Introduction to Panera Bread
Panera Bread is one of the most popular restaurant chains in America, known for its commitment to using quality, fresh ingredients. With over 2,000 locations nationwide, it generated $5.8 billion in annual sales in 2022. It ranks as 11th largest in the United States. The chain offers a diverse menu that includes freshly baked bread, breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, entrées, desserts, and drinks. In this article, we examined the data on their Nutrition Guide from January 2024. We focused mostly on total calories, but also sodium, protein, sugars, and other factors. We then picked the most and least healthy items in each of their menu categories as well as their overall menu.
Overall Best and Worst Panera Bread Menu Choices
Overall Menu
Panera Bread offers 223 menu items. These include:
- About 17 Breakfast items
- 25 varieties of Bagels & Breads
- 23 Sandwiches (some offered in half or whole)
- Nine Soups (offered in a cup, bowl, bread bowl, or for a group)
- Nine Salads (offered in half or whole)
- 10 different Entrées
- 41 Pastries, Sweets, Cookies, and Baked Goods
Focusing on these items only (i.e. excluding Drinks, Catering, etc.), the lowest calorie item is their Breakfast Egg Whites. This selection has only 30 calories per portion. On the other hand, the highest calorie item is the Mac & Cheese Bread Bowl Entrée with 1,150 calories.
Overall Best Menu Choices
Calories are a major determinant of the relative health of a menu item, but they aren’t the only thing you should consider. We also examined other data including fat, cholesterol, sodium, and total sugars. The table below lists our picks as the most and least healthy menu options. We selected the Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Cinnamon Crunch without Pecans as the most healthy breakfast item, the Whole Grain Lavash as the healthiest bread, the Avocado Sandwich as the best Sandwich, the Asian Sesema with Chicken as the healthiest Salad, the Lemon Tahini as the healthiest Salad Dressing, the Mediterranean Bowl as the healthiest entrée and the Black and White Chipper as the healthiest Dessert. We go into more detail in the various menu categories below.
Overall Worst Menu Choices
Based on all nutritional information, We selected the Sausage, Egg & Cheese on Asiago Bagel as the least healthy Breakfast, the Sourdough Bread Bowl as the worst Bread, the Chicken Cordon Bleu Melt on Baguette as the worst sandwich, the Southwest Caesar Salad with Chicken as the worst Salad, Greek Dressing as the least healthy, the Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza as the worst entrée, and the Kitchen Sink Cookie as the least healthy dessert.
General Nutritional Information
Although there are many nutritional factors to consider, such as vitamins and minerals, we focus on a handful of the statistics provided by Panera Bread in their Nutrition Guide. The most important number is total calories (kcals), but we also considered calories from fat (kcals), fat (g), saturated fat (g), cholesterol (mg), sodium (mg), carbohydrates (g), total dietary fiber (g), total sugars (g), and protein (g).
Total Calories
We believe total calories have the most impact on weight changes. Watching total calories can help manage overall energy intake, preventing overeating and promoting a healthy weight. Monitoring caloric intake also supports maintaining balanced nutrition, ensuring you consume the right amount of nutrients without excess calories. An excess likely could lead to weight gain and related health issues like diabetes and heart disease.
Calories from Fat, Amount of Fat, and Saturated Fat
Considering fat, particularly saturated fats, is crucial when choosing healthy foods. This is because high intake can lead to increased LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol levels, raising the risk of heart disease and stroke. Furthermore, focusing on healthier fats, like those from nuts, seeds, and fish, can support overall cardiovascular health and provide essential nutrients.
Cholesterol
Watching cholesterol is important for managing healthy food choices. High levels of cholesterol, especially LDL, can lead to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. By monitoring and choosing foods low in cholesterol, particularly saturated and trans fats, individuals can maintain better cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of developing serious health conditions.
