Panera Bread Nutrition information, tips and advice

There's no wonder why the restaurant concept and menu at Panera Bread is so similar to Au Bon Pain: Panera Bread grew out of Au Bon Pain. In 1993 Au Bon Pain purchased the Saint Louis Bread Company, which had bakery-style restaurants mainly in the St. Louis area. In 1998, Ron Shaich, Au Bon Pain's CEO, decided to build the Saint Louis Bread Company into a national restaurant chain as Panera Bread. The company still operates some Saint Louis Bread Company stores with a similar menu. Panera Bread serves a great variety of freshly baked breads. Its menu today is quite similar to Au Bon Pain's.

Schlotsky's specializes in sandwiches made with its signature fresh baked bread. Its roots: South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, 1971. That address was home to a single sandwich shop serving the Original sandwich--a combo of ham, salami, and cheese on a freshly baked bun, all inspired by the New Orleans muffuletta.

There are more than 650 Schlotsky's in 38 states, Washington, ., and in 10 foreign countries. Today, its sandwich selection is wider than ever, ranging in size from small (thank goodness!) to family size. It also serves soups, salads, wraps, and pizza. Schlotsky's recently introduced its eight Lighten Up! Sandwiches, each with seven grams of fat or less. (What restaurant's lead could they be following?)

What's great about these three restaurants is that their menus make it easy to eat a healthier meal. Another bit of good news--Schlotsky's prides itself for serving fresh food. Your watchwords remain, as always: Pick and choose, and split and share. Unhealthy choices, mayonnaise-based sauces, high-fat salad dressings, and high-fat salad and sandwich fixings still abound, though healthier choices are available. And, of course, the portions are often enough for two. That's great if you are dining with someone willing to split or share the fare with you. More good news--fresh fruit, vegetables, and healthy, high-fiber soups and breads are served aplenty.

On The Plus Side

* It's walk up and order and made-to-order. Feel free to speak up and get meals as you like them.

* If you eat with a willing partner, you can easily split and share.

* If you're eating alone or without a willing partner, it's easy to mix and match menu items for a healthy meal--for example, a soup and salad, or a salad and half sandwich. Or make one sandwich last for two meals.

* A high-fiber meal is possible with whole grain breads and bean-based soups.

On The Minus Side

* Sandwiches are large and packed with too much protein. Think "splitsville," "small," or "half."

* Mayonnaise-based sauces are slathered on and boost the fat grams. Hold the mayo and use the mustard and lower-fat salad dressings to flavor and moisten sandwiches.

* Watch those salad dressings and high-fat salad ingredients--cheese, bacon, nuts. They can quickly destroy the health benefits of a salad. Make special requests to hold high-fat items. Choose from lower-fat salad dressings, order them on the side, and pour gingerly.

* Sodium can quickly skyrocket with sandwich meats, soups, and salad dressings.

400 to 500 calories
(Panera Bread)

Based on about 1,200 to 1,500
calories/day. This calorie level
might fit the needs of women
who want to lose weight and
small-stature older adults.

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad with
 Fat-Free Poppyseed Dressing
 (2 Tbsp.)
Mesa Bean and Vegetable Soup
 (8 oz./1 serving)

Nutrition Facts
Starch Exchanges 3
Vegetable Exchanges 2
Lean Meat Exchanges 2
Fat Exchanges 1

Amount per serving

Calories 540
Calories From Fat 144
Total Fat 16 grams
 Saturated Fat 2 grams
Cholesterol 60 milligrams
Sodium 1,875 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 72 grams
 Dietary Fiber 11 grams
 Sugars n/a
Protein 30 grams

600 to 700 calories
(Au Bon Pain)

Based on about 1,600 to 2,000
calories/day. This calorie level
might fit the needs of children,
active women, and older men.

