Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese
The broccoli cheddar mac and cheese in a bread bowl has 1,050 calories, 31g fat, 13g saturated fat, 155g carbohydrates, 8g sugar, 40g protein, and 2,290mg sodium.
While a few pasta entrées have some protein, the protein doesnt offer enough of a nutrition benefit to offset the fat, carbohydrate, and sodium supplied by starchy pasta and creamy cheese sauce.
For a similar meal with fewer calories, try creating your own. An order of macaroni and cheese from the kids menu and ask for a side of grilled chicken to add yourself, which only has around 60 calories and 2g fat, but adds 13 grams of protein to your pasta.
Vegetarian Creamy Tomato Soup
Vine-ripened, antioxidant-rich, cancer-fighting tomatoes are pureed with a fatty medley of cream, asiago, parmesan, and romano cheeses and topped with even more cheesy croutons to boost this soup’s saturated fat content to just under your daily recommended intake. Even though this creamy vegetarian bowl has a considerable amount of saturated fat and calories, there’s still one good thing about itit has one of the lowest sodium contents out of all the soups.
Steel Cut Oatmeal With Blueberries Granola & Cinnamon Crunch Topping
The steel cut oatmeal base makes this another winning breakfast. When compared to cold cereal, oatmeal has been shown to increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction, so if cereal is your morning jam, oatmeal is a good choice. However, too much added sugar is a personal pet peeve so Id skip the cinnamon crunch topping here. Youll still get one and a half teaspoons of added sweetener from the granola it comes with. To cut back even more, you can skip both toppings and opt for pecans, instead. Doing so boosts your healthy fat intake, which is a nutritious move.
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Best Healthy Panera Salads
These fresh salads will keep you full and focused for hours after you devour them. Some of them, though, are best left unordered because of their calorie-heavy dressings. Thankfully, Panera Bread allows you to customize your dishes, and opting for a lighter dressing that’s on the side will almost always turn a disastrous dish into a balanced, healthy meal.
Read on to see how your favorite salad at Panera did in this lettuce showdownand devour our tips on how to amp up the lesser plates to their full healthy potential.
Placing And Receiving Your Order
What you order will determine where you pick it up at. If you order a pastry or a loaf of bread, usually the cashier will be the one to bag it up and hand it to you. Same situation with ordering an espresso drink or smoothie, which will be made at the barista machine located directly to the right of the registers. Soups, sandwiches, and salads can be picked up at the far right of the restaurant. For these items you will be given an electronic pager that will buzz to signify that your order is ready. The soda fountain is located right next to the area where you pick up these items.
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Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwich
Does the Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwich at Panera go heavy on the carbs? Absolutely. Do we sometimes need that sort of comfort food in our lives? Without a doubt. Sure, if you’re looking for a dish that is nice and light, this sandwich is not the way to go. But now and then, you want to indulge. When that’s the kind of mood you’re in, mac and cheese on a sandwich is the perfect solution. The mac and cheese itself is an important part of this recipe, of course, but the parmesan crisps are the element that’s really holding everything together. They give this sandwich structure and texture. Without them, eating this menu item would still be an experience. With them, you’ll enjoy something out of this world.
The mac and cheese and parmesan crisps are all served on white miche bread. When grilled, this bread develops a lovely crust that plays well with the other textures. When you feel like treating yourself, a grilled mac and cheese sandwich is going to be just what you’ve been searching for.
What Makes A Good Pick
In general, meals that meet the following guidelines are good choices when youre dining out. As youve seen above, however, its often hard to meet these requirements at a restaurant. In those instances, you may have noticed Ive suggested some hacks to keep these meals more in line with my recommendations. Though Ive customized them specifically based on Paneras options, youll get ideas for how to upgrade your meals elsewhere, too. Tips like eating an open-faced sandwich, skipping the bacon, ordering dressing on the side, and adding flavor- and nutrition-boosters, like avocados and nuts, are strategies that can be applied no matter where youre dining. Below are other eat-well commandments to be on the lookout for:
- Meals have less than 700 mg of sodium
- Grain-containing dishes are made with whole grains
- Fruits and/or veggies are included in the meal
- Calorie levels are appropriate for most adults
- Dishes contain healthy fats from foods like avocados, olives and nuts
- Added sugars are kept to a reasonable limit
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Panera’s Power Mediterranean Roasted Turkey Salad
Let’s keep the turkey talk rolling with the power Mediterranean roasted turkey salad from Panera Bread’s secret menu. This salad feels like something like this should be included among Panera Bread’s usual salad offerings, but that’s not the case. While it might lack the Fuji apple or strawberry poppy seed pizzazz of what’s expected from Panera, the added protein from the tukey makes this a great choice while cutting out the added sugar and carbs of too many toppings. Not to mention the flavor layers from red onions, tomatoes, and Kalamata olives, as well as olive oil dressing, all on a bed of baby spinach and romaine lettuce.