Sodium
Considering sodium levels is crucial when selecting menu items because high sodium intake can lead to elevated blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Excessive sodium can also cause water retention, leading to bloating and strain on the kidneys. Avoiding foods with high sodium content can help maintain better overall cardiovascular health and supports proper kidney function.
Carbohydrates
Watching carbohydrates is important as they significantly impact blood sugar levels, particularly for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance. Consuming high amounts of refined carbohydrates and sugars can lead to rapid spikes and drops in blood glucose, which can increase hunger and cravings. This in particular makes it harder to maintain a balanced diet. Additionally, focusing on complex carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables provides sustained energy, essential nutrients, and fiber.
Fiber
Including fiber in your food choices is essential for maintaining digestive health, as it helps regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation. High-fiber foods can also aid in weight management by promoting a feeling of fullness, which helps control appetite and reduce overall calorie intake. Moreover, studies have linked a diet rich in fiber to a lower risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Sugars
Total sugars are important to consider because surprisingly high amounts of sugar can be found in certain menu items. Excessive sugar intake has been shown to lead to health issues such as obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, high sugar consumption can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. This leads to energy fluctuations and cravings for more sugary foods, which can make it difficult to maintain a balanced diet and healthy eating habits.
Protein
Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues in the body, making it a crucial nutrient in our diet. When choosing from a menu, opting for protein-rich foods can help maintain muscle mass and support overall health. Balancing protein intake with other nutrients ensures a well-rounded meal that supports energy levels and satiety.
Most and Least Healthy Breakfast Menu Items
It is said that ‘‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’’, so choose wisely. Out of the 17 items to choose from on the Panera Bread menu, we suggest that the Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Cinnamon Crunch Topping without Pecans is the healthiest choice. This item offers 50 grams of carbohydrates, including complex ones, with only 260 total calories, 170 milligrams of sodium, and 16 grams of Total Sugars. Although not very filling, the next healthiest menu is two egg whites with only 30 calories, followed by one scrambled egg. Notice that the scrambled egg has three times more total calories, and considerably higher fat and cholesterol. Egg whites are a healthier alternative to whole eggs as the yolk contains the most calories.
Among their breakfast sandwiches, we think the Avocado, Egg White, Spinach & Cheese on Multigrain Bagel Flat is the healthiest choice, although it does have a high amount of sodium. Fifth on the list is Panera’s other Steel Cut Oatmeal Option, but with Pecans added.
All five of the relatively worst breakfast items on Panera Bread’s menu were sandwiches. It might be delicious, but the Sausage, Egg & Cheese on Asiago Sandwich is the least healthy. It has a total of 820 calories, a high amount of saturated fat, and cholesterol, and a whopping 1,410 milligrams of sodium. The next four worst items are also sandwiches. They have between 550 to 640 total calories, 870 to 910 milligrams of sodium, 300 to 360 milligrams of cholesterol, and 10 to 19 grams of saturated fat.
Most and Least Healthy Bagels and Breads
These baked goods can be high in calories, and even higher in carbohydrates. They also have relatively few vitamins and minerals and can be relatively high in sodium. One interesting thing we noted is that bagels have nearly double the amount of protein as sliced breads. However, they also have about double the amount of carbohydrates. We ranked the 25 varieties of Panera Bagels & Breads based on calories, sodium, carbohydrates, total sugars, and protein. The top 5 and bottom 5 are shown in the table below.
We ranked Whole Grain Lavash best given its relatively low calories and sodium, high fiber and protein. We ranked the two slices of Country Rustic Sourdough and White Whole Grain bread at 2nd and 3rd due to their low calories. The Multigrain Bagel Flat was ranked 4th based on low calories and higher protein, despite high sodium. Their Blueberry Bagel was the best in the bunch. It has only 10 more calories than a plain bagel, but less sodium, and, well, blueberries!