Black Bean Soup (12 oz./
 1 serving)
Southwestern Tuna Wrap (1/2)

Nutrition Facts
Starch Exchanges 5
Vegetable Exchanges 1
Very Lean Meat Exchanges 4
Fat Exchanges 2

Amount per serving
Calories 661
Calories From Fat 135
Total Fat 15 grams
 Saturated Fat n/a
Cholesterol 27 milligrams
Sodium 2,190 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 84 grams
 Dietary Fiber n/a
 Sugars n/a
Protein 40 grams

800 to 900 calories
(Schlotsky's Deli)

Based on about 2,200 to 2,600
calories/day. This calorie level
might fit the needs of active
teens, large-stature active
women, and most adult men.

Greek Salad with Greek
 Balsamic Vinaigrette (2 Tbsp.)
Salsa with Chicken Cheddar Wrap
Fresh Fruit

Nutrition Facts
Starch Exchanges 3
Vegetable Exchanges 2
Lean Meat Exchanges 4
Fat Exchanges 4
Fruit Exchanges 

Amount per serving
Calories 789
Calories From Fat 333
Total Fat 37 grams
 Saturated Fat n/a
Cholesterol n/a
Sodium 2,258 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 76 grams
 Dietary Fiber n/a
 Sugars n/a
Protein 37 grams

* For help fitting restaurant meals into your meal plan, see a registered dietitian (RD) with expertise in diabetes. To find a dietitian in your area, visit the American Diabetes Association's Web site at and see "Education Programs" under "Outreach and Support" in the "Community and Resources" area.

* To find out how a particular restaurant meal affects your blood sugar, do a blood sugar check two hours after you start the meal. Ideally, your blood sugar should be less than 160 mg/dl (whole blood goals), or 180 mg/dl (plasma goals), or 20 to 40 points higher than your pre-meal blood sugar level. If your after-meal blood sugar levels are consistently high and your A1C levels are above 8 percent, talk to your health care provider about changing your diabetes management plan to improve your control.

* Even the best restaurant choices may be higher in fat, saturated fat, and sodium than desirable. If you choose such a meal, plan to balance out your intake by selecting lower-fat, lower-saturated-fat, and lower-sodium choices for other meals you eat that day.

* The meals listed in this column are moderate in carbohydrate content. This is consistent with recommendations of the American Diabetes Association and other health authorities. If you find these meals make control of your blood sugar more difficult, talk with your dietitian or doctor about adjusting your meal plan, your medications, or both.

Deli Trio Food Tables

Menu Item Calories Fat (g) Cholesterol (mg)

HEALTHIER BETS (1)
 AU BON PAIN
 Soups (12 oz.)
 Black Bean 306 0 0
 French Moroccan
 Tomato Lentil 195 2 0
 Turkey Chili 300 6 45
 Vegetarian Minestrone 105 2 0
 Salads (main and side) (2)
 Garden side (small) 90 2 0
 Mediterranean Chicken 290 16 65
 Charbroiled Salmon Filet 220 11 55
 Watercress, Chicken
 and Gorgonzola 250 15 85
 Sandwiches (whole)
 (Be sure to split these.)
 Thai Chicken 550 12 94
 Hickory Smoked Ham
 and Brie 620 26 100
 Wraps (whole)
 Fields (greens) & Feta 620 18 14
 Southwestern Tuna 710 30 54

 PANERA BREAD
 Soups (8 oz.)
 Forest Mushroom 140 8 15
 Santa Fe Roasted Corn 140 4 0
 Mesa Bean & Vegetable 100 1 0
 Tomato Mushroom & Barley 110 2 0

 Salads (2) (main)
 Asian Sesame Chicken 400 15 60
 Grilled Chicken Caesar 490 27 170
 Strawberry Poppyseed 240 7 0

 Sandwiches (whole)
 Bacon Turkey Bravo 860 34 105
 Chicken Salad on Nine Grain 480 24 75
 Mediterranean Veggie
 on Multigrain 470 12 5
 Peanut Butter & Jelly
 on Artisan French 560 15 0
 Portobello & Mozzarella 620 29 40
 Smoked Turkey on Country 590 15 40