Panera originally rolled the secret menu out to MyPanera loyalty program members as part of its “Panera Lose It! Challenge” in 2014. The event encouraged consumers to lose five pounds in six weeks. A low-carb salad isn’t exactly a surprising feature of a weight loss challenge, but at least this one is tasty. The nutritional value of this secret menu salad lands at 320 calories, 12 grams of carbs and 22 grams of protein.
Fresh Soups & Sandwiches In Chicago Il
Enjoy good food thats good for you when you visit Panera Bread restaurant inside Kitchen United MIX ghost kitchen, located in the River North neighborhood in Chicago, IL. At Panera Bread, we believe good food is an experience that leaves you feeling happy and full, without having to choose between what tastes good and whats good for you. We serve our guests sandwiches, fresh salads, soups, and more all made with high-quality ingredients that taste good and leave you feeling good, too. Order pick-up or delivery through Kitchen United MIX to immerse yourself in a warm and welcoming atmosphere with Panera Breads delicious kitchen cuisine.
Enjoy staples like the Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT and the Classic Grilled Cheese or try one of our seasonal sandwiches such as the Chipotle Chicken Melt. When youre in the mood for something green, try the Southwest Chile Lime Ranch Salad with Chicken or the Caesar Salad with Chicken. Panera Bread also offers soups like Classic Chicken Noodle Soup and Broccoli Cheddar Soup as well as flatbread pizzas, bowls, and more. Come in for breakfast and start your day with bagels, pastries, and coffee.
Cant decide? Mix it up! Grab a sandwich to-go or get Panera Bread delivered. Whatever way you choose to enjoy our chef creations, good feelings will follow.
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Spicy Thai Salad With Chicken
“What makes this the unhealthier option is the higher sodium content,” says Valdez. The sodium content in the Spicy Thai Salad with Chicken translates to roughly 42 percent of the daily allotment. Valdez also points out that this salad also packs more carbs than other salads on the menu. “To slim this salad down further, you may opt out of the carbs, fat, and extra calories in the wonton strips,” says Valdez. “Finally, have the dressing on the side, and dip your fork in it with each bite of salad to minimize the extra fat and calories that may be coming from the salad dressing.”
Keep An Eye On Social Media For Panera Promo Codes And Giveaways
The Panera Bread social media accounts mostly talk about new menu items and other promotions, but you dont care youre here for the freebies!
Several times a year, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram followers are treated to Panera promo codes such as $5 off an online order of $20 or more or free unlimited coffee on National Coffee Day for parents.
Panera also held a drawing in July 2021 where one lucky customer won free mac & cheese every day for an entire year!
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Modern Greek Salad With Quinoa
There are plenty of healthy ingredients, like olives, kale and romaine lettuce, in this main-sized salad. Like most restaurant meals, the sodium is high, but 300 mg of salt is coming from the Greek dressing. Order the dressing on the side and drizzle lightly just enough to add flavor. That will keep the sodium in a healthy range.
Roasted Turkey & Avocado Blt On Country Rustic
This sandwich is a healthy alternative for you salad lovers out there that find yourselves craving carbs. Because of the layer of heart-healthy avocado, the fats you see in the nutrition include monounsaturated ones that play an important role in lowering elevated cholesterola factor in insulin resistance, excess weight, and obesity. This sandwich is relatively high in sodium, so be mindful of your salt intake the rest of the day.
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Rack Up The Rewards Faster When You And Your Partner Make Separate Transactions At Panera
Since MyPanera rewards you for transactions, not total spend, you and your partner should each place a separate order at Panera.
You could use the same MyPanera account for both transactions, or if you both want to earn your own rewards, use your own accounts.
Anyone age 13 and up is eligible to sign up for Panera Rewards.
Mediterranean Veggie On Tomato Basil
Customize a half portion of the Mediterranean veggie sandwich on tomato basil bread for 270 calories, 6g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 44g carbohydrate, 4g sugar, 10g protein, and 620mg sodium. With veggies onlyyou can add meat if you wishthis sandwich is also a nutritious option for vegetarian diners.
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Steak & Arugula On Sourdough
Valdez says this is a great option if you’re looking for a filling meal that won’t hinder your fitness goals. Why? Let’s do a quick rundown of the nutritionals. The calories dip just below 500, the saturated fat amounts to just 35 percent of the recommended intake, the sodium content is about 38 percent of the total recommended intake, the carbohydrate content isn’t anything too crazy, and finally, the protein intake is just three grams over what’s typically acceptable to have in one sitting. “I am a big promoter of lean beef. It has iron, which, is a nutrient of concern to Americans,” says Valdez. Who said ordering steak had to be an unhealthy endeavor?
