Healthy Fast Food Guide | Panera Bread | Detailed

Overview

As long as we take into account that there may be additives in Panera’s menu items that are unavoidable, we can determine which options give us nutrition in other places and thus lean into the ones that are healthiest. Typically, these recommendations do not consider additives because it’s not practical. Many fast food options will include additives.

However, Panera’s menu has a couple of options that include very few, if any, additives. All in all, there are solid options between the lentil bowls, sandwiches, and salads.

Recommendations

Option #1 — Lentil Quinoa Bowl with Chicken

1. Umami Broth — allegedly good for keeping blood pressure low and promoting good oral health
2. Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast — this chicken is grilled instead of fried, which means you’ll have less intake of bad fats, avoid losing nutrients in the cooking process, and reduced butter intake
3. Green Lentil Blend — lowers cholesterol, improves heart health, and assists digestion
4. Organic Quinoa — high protein for a grain and contains essential amino acids for a more beneficial, complete protein source
5. Kale — strengthens the immune system, assists with blood clotting, fights cancer
6. Roasted Tomato Sofrito Blend — improves heart health, fights cancer, and improves skin health
7. Spinach — improving blood glucose levels, lowers risk of cancer, improved bone health
8. Organic Brown Rice — lowers cholesterol, helps digestive tract, and promotes satiety
9. Lemon Juice — cancer-fighting benefits, prevents kidney stones, and aids in digestion

If you’re not in the mood for chicken, you can choose Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl with Cage-Free Egg, but the main drawbacks are significantly higher cholesterol and less protein. See nutrition facts below:

Option #2 — Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT

If you’re set on a sandwich, I would recommend this one, since you can modify it to be optimal to our criteria.

1. Roasted Turkey — this turkey is not the deli version, so it should be lower in sodium while also being one of the leaner meat options
2. Mixed Greens — high in antioxidants, low in cholesterol, and high in fiber which is good for digestion
3. Tomato — improves heart health, fights cancer, and improves skin health
4. Avocado — 20 different vitamins and minerals, improves heart health, lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels
5. Skip the applewood-smoked bacon due to high saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium
6. Skip the mayonnaise since you already have good fats from avocado (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats)
7. If you want to get more nutrition, always choose an apple as your side
8. If you’re set on getting bread as a side, choose a Sprouted Grain Roll over a French Baguette since it is nutrient-rich and aids in blood sugar control as well as digestion

Option #3 — Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken

This salad has the least amount of additives and low sodium. Additionally, there’s a lot of fruit so the contents include nutritious sugar along with lean protein from the grilled chicken.

1. Grilled Chicken — this chicken is grilled instead of fried, which means you’ll have less intake of bad fats, avoid losing nutrients in the cooking process, and reduce butter intake
2. Romaine Lettuce — rich in antioxidants, prevents bone loss and improves heart health
3. Mandarin Orange — boosts immunity, prevents cell damage, and improves skin health
4. Strawberries — helps prevent cancer, improve eye function, and ranks highly for antioxidants
5. Blueberries — strengthens bones, lowers bad cholesterol, and is one of the best sources of antioxidants
6. Pineapple — rich in antioxidants, boosts immunity, and aids in digestion
7. Pecans — lowers cholesterol, controls diabetes, and regulates blood pressure
8. Skip the poppyseed dressing to reduce empty calories intake from added sugars

Option #4 — Seasonal Greens Salad with Grilled Chicken

If the Panera location you are at allows grilled chicken to be added to a Seasonal Greens Salad, then this is a well-balanced option as well. See nutrition facts below (grilled chicken not included, thus why the protein content is low):

More Useful Tools

Quick Guide — for when you’re on the go and/or need to know what the suggestions are without all the detail

Detailed Notes — consolidated notes for each fast-food establishment