Panera Bread is so much more than just its toasty fresh bread and soup. Nowadays, they have a full menu which includes breakfast items! Just as we have reviewed healthy options from Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and McDonald’s in the past, today we will sift through Panera’s best breakfast options for a healthy option when on-the-go. Keep in mind that sodium is always a concern when eating out, but you can still find some relatively healthy options if you are mindful. Let’s dive in!
Panera Bread’s “Power Sandwiches” are good choices. They contain a good amount of fiber from the sprouted grain bread and lean protein option from the egg. Any of the options would be a good choice, but I would recommend the Avocado, Egg White and Spinach Power sandwich because of the heart healthy fats found in the avocado and the nutrient dense spinach.
Avocado, Egg White & Spinach Breakfast Power Sandwich
“Egg whites, a thick slice of Vermont white cheddar, fresh avocado, fresh baby spinach and tomato on a freshly baked Sprouted Grain Bagel Flat.”
Calories 400
Total Fat 13g
Sodium 650mg
Carbs 52g
Fiber 5g
Protein 12g
Turkey Sausage, Egg White & Spinach Breakfast Power Sandwich
“Turkey sausage cooked into egg whites, a thick slice of Vermont white cheddar, fresh spinach and tomato all grilled on a freshly baked Sprouted Grain Bagel Flat.”
Calories 400
Total Fat 11g
Sodium 800mg
Carbs 50g
Fiber 3g
Protein 16g
Ham, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Power Sandwich
“All-natural egg, freshly cracked every morning, a thick slice of Vermont white cheddar and smoked, lean ham all grilled on our freshly baked Whole Grain Bread.”
Calories 340
Total Fat 15g
Sodium 920mg
Carbs 31g
Fiber 4g
Protein 16g
The Egg & Cheese on Ciabatta is not the healthiest option, as it lacks whole grains and fiber of the power sandwiches, but it is still relatively low in Calories and makes up for it with it’s increased protein content.
Egg & Cheese on Ciabatta
“All-natural egg, freshly cracked every morning, and a thick slice of Vermont white cheddar all grilled on our freshly baked Ciabatta.”
Calories 390
Total Fat 15g
Sodium 720mg
Carbs 43g
Fiber 2g
Protein 19g
Last, but not least, one of your best options for breakfast at Panera Bread is their Power Almond Quinoa Oatmeal. It contains a whopping 9g of heart healthy, hunger fighting fiber which is about 1/3 of your daily needs (Women need 25g, men need 35g daily). There is minimal added sugar from the honey, but otherwise this is a balanced breakfast worth having.
Power Almond Quinoa Oatmeal
“Organic, steel cut oats topped with organic quinoa, sliced toasted almonds, ground cinnamon and honey.”
Calories 290
Total Fat 6g
Sodium 220mg
Carbs 51g
Fiber 9g
Protein 8g
For more information, check out Panera Bread’s full nutrition guide.
