Think Light, Think Healthy, Think Spring
April 30, 2009
Panera Bread® Menu Has Low-Fat, Whole Grain and Half-Sized Options
(Long Island, N.Y.) As Mother Nature starts turning up the heat outside, it’s time start to dialing down our calorie intake. For lighter (lower in fat and calories), yet delicious, options on the go this spring, Panera Bread has a variety of nutritious offerings — from whole grain breads and smoothies to You Pick Two® half-size soups, salads and sandwiches. So you can maintain healthy eating habits while still satisfying those cravings for taste.
Panera Bread’s You Pick Two® option can help guests manage their calories by pairing, for example, tasty half-sized, lower-calorie choices like a Mediterranean Veggie sandwich with a cup of Low-Fat Vegetarian Black Bean soup for lunch or dinner. Consumers can also customize their favorites to fit dietary or taste preferences, whether that includes holding the mayonnaise or substituting a bread lower in calories, such as Panera’s whole grain or sourdough bread.
For a refreshing treat on a hot day, Panera’s low-fat Strawberry smoothie, blended with Stonyfield Farm® low-fat, organic vanilla yogurt and containing a full serving of fruit, is perfect. The Mango smoothie, an excellent source of vitamin C, can be enjoyed without the whipped cream topping to save on calories and fat. Another indulgence that won’t tip the calorie scale is Panera’s new Strawberry Granola Parfait, which combines Stonyfield Farm® low-fat, organic vanilla yogurt with a maple butter pecan granola with whole grain oats and fresh strawberries, all for just 310 calories.
It’s not surprising that Health magazine recently named Panera Bread #1 healthiest for eating on the go in the country. In their March issue, Panera was praised for offering customers the choice of apples or baked chips as a side item, and for its You Pick Two option, as well as its antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken offerings and children’s items including squeezable organic yogurt, PB&J (with all-natural peanut butter) and grilled organic cheese on white whole-grain bread.
To conduct the research for its article, Health magazine brought together an expert panel of dieticians and nutritionists who surveyed and scored the nation’s 100 largest fast food chain restaurants based on factors such as the use of healthy fats and preparations, healthy sodium counts in entrées and availability of nutritional information, among other criteria.
While Panera Bread bakery-cafes serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, bread still remains at its heart. Panera freshly bakes more bread each day than any bakery-cafe concept in the country. Every day, at every location, trained bakers craft and bake each loaf of bread, using the best ingredients to ensure the highest quality breads. Additionally, as part of its Operation Dough-Nation® program, Panera Bread bakery-cafes collectively donated a retail value of more than $40 million worth of bread and baked goods in 2007 to charitable organizations that feed those in need in local communities.
Locally, at its locations in Bay Shore, Bohemia, Bridgehampton, Carle Place, East Meadow, East Northport, Farmingdale, Hauppauge, Hampton Bays, Hicksville, Huntington, Mineola, North Babylon, Riverhead, Rockville Centre and West Babylon, Panera Bread provides Island Harvest with daily end-of-day donations of bread and annual Operation Dough-nation dollars, that topped $35,000 in 2008, to help feed Long Island’s hungry.
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About Panera Bread
Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,252 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread® and Saint Louis Bread Co.® names as of December 30, 2008. With its identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, Panera Bread is committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Highlighted by antibiotic free chicken, whole grain bread, select organic and all-natural ingredients and a menu with zero grams added trans fat, Panera’s bakery-cafe selection offers flavorful, wholesome offerings. The menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites, complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Canada, guests are enjoying Panera’s warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free internet access provided through a managed WiFi network. At the close of each day, Panera Bread bakery-cafes donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on the Company’s website, http://www.panerabread.com. Panera also holds a 51% interest in Paradise Bakery & Cafe, Inc., owner and franchisor of 73 bakery-cafes as of December 30, 2008.
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Health
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