 SCHLOTSKY'S DELI
 Soups (8 oz.)
 Chicken Tortilla 150 6 n/a
 Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle 122 2 n/a
 Red Beans & Rice 167 1 n/a
 Timberline Chili 210 7 n/a

 Salads (main and side) (2)
 Chicken Caesar 111 3 n/a
 Chinese Chicken 127 3 n/a
 Greek 158 11 n/a
 Fresh Fruit (small) 86 1 n/a
 Homestyle Coleslaw (5 oz.) 188 10 n/a

 Sandwiches (small)
 Original 525 24 n/a
 Ham & Cheese Original 512 19 n/a
 Corned Beef 393 8 n/a
 Pesto Chicken 346 6 n/a
 Wraps
 Salsa Chicken (with cheddar) 460 17 n/a
 Zesty Albacore Tuna 311 7 n/a

Menu Item Sodium (mg) Carbs (g) Protein (g)

HEALTHIER BETS (1)
 AU BON PAIN
 Soups (12 oz.)
 Black Bean 1,365 50 17
 French Moroccan
 Tomato Lentil 825 33 11
 Turkey Chili 1,155 41 23
 Vegetarian Minestrone 930 21 5
 Salads (main and side) (2)
 Garden side (small) 160 14 3
 Mediterranean Chicken 720 11 26
 Charbroiled Salmon Filet 140 9 21
 Watercress, Chicken
 and Gorgonzola 470 3 29
 Sandwiches (whole)
 (Be sure to split these.)
 Thai Chicken 1,080 62 46
 Hickory Smoked Ham
 and Brie 2,320 72 50
 Wraps (whole)
 Fields (greens) & Feta 950 100 22
 Southwestern Tuna 1,650 68 46

 PANERA BREAD
 Soups (8 oz.)
 Forest Mushroom 660 14 4
 Santa Fe Roasted Corn 670 22 3
 Mesa Bean & Vegetable 710 18 4
 Tomato Mushroom & Barley 810 21 4

 Salads (2) (main)
 Asian Sesame Chicken 1,070 43 26
 Grilled Chicken Caesar 1,340 23 43
 Strawberry Poppyseed 200 46 4

 Sandwiches (whole)
 Bacon Turkey Bravo 3,420 83 56
 Chicken Salad on Nine Grain 1,060 37 32
 Mediterranean Veggie
 on Multigrain 1,050 75 17
 Peanut Butter & Jelly
 on Artisan French 1,040 91 19
 Portobello & Mozzarella 1,100 73 25
 Smoked Turkey on Country 2,440 73 40

 SCHLOTSKY'S DELI
 Soups (8 oz.)
 Chicken Tortilla 1,470 13 10
 Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle 1,104 18 8
 Red Beans & Rice 934 32 8
 Timberline Chili 814 24 14

 Salads (main and side) (2)
 Chicken Caesar 433 4 16
 Chinese Chicken 360 10 16
 Greek 652 10 9
 Fresh Fruit (small) 22 21 1
 Homestyle Coleslaw (5 oz.) 275 24 1

 Sandwiches (small)
 Original 1,781 53 24
 Ham & Cheese Original 2,323 55 30
 Corned Beef 1,924 52 29
 Pesto Chicken 1,297 49 25
 Wraps
 Salsa Chicken (with cheddar) 1,419 44 27
 Zesty Albacore Tuna 1,226 45 18

Menu Item Exchanges/Servings *

HEALTHIER BETS (1)
 AU BON PAIN
 Soups (12 oz.)
 Black Bean 3 starch, 1 very lean meat
 French Moroccan
 Tomato Lentil 2 starch, 1 very lean
 Turkey Chili 3 starch 2 very lean meat
 Vegetarian Minestrone 1 veg, 1 starch
 Salads (main and side) (2)
 Garden side (small) 3 veg
 Mediterranean Chicken 2 veg, 3 lean meat, fat
 Charbroiled Salmon Filet 2 veg, 2 lean meat, 1 fat
 Watercress, Chicken
 and Gorgonzola 1 veg, 4 lean meat, fat
 Sandwiches (whole)
 (Be sure to split these.)
 Thai Chicken 4 starch, 7 very lean meat
 Hickory Smoked Ham
 and Brie 5 starch, 7 lean meat
 Wraps (whole)
 Fields (greens) & Feta 4 veg, 5 starch, 3 fat
 Southwestern Tuna 1 veg, 4 starch, 5 very
 lean meat, 5 fat