We ranked the Sourdough Bread Bowl as the worst given the exceptionally high number of calories and sodium. The Salt Bagel was not too far behind with 1,960 (mg) of sodium. With the highest calories among all bagels, the Cinnamon Crunch Bagel was ranked 3rd worst. This was followed by the Cinnamon Swirl & Raisin Bagel (this author’s personal favorite – time to reconsider my menu choice). Lastly, was the Asiago Cheese Bagel.
Most and Least Healthy Panera Bread Sandwiches
One of Panera Bread’s most popular menu categories is its sandwiches. They offer 23 choices, 15 of which can be served in half-size portions. They are generally half-size prepared with fresh, quality ingredients, and served on different breads. Many of the sandwiches provide a high amount of protein. Although not very filling, with only 400 calories, we ranked their Avocado Sandwich first. It has the least fat, cholesterol, sodium, and total sugars. The Chef’s Chicken Sandwich on Brioche was 2nd, with low calories, fat and sodium, and good protein. The Napa Almond Chicken Salad on Country Rustic Sourdough was ranked 3rd with lower calories and relatively low sodium. The Mediterranean Veggie on Tomato Basil and the Toasted Smokehouse BBQ Chicken on Classic White Miche were ranked closely at 4th and 5th. They have fewer calories but have more sodium.
Although the least healthy sandwiches have a lot of protein, with as much as 73 grams, these selections have high calories, sodium, fat, and cholesterol. The least healthy sandwich on their menu is the Chicken Cordon Bleu Melt on a Baguette. It has 1,040 calories and 3,510 milligrams of sodium. Second on the list is the Chicken & Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt on a Baguette with 1,110 calories, 20 grams of saturated fat, and 3,120 milligrams of sodium. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th least healthy sandwiches were ranked about the same with high calories and sodium.
Most and Least Healthy Panera Bread Salads
Panera Bread also offers nine different salads in half or whole sized portions. Choosing a dressing will add additional calories. This is something we’ll take a look at in the next section. Their healthiest salad is the Asian Sesame with Chicken. It has only a few more calories and sodium than our second top pick, but it has 29 grams of protein. The Caesar Salad with Black Pepper Croutons has only 390 calories, low fat, and the least amount of sodium. The Fuji Apple with Chicken without Pecans has more calories and sodium than our top pick, but just about as much protein. The Southwest Caesar Salad has more calories and the lowest amount of sodium, but also less protein. The Greek salad is our 5th pick and has over 1,000 milligrams of sodium.
The worst salads to pick all have high levels of sodium, but, to their merit, also offer good protein. The least healthy salad is the Southwest Caesar Salad with Chicken. It has the highest number of calories and the second highest amount of sodium with 1,070 milligrams. The Fuji Apple with Chicken Salad has 550 calories, 830 milligrams of sodium, and ties with the Fuji Apple with Chicken without Pecans Salad for having the most Total Sugar. The Chicken Caesar Salad with Black Pepper Croutons adds protein to the one without chicken but has the highest amount of sodium with 1,180 milligrams. The last salad on the menu, and least of the worst, is the Green Goddess Cobb with Chicken. Adding chicken adds protein, but it has 1,020 milligrams of sodium, and the highest amount of cholesterol.
Most and Least Healthy Salad Dressings
Panera Bread offers six different salad dressings. They are essentially ranked based on calorie count. The healthiest dressing is Panera Bread’s Lemon Tahini with only 70 calories, followed by Green Goddess with 80 calories, and the Asian Sesame Vinaigrette with 90. The least healthy dressing is Greek with 230 calories (at 290 milligrams of sodium), which can add as much as 56% more calories to the healthiest salad, the Asian Sesame with Chicken at 410 calories. This is followed by Caesar with 180 calories and the same amount of sodium, followed by White Balsamic Vinaigrette Flavored with Apple which has lower calories at 160, but has the highest Total Sugars with 10 grams.
