Panera Bread

jenniferkaye22
jenniferkaye22 Posts: 84 Member
edited November 18 in Food and Nutrition
So I discovered Panera Bread yesterday.. they finally built one near me. I tried it and I loved it! I like how they show the calories that's in the food. In my opinion I think it's healthy.. what are yalls opinion with the nutrition/calories and just in general about Panera Bread?
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Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    It's just food... a bit overpriced to me.
  • CatchMom11
    CatchMom11 Posts: 462 Member
    I like that it's clean, but as far as calories go, it's generally a lot of calories for the portions.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    Their bagels and asiago cheese bread are okay, nothing special imo, but I do love their cinnamon raisin bread. It's so rich and tastes especially great with cream or swiss cheese.
  • ErinMichelle31
    ErinMichelle31 Posts: 29 Member
    You can get some really low calorie options there. Black bean soup with a turkey sandwich on rye is a really low calorie option that is very filling. However, my problem with them is the sodium. One small meal there usually has my entire daily allotment!
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    I find them just okay for a "fast food" place, kind of like Chipotle. Food tastes better and it's a better atmosphere than a standard fast food place, but nothing blows me away. Not as greasy as standard fast food, but not lower calorie either.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Panera Bread (and it's original parent company, St. Louis Bread Company) is on just about every block here. The food is fine, a bit pricey. We use them a lot for catering office working lunches (in fact I have a Panera box lunch sitting in front of me right now). I really have been annoyed since they adopted the "Clean" campaign - since it such a vague and meaningless term. I usually pick something else when I have my druthers.

  • xandra47
    xandra47 Posts: 121 Member
    I looooove their broccoli and cheddar soup!!
  • SaraMA1
    SaraMA1 Posts: 410 Member
    For a "Fast Food" type place, I will usually stop here instead of any other place. I like the salads, and they are not served in a hot plate/bowl. My favorite is the BBQ Chicken chopped salad (no cheese) and the portion is quite large and filling for the low calories. I usually get an apple as a side, but they also offer sprouted grain rolls now, which are good when I am craving bread.
    Check out the hidden menu too, lots of healthy options not on the public menu.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    So I discovered Panera Bread yesterday.. they finally built one near me. I tried it and I loved it! I like how they show the calories that's in the food. In my opinion I think it's healthy.. what are yalls opinion with the nutrition/calories and just in general about Panera Bread?

    It's just food.....not really healthy or unhealthy. It depends on how the calories and macros work for you.

    I did an entire month eating only fast food...did fine with my goals for that month.
    If you wish to read my thread on it, it is here.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10534218
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I like Panera. Adding extra chicken to one of their half salads usually fits my needs. I also love their squash soup but that's only available in the fall.
  • Ruatine
    Ruatine Posts: 3,424 Member
    Panera Bread is dead to me since they removed the BBQ Chicken Salad from their menu.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    I have dined at Panera Bread once, with Mrs and my 26 yo daughter. Everybody found something they liked and all were pleased. I declined to partake of the bread, but I appreciate that the wait staffer knew the calorie count of the bread when I asked.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    The kids like it. I like it. I liked it more before they discontinued my favorite salad: kale chicken caesar. Those crispy cheesy bits were so good.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    Overpriced but I love it! I like their smoothies too. The calories aren't outrageous for most of em.
  • Boland_D
    Boland_D Posts: 85 Member
    Healthier than many other options out there. I usually get a Mediterranean veggie sandwich and tomato soup. So good. Too expensive and too much sodium would be my main complaints.
  • yellingkimber
    yellingkimber Posts: 229 Member
    I'm rioting since they removed the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl from the menu. I lived for that salad.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    Ruatine wrote: »
    Panera Bread is dead to me since they removed the BBQ Chicken Salad from their menu.
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    The kids like it. I like it. I liked it more before they discontinued my favorite salad: kale chicken caesar. Those crispy cheesy bits were so good.
    I'm rioting since they removed the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl from the menu. I lived for that salad.

    Wow. After reading this thread, I'm glad I never tried any salads from them. They seem to discontinue everyone's favorite salads.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    neldabg wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    Panera Bread is dead to me since they removed the BBQ Chicken Salad from their menu.
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    The kids like it. I like it. I liked it more before they discontinued my favorite salad: kale chicken caesar. Those crispy cheesy bits were so good.
    I'm rioting since they removed the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl from the menu. I lived for that salad.

    Wow. After reading this thread, I'm glad I never tried any salads from them. They seem to discontinue everyone's favorite salads.

