8 Unhealthiest Panera Menu Items, According to Dietitians

Panera is the perfect chain for customers who want to be able to walk in and have an array of sandwiches, soups, salads, breakfast options, and coffees, all prepared in a matter of minutes. Panera isn't only known for having a variety of quick options, though. This "fast casual" restaurant has long been associated with having healthier alternatives to popular fast food chains like McDonalds, Burger King, or Wendys, while still being at an affordable price point. However, even though many of their items are lower in calories and higher in nutrients, dietitians still warn of some of the unhealthy Panera orders people often make.

The unhealthiest menu items at Panera are loaded with calories, sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat. When we talked to a few dietitians to get their vote on the worst menu items, many of what they chose contained levels of calories, saturated fat, and sodium that exceeded the recommended daily amounts in just one meal! Not only that, but these menu items lack other nutrients and make for nutritionally imbalanced meals.

Read on to find out what dietitians voted as the unhealthiest Panera orders to make. And for what to order instead, check out 15 Healthiest Panera Menu Items, According to a Dietitian.

Bacon Mac & Cheese Bread Bowl

"This dish consisting of bacon mac and cheese stuffed inside a sourdough bread may taste delicious, but it is just too much for one person," says Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND. "It is packed with 95% of your total artery-clogging saturated fat, over 111% the daily recommended max of sodium, and it provides 60% of your daily calorie needs based on a 2,000 calorie diet."

Not only is this menu item packed full of calories, saturated fat, and sodium, but eating this will leave your body with an unbalanced meal.

"When it comes to carbs, they are supposed to be part of a balanced meal, but this meal is all carbohydrates and a great example of an unbalanced, carb-heavy meal," says Amidor. "Panera has so many healthier choices, and if you are craving their awesome mac and cheese, just opt for a child's size instead."

Toasted Italiano

The most caloric item on Panera's menu is the Toasted Italiano, surpassing the Bacon Mac & Cheese Bread Bowl by 80 calories. It probably shouldn't come as a surprise considering this sub is loaded with two deli meats—ham and soppressata—and then topped with two oily dressings—Greek dressing and garlic aioli drizzle—as well as provolone cheese. All of those meats and cheeses also result in a sodium bomb: 3,380 milligrams of sodium is over 1,000 milligrams over the recommended daily intake of 2,300 milligrams.

 12 Bottled Salad Dressings With More Sodium Than a Bag of Potato Chips

Grilled Chicken & Avo BLT

Mary Sabat MS, RDN, LD says that even though you may assume a sandwich on sourdough bread would be a pretty safe choice, "The Panera Bread Grilled Chicken and Avocado BLT  is not so pretty when we take a look at the nutritional content of each sandwich."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

With a sandwich that packs in "900 calories, 70% DV fat, 80% DV saturated fat, and a high sodium content of 1,820 milligrams," you're better off skipping this one and ordering something on the lighter side like the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich.

Sabat says "Consuming such a meal regularly can contribute to weight gain, increase the risk of heart disease due to its saturated fat content, and potentially lead to hypertension or other health issues due to the excessive sodium intake. Therefore, individuals concerned about their health should consider choosing lower-calorie, lower-fat, and lower-sodium options when dining at Panera."

 Is Sourdough Actually Healthier Than Regular Bread?

Asiago Sausage & Egg Sandwich

There's nothing quite as comforting as starting your morning off with a warm, crispy breakfast sandwich, but the Asiago Sausage & Egg Sandwich is one of the unhealthiest items on Panera's menu.

"This breakfast sandwich has a whopping 20 grams of saturated fat, but the American Heart Association recommends aiming for a dietary pattern that achieves 5% to 6% of calories from saturated fat, meaning if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 of them should come from saturated fat," says Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN. "That's equal to about 13 grams of saturated fat per day, and just eating this sandwich puts you over the saturated fat quota for the day."

Thankfully, if you're craving a breakfast sandwich but want something a bit healthier and more balanced, Amidor says you have options.

"As a dietitian, Panera is my go-to for many meals, including breakfast," says Amidor. "A healthier breakfast option that is available is the Garden Avo & Egg White Sandwich."

 10 Healthiest Orders on Panera's Breakfast Menu—and 10 To Avoid

Cinnamon Roll

If you're heading to Panera for your coffee and breakfast, Sabat suggests steering clear of certain pastry items like the Cinnamon Roll. Of course, it's going to taste delicious, but "Starting your day with such a sugary and calorie-dense option can lead to energy crashes," she says. Not only that, but you'll have no fiber or protein to help you stay full throughout the morning.

This breakfast is about as sugary as it gets, with "an alarming 48 grams of sugar," says Sabat, also emphasizing its high calorie, fat, and saturated fat content.

A better, more filling breakfast option from Panera would be something like the Avocado, Egg White, Spinach & Cheese Sandwich, which is only 350 calories but contains 5 grams of fiber and 19 grams of protein.

Ciabatta Cheesesteak

No one would assume a Ciabatta Cheesesteak is healthy, but this option contains half of your daily calorie intake assuming the average 2,000-calorie diet. The fat is also two-thirds of your daily recommended value. You're better off skipping this cheesesteak if you're keeping heart health in mind.

Brownie

If you want a sweet treat from Panera's famous bakery section, Amidor recommends opting for something other than the brownie. "This indulgent dessert has about 30% of your total daily recommended amount of saturated fat, and the sugars are through the roof as well with an equivalent of 12.5 teaspoons of granulated sugar," says Amidor.

She adds "If you're craving dessert, there are better options than the brownie, and at many Panera locations, you can find smaller-portioned cookies, or you can share a lower-calorie cookie with one or 2 friends."

Bacon Turkey Bravo Sandwich

People often opt for a sandwich of some sort when they're at Panera and looking for a healthy lunch, but unfortunately, one of their sandwiches in particular is one of the unhealthiest choices on the menu.

"Although a turkey sandwich may sound like a better-for-you choice, the portions for the Bacon Turkey Bravo Sandwich are just too much. This sandwich's total sodium is over 100% of the total recommended daily amount, and the saturated fat is 95% of your total recommended daily maximum, thanks to the bacon and smoked gouda," says Amidor.

If you're looking for something else, Amidor says, "you can opt for just half of the sandwich."

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