green day cafe for healthy food in a hurry

The green day cafe opened in September of 2008 and offers both inside dining and drive-through service, as well as call-ahead for pick up. The food was fresh and incredibly delicious, and was ready very quickly after the order was placed.

The menu items feature chicken, turkey, tuna salad, or veggie mixes, with flavor styles reflecting Greek, Asian and good old American. Choose either a wrap or a salad, and for a side pick either the broccoli crunch, a small salad made with julienned broccoli, carrots, and greens, or Terra Chips which are made of vegetables -- a tasty alternative to the usual potato chips.

Kids' meals come with a drink, mandarin oranges and cinnamon pita chips, and feature turkey or chicken and cheese wraps, and sandwiches of grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly. All the breads are whole wheat, the lettuce is either romaine or spring mix, and drinks include the usual sodas along with various green teas and bottled juices.

They offer hot soup of the day, and Wild Veggie, a puree of either broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper or edamame (green soybeans) which is also carried in Whole Foods in a self-serve dispenser. These are similar to a "cream of" type soup, except they are made without the cream (but with butter, food starch, and seasonings).

I liked them all, but I would recommend combining all four flavors in the bowl, as a sort of colorful swirl. The red pepper is brightly flavorful but cauliflower is inherently somewhat bland as veggies go, and the edamame also was a bit lackluster. According to the website, one 7 ounce serving provides the nutritional equivalence of up to 2.5 servings of vegetables, because it is a whole food puree.

And the service is remarkable. As I waited at the pick up counter for my order, I noticed that many in the endless stream of customers were regulars. The cashier greeted them by name when they entered, and they engaged in brief friendly chats as they placed their orders. At one point as the cook was beginning to prepare an order he noticed something awry and called out to the customer to check on a questionable ingredient -- the customer was delighted by the personal attention, and he and his dining party had quite a chuckle about it.

Ordering was simple and fast, and I loved it when the cashier answered my agonized pondering of which one to choose with the suggestion, "I think you want the hummus and veggie wrap -- in fact, why don't you try the "Pick Two" and have half a wrap, a cup of soup, and a drink!"

The soup I chose was mushroom, and it was creamy and full of mushrooms. The wrap was flat instead of round and seemed meager at first glimpse, but once I began to eat I discovered it to be more than satisfying. The hummus and salad mix was a perfect combination, and the whole wheat tortilla was tender and delicious. I chose green tea, but was disappointed that all the green teas were sweetened.

With the low prices and pick-up choices of online, fax or phone ordering as well as the drive-through, this is one of the best quickie meal spots I have found.