Smokehouse Bbq Chicken Sandwich
BBQ lovers, you’re going to want to stick around for this one. The Smokehouse BBQ Chicken Sandwich is a vibe, and we’re actually surprised at how much we like it. The smoked chicken is, well, quite smoky, which lends a lot of flavor to otherwise mild meat. It’s tossed in an apple cider vinegar BBQ sauce. While many BBQ sauces are pretty sweet, this one has a lovely touch of acidity that balances out the other flavors nicely. We love the addition of fresh red and fried onions, which both add some crispiness in very different ways. However, the best part of the sandwich is the thick slices of white miche bread. It all comes together in a delectable sandwich that’s a little messy but totally worth it.
The only thing we would change about this sandwich is its lack of veggies. Just a bit of lettuce or other greens or some hot pepper rings could transform this sandwich and take it to a whole new level. But even without those additions, this is a delicious sandwich.
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You Can Easily Make The Broccoli Cheddar Soup At Home
Now that you know the Panera soup is just reheated, why not try your hand at making the soup for a fraction of the price? We’ve got a great recipe you can try. You can also grab one of the recipes for their famous mac and cheese from all over the internet, or just buy a container of soup from the nearest grocery store and heat it up yourself.
A previous version of this article was originally published on November 5, 2021.
Panera’s Power Steak Lettuce Wraps
It still feels a bit like heresy to order something at Panera Bread and not receive any bread, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t order a sandwich. The power steak lettuce wraps from Panera’s secret menu let you build your own wrap for a more hands-on experience.
Even if for some reason the Panera Bread you land at doesn’t recognize the secret menu, most locations should still be able to provide the necessary ingredients. Ask for a few cuts of sirloin steak, some giant lettuce leaves, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and basil pesto. Add cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice to top it off.
The DIY nature of the power steak lettuce wraps compared to the other secret menu items actually make it more similar to the customer-created items found on the secret menus at other establishments. Regardless, it’s another low-carb, high protein choice with 280 calories, 7 grams of carbs, and 28 grams of protein.
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Panera Bread Announces Contactless Dine
Joanna Fantozzi | Feb 01, 2022
Panera Bread announced on Tuesday a new way to experience the brand beyond dine-in, delivery, drive-thru, rapid pickup, and curbside pickup: contactless dine-in.
Joining the surge in human-free foodservice experiences, customers will be able to order their food via the Panera app either when they arrive in the restaurant or are on their way, and will receive an email, text, and/or push notification when their food is ready at the counter. That way, customers can receive their food exactly when its ready without the need for pagers or waiting at the counter.
Related:Panera Bread is testing out ghost kitchens, mobile kitchens, and unveiling virtual catering
The contactless dine-in feature rolls out to the MyPanera app this week to all bakery/café locations.
This is part of a larger effort to create a digitally enabled café, George Hanson, senior vice president, chief digital officer at Panera Bread told Nations Restaurant News. Panera is a place where people do still want to gather. Our off-premise business has exploded, but we still have a very big dine-in portion of guests.
Although the contactless dine-in option wont be for everyone, Hanson said, it will serve a subsect of Paneras guest that want to mix digital convenience with an in-person lunch .
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Find her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi
The Modern Caprese Sandwich
One Panera Bread employee who has worked at the chain for a year and a half told Business Insider that their favorite menu item is the modern caprese.
“It doesn’t have any meat on it, but it has pesto and really good tomato confit,” the employee told Business Insider. “I recommend it to every customer who’s looking for a good panini.”
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How To Order Keto
Panera might have bread right in its name, but that doesnt mean you cant order keto-friendly at the popular fast-casual food chain. The restaurant welcomes modifications to most menu items, so you can easily eat keto, as long as you know what to ask for, and since most restaurants are open from 6 a.m. until 9 or 10 p.m., you can count on finding an acceptable meal there no matter the time of day. Of course, you know to pass on the bread bowls and baguettes, but here are a few high-fat, low-carb options that will perfectly fit your diet.
Panera also posts all nutrition online, so if youre unsure, check the frequently updated site.
If Youre Feeding Four People Consider The Group Portions
Some Panera menu items have group portion sizes, which are intended to feed four people. The group soups and pastas come in quarts , which is roughly the equivalent of four small orders.
A small Mac & Cheese is $5.79 for 7.75 oz, or about $0.75/oz. A group size, meanwhile, is $22.09, which comes out to $0.69/oz.
Its not massive savings, but if you visit Panera with three friends and all four of you are craving Mac & Cheese, why not get a little more for less?
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A Modified Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Former Panera Bread employee Josh Benner took to Quora to share some tips on hacking the chain’s menu and described his go-to order.
Benner favored going for the you-pick-two option and grabbing a strawberry poppyseed salad with a bacon turkey bravo.
His ideal salad also featured a sprinkling of granola. The bravo sandwich, in the meantime, would be on asiago focaccia, with “cheddar cheese instead of gouda,” minus the traditional tomato, and heated up “on the press.”
Panera Bread associate Derek Bedell also praised the strawberry poppyseed salad on Quora, noting that it was “easily our bestseller.”
“It’s also really good I love it,” he added.