I know how hard it is to maintain a healthy diet, especially if you have a busy schedule. There are definitely times when I’d rather eat out or have food delivered if I’m busy and have no time to cook.
With all the restaurants available, it’s very easy to have your fill for the day. There are also delivery options so you don’t even have to go out of your house to get food.
Panera is one of the popular bakery-café slash restaurants with over 2,000 locations spanning across the United States and Canada. It offers a variety of meals and beverages, and it is a tempting choice for when you are busy.
But, can you enjoy a healthy meal at Panera or are the meals there not for the health-conscious?
In this article, I will be talking about some of the healthiest meals that are on Panera’s menu.
In this article:
- Healthy Meals You Can Order at Panera
- Tips for a Healthy Panera Experience
Related articles:
- The Highest Protein Panera Meals for Building Muscle
- How to Make Panera Autumn Squash Soup at Home
- How to Make Panera Green Tea – Quick & Affordable
Healthy Meals You Can Order at Panera
Panera has a lot of food items on its menu but here are some of the food you can order if you are trying to stay healthy.
Vegetarian Autumn Squash Soup
Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup is a seasonal dish that you can only get in the fall. It is made with butternut squash, pumpkin, vegetable broth, and other ingredients like apple juice and cinnamon that make it a cozy and hearty soup.
Since the Autumn Squash Soup has butternut squash as its key ingredient, it is packed with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
A bowl of Autumn Squash Soup has 330 calories so you can pair it with a salad or half a portion of a sandwich. You can also order the autumn squash soup with a side of baguette for that extra carbs in your meal.
Black Bean Soup
Black beans are commonly used in plant-based diets since they are a good source of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and antioxidants.
Panera’s Black Bean Soup is one of the lightest meals on its menu with only 140 calories, 40 g carbs, 2 g fat, and 7 g of protein. Aside from black beans, this soup also has red bell peppers, onions, garlic, and cumin.
Red bell peppers are packed with vitamin C, A, and fiber which is good for your health. Cumin can also help promote digestion and boost your immune system.
Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken
If you are looking for more than just soup, you can try Panera’s Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken. It is packed with more protein because of the chicken and you can still get your vegetable intake with the leafy greens such as romaine and arugula.
The salad also has sliced apples which are a good source of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C.
The Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken can be a great pairing to one of Panera’s soups as one serving of the salad has 550 calories, 30 g protein, 33 g fat, 950 mg sodium, and 36 g of carbs.
Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries
Panera’s Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries is great as a light snack or even something to start your day with. If you work near a Panera store, this can definitely be a great breakfast, especially if you don’t have time to cook.
Greek yogurt is a good source of protein and is also packed with vitamin B12 which helps keep your blood and nerve cells healthy. The strawberries and blueberries also add a lot of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to the snack.
A bowl of Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries at Panera has 250 calories, 16 g of protein, and 29 g of carbs.
Steel-Cut Oats With Strawberries and Pecans
Another healthy breakfast or light snack option at Panera is the Steel-cut Oats with Strawberries and Pecans. It is a sweet and savory dish that has 340 calories, 14 g fat (2 g saturated), 160 mg sodium, 51 g carbs, 9 g fiber, and 6 g of protein.
The strawberries have antioxidants, vitamin C, and even have anti-inflammatory properties. Pecan, on the other hand, is packed with healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich
If you are a sandwich person looking for something healthy, give the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich a go. It has great Mediterranean flavors with ingredients such as peppers, cucumbers, feta, red onions, and more.
You can get a whole sandwich and it can leave you full or you can order half a sandwich and pair it with a soup or salad. A whole sandwich has 500 calories, 14 g of fat, 77 g of carbs, 1310 mg of sodium, and 18 g of protein.
Mediterranean Greens with Grains
If you don’t particularly care for a sandwich but still like Mediterranean flavors, an alternative to the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich would be the Mediterranean salad.
Like the sandwich, this salad has red onions, cucumbers, and feta. Other ingredients include hummus, peppadews, and mixed greens.
A whole serving of Mediterranean Greens with Grains has 550 calories, 38 g of fat, 850 g of sodium, 43 g of carbs, and 10 g of protein.
Tips for a Healthy Panera Experience
If you are trying to eat healthy, you don’t have to avoid your favorite Panera food altogether. There are some things you can do to eat healthier even as you order food from Panera.
Eat Smaller Options
If you are not a big eater, you can pick from from the You Pick Two Option. This gets you a cup of soup or mac and a half salad or a half sandwich. This allows you to enjoy two meals that are in smaller options.
You can also just order half a sandwich or a cup of soup if you feel like eating one meal at a time. Portion control is key when you are trying to eat healthily or are trying to be at a calorie deficit.
Stay Away from the Sugary Beverages
If you can, just have water with your meal. It’s easy to load up on sugar while eating out since the drinks tend to be high in sugar.
If you can’t take your meal with just water, you can opt for the Blood Orange Charged Splash. It is low in sugar and you still have a drink that has flavor in it.
Choose Fruit as a Side
When you order a sandwich or soup at Panera, you can choose between 3 free sides: a French baguette, apple, or chips. You can choose to have the apple as your side as it is a great source of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C.
You can also have a seasonal fruit cup for an additional $2.39 if you have the extra budget for it.
Wrapping Up
Eating at Panera does not have to be seen as an unhealthy choice. Panera has a wide selection of food items that can be a healthy and fulfilling meal if you are too busy to cook.
From the salad, snack, and soup as well as the sandwiches, you have great options to choose from whether you are looking to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