Most and Least Healthy Soups
Panera Bread offers nine different soups in three varieties: in a cup, bowl, or bread bowl. The data we examined and as shown in the table below is for the second option, soup in a bowl. If you choose soup in a cup, the total calories and other nutritional values are actually about 66% fewer as a bowl typically contains 1.5 cups of soup. If you choose soup in a bread bowl, this edible option adds about 550 calories.
The best soup option on the menu is the Turkey Chili with Beans. It has only 300 calories, relatively low fat and cholesterol, the least amount of sodium, and a good amount of protein. In second place is the Ten Vegetable Soup, with only 100 calories and the second least amount of sodium. Panera Bread’s Chicken Tikka Masala Soup is the third best option. It has 360 calories per bowl, only 1,000 milligrams of sodium, and a good amount of protein. The Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice is the fourth best pick with only 280 calories. This is followed closely by the Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup, with only 150 calories, a good amount of protein, but somewhat high sodium.
The least healthy soup on Panera Bread’s menu is the Bistro French Onion Soup with Black Pepper Croutons. It has 280 calories, but nearly 2,000 milligrams of sodium. The Broccoli Cheddar Soup is the second least healthy with 370 calories and both a high amount of saturated fat and sodium. 3rd worst is the Vegetarian Autumn Squash Soup with 330 calories and 1,210 milligrams of sodium, followed by the Vegetarian Creamy Tomato Soup with Black Pepper Croutons with 370 calories and 1,100 milligrams of sodium.
Most and Least Healthy Entrées
Out of the ten options for entrées, the healthiest choice is the Mediterranean Bowl without chicken. This is closely followed by the Mediterranean Bowl with Chicken. Both have low calories, fat, and sodium, but adding chicken introduces a little more protein. The third and fourth best options are the Baja Bowl without chicken and the Baja Bowl with Chicken. They have only slightly more calories and about the same amount of other nutrients. Once again, adding chicken increases the amount of protein, but not to the detriment of adding much fat or sodium. Our fifth choice is the Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli Bowl, which has more sodium, but 46 grams of protein.
The least healthy choice among entrées is the Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza, which has the greatest number of calories at 1,060 and 2,560 milligrams of sodium. The Large Mac & Cheese also has high calories and sodium, but less protein. The Cheese Flatbread Pizza has fewer calories, but still has 40 grams of protein. Adding pepperoni comes with a cost and little benefit other than a different flavor profile. The Margherita Flatbread Pizza is the healthiest of the pizza options. Sixth on the list is the Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese with fewer calories and Sodium.
Most and Least Healthy Pastries, Sweets, Cookies, and Baked Goods
Whether having a little bite for dessert, or something to go with your coffee, your choice at Panera Bread matters. There are 41 different options on the menu. The healthiest treats are small indulgences like our first choice, the Black and White Chipper cookie at only 60 calories and the least amount of sodium. The remaining top choices were essentially those with the least incremental increase in calories. Our second choice is the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Chipper with 60 calories, followed by the Mini Oatmeal Raisin with Berries Cookie with 90 calories. This is again followed by the Cranberry Orange Mini Muffin with 80, and lastly the Petite Chocolate Chipper with 100.
It is hard to call any dessert “the worst”, but in terms of comparative nutrition, Panera Bread’s Kitchen Sink Cookie is the clear outcast with 820 calories and 760 milligrams of sodium. The second least healthy choice is the Orange Scone with 550 calories and the highest amount of sodium. The Pumpkin Muffin is next with 570 calories. The Cinnamon Roll and the Blueberry Muffin were a close tie for being the fourth and fifth least healthy choices.
Conclusion
If you want to be selective when eating out, total calorie information is often the only data point you can consider. We hope this article sheds some light on how other nutrient values such as fat, cholesterol, sodium, and total sugars, can also be examined to make more informed decisions. If you are on a weight management journey, we strongly recommend that you track what you eat. You can find all of Panera Bread’s menu items in The Difference App’s food database of over 1.5 million food records.