 PANERA BREAD
 Soups (8 oz.)
 Forest Mushroom 1 veg, starch, 2 fat
 Santa Fe Roasted Corn starch, 1 fat
 Mesa Bean & Vegetable 1 starch
 Tomato Mushroom & Barley 1 veg, 1 starch

 Salads (2) (main)
 Asian Sesame Chicken 3 veg, 2 starch, 2 lean meat, 1 fat
 Grilled Chicken Caesar 3 veg, 1 starch, 7 lean meat, 1 fat
 Strawberry Poppyseed 3 veg, 2 starch, 1 fat

 Sandwiches (whole)
 Bacon Turkey Bravo starch, 6 lean meat, 2 fat
 Chicken Salad on Nine Grain starch, 3 lean meat, 3 fat
 Mediterranean Veggie
 on Multigrain 2 veg, 4 starch, 2 fat
 Peanut Butter & Jelly
 on Artisan French 5 starch, 2 fat
 Portobello & Mozzarella 1 veg, 45 starch, 1 high-fat
 meat, 2 fat
 Smoked Turkey on Country 5 starch, 4 lean meat

 SCHLOTSKY'S DELI
 Soups (8 oz.)
 Chicken Tortilla 1 starch, 1 very lean meat, 1 fat
 Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle 1 starch, 1 very lean meat
 Red Beans & Rice 2 starch
 Timberline Chili starch, lean meat, fat

 Salads (main and side) (2)
 Chicken Caesar 1 veg, 2 very lean meat
 Chinese Chicken 2 veg, 2 very lean meat
 Greek 2 veg, 1 very lean meat, 2 fat
 Fresh Fruit (small) fruit
 Homestyle Coleslaw (5 oz.) 1 veg, 1 starch, 2 fat

 Sandwiches (small)
 Original starch, 2 med-fat meat, 2 fat
 Ham & Cheese Original starch, 3 med,fat meat, 2 fat
 Corned Beef starch, 3 lean meat
 Pesto Chicken 3 starch, 2 lean meat
 Wraps
 Salsa Chicken (with cheddar) 3 starch, 3 lean meat, 1 fat
 Zesty Albacore Tuna 3 starch, 2 very lean meat, 1 fat

General notes: * Exchanges/Servings calculated according to guidelines
recommended by ADA. (1) Because this month's Fast Food and Restaurant
article covers three restaurants we've only included healthier bets in
the nutrition table. (2) Salads do not include salad dressing. Complete
nutrition information for these restaurants can be found in The Guide
To Healthy Restaurant Eating, American Diabetes Association, 2nd ed.,
2002.

For a sampling of healthier menu items from Au Bon Pain, Panera Bread, and Schlotsky's Deli, please see page 114. For a comprehensive list of most of the nutrition information for the menu items from these three restaurants go to their Web sites: Au Bon Pain: .com; Panera Bread: .com; Schlotsky's Deli: .com.

Note: Keep in mind that the nutrition information made available by restaurants is based on usual preparation. On any given day, a food preparer might go light or heavy on one or more ingredients. This might alter the nutrition slightly.

Hope S. Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, is a nationally recognized dietitian, diabetes educator, and author. Visit her Web site .com. She is the author of Guide To Healthy Restaurant Eating (2nd ed., 2002), published by the American Diabetes Association. She is also the author or co-author of Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy (2nd ed., 2000), The Complete Guide To Carb Counting (2001), and The Diabetes Food And Nutrition Bible (2001). All books are published by the American Diabetes Association and may be ordered by calling 1-800-ADA-ORDER or on the Association's Web site at .org. (Note that you don't type "www" when going to this address.)