    They're always messin' with the menu. I am currently on the Green Goddess salad--low calories and helps me nail my protein macro for the day. The only bad part is the 99 cent baked good....I always get the cinnamon crunch bagel and honey walnut cream cheese, but always put it off till the next day when I can do a better job of planning for the damage!!
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    I love Panera and so do my kiddos (20 yr and 18 yr old). We began going to Panera instead of Fast Food places. After the divorce I took them to dinner once a week and that seemed to be a healthier option than McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendys, etc...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's ok...my wife picks stuff up from there sometimes. I haven't had anything there yet to get me too excited, but it's decent enough for fast food.
  • BrettWithPKU
    BrettWithPKU Posts: 575 Member
    You can tell Panera (Bread Co. to me) is at least health-conscious.

    I'd say that Panera is pricey--my bill's around $20 for two--but if you've been to Subway recently you can't get 2 subs and drinks for less than $15. We don't eat out every day, so I'll happily pay an extra $5 for considerably better quality.

    On-menu calorie counts are good and should be required at every restaurant. The people who don't care about calories just ignore the numbers; people who do care are directed to better health decisions.

    Unfortunately, having grown up in rural Illinois and Indiana, I have frequent cravings for Missouri's only Monical's Pizza location (O'Fallon)--and of course it's right next door to my local Panera. Sometimes Monical's wins. Usually Monical's wins.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    neldabg wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    Panera Bread is dead to me since they removed the BBQ Chicken Salad from their menu.
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    The kids like it. I like it. I liked it more before they discontinued my favorite salad: kale chicken caesar. Those crispy cheesy bits were so good.
    I'm rioting since they removed the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl from the menu. I lived for that salad.

    Wow. After reading this thread, I'm glad I never tried any salads from them. They seem to discontinue everyone's favorite salads.

    About half of their salads are seasonal. Wait nine months and your salad will come back. Same for soup and some of the sandwiches. Fall = autumn squash soup season. Winter = beet salad season. Spring and summer = I completely forget seasons :blush:
  • wink77
    wink77 Posts: 55 Member
    I love Panera, but, what I get there isn't healthy ...coffee loaded with sugar and cream and a bagel and cream cheese.
  • court_alacarte
    court_alacarte Posts: 219 Member
    they are meh... never truly crave it or anything, and only really eat it when it gets catered in at work. i guess it's nice they post nutritional information but so does whataburger so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • yellingkimber
    yellingkimber Posts: 229 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    neldabg wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    Panera Bread is dead to me since they removed the BBQ Chicken Salad from their menu.
    TmacMMM wrote: »
    The kids like it. I like it. I liked it more before they discontinued my favorite salad: kale chicken caesar. Those crispy cheesy bits were so good.
    I'm rioting since they removed the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl from the menu. I lived for that salad.

    Wow. After reading this thread, I'm glad I never tried any salads from them. They seem to discontinue everyone's favorite salads.

    About half of their salads are seasonal. Wait nine months and your salad will come back. Same for soup and some of the sandwiches. Fall = autumn squash soup season. Winter = beet salad season. Spring and summer = I completely forget seasons :blush:

    I haven't seen my salad come back, but it could just be my local location. I've taken to just making my own jalapeño hummus to use as a salad dressing. Honestly, it's a really easy salad to recreate. They just made it so pretty and it was such a good option for catching up with friends :(
  • samacgr
    samacgr Posts: 1 Member
    I REALLY like their spicy thai with chicken salad. Luckily, it hasn't disappeared from the menu.....A half salad is 260 calories and fills me up.
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
    I eat there regularly but I am NOT a fan of them discontinuing things. Many years ago, they used to do these really thin-crust pizzas. They stopped those. This past fall and winter, my dieting was immensely helped by their Kale Caesar salad and Turkey Chili (both were delicious) and I could have a Friday night treat dinner for roughly 550 calories. Both are GONE!! Right now, I'm no loving any one salad, sandwich, or soup on their menu but will go in a pinch.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    edited May 2017
    It's just food...you can get healthy options at Mcdonalds, Wendy's, etc; what it boils down to is being conscious of ones choices...
  • vaman
    vaman Posts: 253 Member
    Their breads are excellent, but they are overpriced.
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    I loved their egg white power breakfast bowl with turkey, their soba noodle broth bowl with edamame, their cheesecake cream cheese, and a lot of other delicious goodies on their menu. However, they discontinued all of these things so I'm scared to go. Each time I find something I like it's gone when I return! Other than that, it's usually good and I like the atmosphere, just very overpriced. The nutritional information online used to be a calculator allowing you to customize the food more and I loved it, but now it's more standard and you can't really do that.
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