many Starbucks fans will be able to do that, and I’m sure that’s what the company is banking on.

Here’s a random shot of what I got in my bag (mind you I was rushing to get to the theatre so this little curb and its yellow flowers had to do). I ordered the tomato mozzarella panini, chips, banana and water and I was more than satisfied for the rest of the day. Thanks Starbucks!

Have you tried Starbucks new Power Lunch? Tell us what you got in your bag!