Zlimmer! Eating Guide: Panera Bread

Panera bread specializes in delicious gourmet breads, soups and sandwiches. With its large menu and freshly baked breads, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a nice meal while staying close to your weight management goals.

In our guide to eating at Panera Bread, we’ll be looking at the best options in its menu and ways to enjoy your favorites there while managing your weight. So let’s begin:

1. Go for the “You Pick Two” Option:
Choosing the “You Pick Two” option allows you create one of these two combos:

Half a sandwich (which fills you up really nicely) + Half a Salad
or Half a sandwich + Soup

With one of our recommended sandwiches, salads and soups below, you can easily have an entire meal at around 500 calories:

2. Pick one of These Sandwiches:
All of these sandwiches on the Panera Bread menu are between 200-350 Calories for half a sandwich:

Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich On Sourdough - 220 Calories
Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich On Artisan Country - 300 Calories
Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich - 300 Calories
Turkey Romesco On Whole Grain - 310 Calories
Chicken Salad Sandwich On Nine Grain - 330 Calories
Asiago Roast Beef Sandwich - 340 Calories
Smokehouse Turkey Panini On Artisan Three Cheese - 340 Calories
Smoked Ham & Swiss Sandwich On Rye - 350 Calories

3. Most Soups are Good Options:
With the exception of the “Vegetarian Roasted Red Pepper & Lentil Soup” at 380 Calories, most soups are excellent options at 80-230 calories/serving.

4. Try any of the Breads:
Pretty much every single bread is a good option at Panera. If you look at the list for calories in Panera’s freshly baked breads, some may look higher in calories on first glance. But if you consider the serving size, all of them are around 60-90 calories/1.1 oz.

So why is 1.1 oz. important? That’s the average size for an everyday slice of bread. Bread really fills you up and 60-90 calories/slice is pretty good.

Zlimmer! Recommendation: Try any of them, but simply watch how much you eat.

5. The Best Salads:
The following two are under 180 or less for half a serving size:

½ California Mission Chicken Salad - 180 Calories
½ Strawberry Poppyseed & Chicken Salad - 160 Calories

6. Try the Fat-Free Salad Dressings:
The Fat-Free Salad dressings at Panera Bread are 50 calories or less/serving. Most of the rest of the Salad Dressings are between 200-350 calories/serving:

Fat-Free Poppyseed Dressing (2 oz) - 30 Calories
Fat-Free Raspberry Dressing (2 oz) - 50 Calories

7. Get a Fresh Fruit Cup:
These two choices are available at Panera Bread:

Fresh Fruit Cup (5 oz) - 70 Calories
Fresh Fruit Cup (10 oz) - 150 Calories

8. Don’t Forget to Remember the Free Samples:
The free samples of bagels and bread at the front door are between 25-50 calories each. If you try some of the free samples, don’t forget to add them to your daily count.

9. Best Beverages:
The best beverage options at Panera Bread are:

Home Style Lemonade (16 oz) - 90 Calories
I.C. Lemonade (16 oz) - 90 Calories
Iced Green Tea (16 oz) - 100 Calories
I.C. Lemonade (20 oz) - 120 Calories
Caffè Latte (8.5 oz) - 120 Calories
Cappuccino (8.5 oz) - 120 Calories
Iced Green Tea (20 oz) - 130 Calories
Home Style Lemonade (20 oz) - 130 Calories
Iced Chai Tea Latte (16 oz) - 150 Calories

10. Best Desserts:
These are the best dessert options at Panera Bread - All of these are 220 Calories or less per serving:

Reduced Fat Veggie Cream Cheese (2 oz) - 120 Calories
Reduced Fat Plain Cream Cheese (2 oz) - 140 Calories
Reduced Fat Hazelnut Cream Cheese (2 oz) - 150 Calories
Reduced Fat Raspberry Cream Cheese (2 oz) - 150 Calories
Reduced Fat Honey Walnut Cream Cheese (2 oz) - 160 Calories
Plain Cream Cheese (2 oz) - 200 Calories
Coffee Cake (Cherry-Cheese) (2.3 oz) - 210 Calories
Banana Nut Muffie (3 oz) - 220 Calories

11. Looking for Quick Bite? Grab one of the Kids Sandwiches:
If you’re looking for a quick bite, one of these kids’ sandwiches may not be a bad option. All of these are between 290-420 Calories:

Panera Kids Grilled Cheese (3.75 oz) - 290 Calories
Panera Kids Deli Turkey With Cheese (5.75 oz) - 350 Calories
Panera Kids Deli Ham With Cheese (5.75 oz) - 360 Calories
Panera Kids Deli Roast Beef With Cheese (5.75 oz) - 370 Calories
Panera Kids Peanut Butter & Jelly (4.5 oz) - 420 Calories

Next Step:
Either by trying one of the breads with your favorite coffee or going with the “You Pick Two” option, you can easily create a meal at around 500 calories. Check out the full details for calories in Panera Bread foods and figure out which combination will work best for you: