When you are looking for a quick meal during a busy day at the office or on your way to a meeting, it can be hard finding something that is healthy, tasty and easy to eat. You can fall into an unhealthy meal if you choose fat-packed sandwiches, fizzy drinks and crisps. but you can find a meal that ticks all the boxes if you head to your local coffee shop.

By choosing a skinny muffin and a coffee or tea made with soy milk, not only are you getting something to eat that is tasty and easy, it is also nutritionally good for you. Well it is not as bad for you as other lunch time choices can be.

but how can a muffin and a coffee be a meal that is convenient and filling as well as saving you hundreds of calories on a normal meal?

Well, as the coffee shop makes everything for you, it is not hard to see where the convenience part comes in. It only takes 10 minutes or less to order and collect your meal from the coffee shop so you can be in an out quickly. Spills should not be a problem if you are walking or getting into a taxi because the lid will prevent any liquid from escaping. You also don’t need to think about a plate or knife and fork with your muffin because you can simply bite into it.

The meal is filling and nutritious because the ingredients in the skinny version are healthier than in a normal muffin. The flour in a skinny muffin is usually a combination of wholegrain and soy flour. They are healthier because the energy in these two grains burns slower than white flour and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. You usually also get healthier flavour fillings, instead of chocolate, blueberries give the taste.

When it comes to the coffee, choosing soy or skimmed milk is the best option because it is a better source of protein than full fat or semi-skimmed milk, it is also much lower in fat content. protein is something that the body requires and is good for us, especially our muscles. It is healthy because the body cannot store it as fat and the benefits go to our muscles. So like the wholemeal flour in the muffin, you stay feeling fuller for longer.

When you need a quick meal that will satisfy your taste buds and keep you full, this option can be a better choice than readymade sandwiches.

For office workers and many others, lunchtime means heading to the local supermarket, coffee shop or cafe for something to eat. There, you can buy savoury products, hot and cold drinks and sweet treats for afters. Sweet products are most commonly bought by people experiencing a bad day. A muffin is often the treat of choice to accompany a coffee or as a dessert. This is because they are easy to eat, do not need heating up and come in a number of flavours.

Development of muffins has led to it being reclassified as a gourmet snack when produced with good quality ingredients. The expansion of gourmet coffee shops like Starbucks has led to this in part. Luxury ingredients like Belgian chocolate chips and the freshest fruits are used so that even discerning eaters are tempted to nibble on the top of a muffin.
Sweet treats are no longer just for those who aren’t on a diet, now people watching their weight can indulge in a ‘skinny muffin’ of lemon, blueberry and many other flavours. Coffee houses are not losing money by driving away those on a diet whilst the customers feel like they are eating something tasty yet healthy.

There has also been a revolution in the shape of muffins and this has had an impact on consumer attitude towards muffins. When first sold in coffee houses and shops, muffins were relatively small and evenly shaped. Then, the top of the muffin became the most prized section and manufacturers began to bake them so that the top was larger than the bottom. This is where the term ‘muffin top’ came from which we use to describe stomachs that are being squeezed over tight trousers.

The flower-pot muffin is the newest shape to hit the shelves. The new shape is a little smaller than the large-topped muffins, this is because people are more health conscious and are less likely than before to eat a huge portion of muffin. The name flower-pot comes from the fine paper that surrounds the bottom of the muffin.

There can be major profits made by selling muffins in coffee houses and shops, and now pubs are getting in on the action by offering their customers muffins as a sweet alternative to the more traditional savoury snacks usually found in pubs.