So today’s my boyfriend Chris’s mum, lovely woman that she is, randomly took us out for lunch. We decided to go to a Starbucks, where I normally have the intentionally vegan (and really rather yummy) Falafel Panini. It is tasty good (my sister hates it, but she is mad and you shouldn’t listen to her).
There are 2 Starbucks in our city’s shopping centre, so we went to the one that normally has the Falafel Paninis in stock. SHOCK HORROR DISASTER! They didn’t have any. So we went to the other one in the hope that they would have them and I wouldn’t have to have a pot of carrot sticks and a fruit salad for lunch.
They didn’t have any of the paninis, but they did have a Falafel Mezze ‘Bistro Box’, whatever the hell that is. On closer inspection, as long as you don’t eat the tzatziki sauce (helpfully in a separate, easily removable container), the rest of it is vegan-friendly! Yay!
So I got one, and here’s what it was:
Look at it, sittin’ there actin’ all fancy. I didn’t take a picture of me holding it this time because I was in a café and already wearing a pixie hat and I didn’t want people to know that they were sitting near a lunatic. It might have upset the children.
Before you ask, no, I don’t know why I was using the ‘royal we’ there. I took the olives out. I hate black olives. Yes, that’s right, I put my hands up, I am an olive racist. Only the green ones for me thanks! It was also only me who took out the tzatziki and had a latte. Just so we’re clear. (Starbucks also haven’t started doing their Christmas lattes yet, unlike Costa who are clearly ahead of the curve. I wanted gingerbread syrup, you gits!)
Anyway, onto the food. It was actually really quite nice. It looked like an aeroplane meal (as Chris’s mum pointed out), but overall it was good. The couscous and ‘sun-kissed’ tomato was lovely, the vegetables were a little watery but still nice and fresh tasting. The falafel were a bit dry. I think you’re supposed to dip them in the tzatziki, but I am a bit obsessed with falafel so I still enjoyed them. The pita breads were nice and soft. Basically, I was pleased! Though I must say I would still opt for the Falafel Panini if the choice was there.
Taste: 
As above, overall I was pleased. They lose a star for the dry falafel though.
5 a day: 
No information was given on the packaging for this, but I’m estimating 1 from the portion size and the veggies in the couscous as well as those in the little tub.
Packaging: 
Entirely plastic with a cardboard label, so entirely recyclable. Always good!
Portion Size: 
It loses 1 star here as it was really quite a light meal. It was just over 400cals according to the box, but not eating the tzatziki will have shaved a bit off that. I could have done with more of the couscous (especially since it was so yum).
Total: 
