WASHINGTON — Soda, chips and hot dogs may be the go-to snacks at gas stations, but one major chain is working to change that by bringing nutritional options to an increasingly health-conscious customer base.
On Tuesday, 7-Eleven — the world’s largest convenience store chain — rolled out a new line of “nutritionally balanced” sandwiches, wraps, salads and cold- pressed juices. The new options are being tested at 104 stores in Southern California.
The healthier options are from a meal-plan service developed by Tony Horton, a fitness expert who has gained success through his home workout series, P90X. Horton says that the new menu items are healthy options for people on the go.
“I truly believe that this joint venture between [Tony Horton Kitchen] and 7-Eleven can be a tipping point to improve America’s health,” Horton said in a news release.
The new menu includes two sandwiches, including grilled chicken with blueberry mustard on a whole-grain sub; two salads, including spicy quinoa salad with chimichurri dressing; two wraps, including spicy black bean hummus and vegetables; and four cold-pressed juices, including one that combines apple, celery, beet, ginger, parsley, spinach and lemon.
The sandwiches and wraps cost $4.75 to $6.50, and the juices go for $4.99. The average calorie count on the food items is 360.
However, the foods aren’t always “healthy,” according to USA TODAY.
For example, the Golden Roasted Turkey Breast Wrap with Chipotle Black Bean Hummus has 410 calories and 880 milligrams of sodium. The American Heart Association recommends people consume 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day.
The push to add healthier options comes as millennials and other core customers demand them. Healthy food options are the second-most requested items the chain receives through social media, the Internet and toll-free calls, Raja Doddala, senior director for innovation at 7-Eleven, told USA TODAY.
7-Eleven will continue to sell its less-healthy options, and Doddala says it’s all about offering options.
“We can provide a convenient way for healthy and fitness-oriented consumers to fuel their daily lives,” he said to USA TODAY.
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