Craving some Panera Bread? If you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, be sure to check out this post before heading out.
Remember, menus change often, so this is not guaranteed to be accurate. Always check with your server.
Panera Bread does not appear to be the best option for a gluten-free meal, as they do not offer any gluten-free bread. However, they do have a number of gluten-free options on the rest of their menu, including soups, salads, and various snacks.
It’s also important to note that due to the preparation of gluten-containing foods, cross-contamination is a risk with almost everything.
Therefore, if you have celiac disease or are highly sensitive to gluten, Panera Bread may not be the best choice for you.
But, if you are simply looking to avoid gluten in your diet, Panera Bread can be a good option for a light meal or snack.
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History of Panera Bread
Panera Bread, a popular bakery-cafe chain, was founded in 1987 in Kirkwood, Missouri.
Originally named the St. Louis Bread Company, it was rebranded as Panera Bread in 1997 when it began expanding beyond the St. Louis area.
The name "Panera" is a combination of the Italian words for "bread" and "time", symbolizing the company's commitment to traditional bread-making techniques and the time it takes to make good food.
Since its inception, Panera Bread has been a pioneer in the fast-casual dining industry, offering a variety of fresh, wholesome food options.
Over the years, Panera Bread has grown to include over 2,000 locations across the United States and Canada, serving millions of customers each year.
Despite this growth, the company has remained true to its roots, continuing to prioritize quality, freshness, and flavor in all of its offerings.
Is Panera Gluten Free?
Panera offers a variety of gluten-free options, including soups, bowls, salads, smoothies, and oatmeal.
However, it is important to note that these options are prepared in a kitchen that also handles gluten-containing ingredients.
Here is an official disclaimer from Panera Bread’s website:
*Disclaimer: Panera Bread's gluten-conscious menu items are prepared in the same kitchen as our gluten-containing menu items. While we're happy to make your order just the way you want, we can't guarantee that there will be no cross-contact between ingredients. If you have celiac disease, a heightened gluten intolerance, or a wheat allergy, please consult with your doctor on the specifics of your gluten-free diet.
Cross contamination is a potential risk when eating at Panera.
However, it may be comforting to know that bread dough and many other baked goods are prepared in specialized facilities across the country before being shipped to individual restaurants for baking.
This means that flour particles are less likely to be flying around, but there may still be traces of gluten throughout the kitchen due to the baking process.
To sum up, if you have celiac disease or are sensitive to cross contamination, Panera may not be a safe option for you to eat.
However, suppose you are choosing a gluten-free lifestyle for personal reasons or have a minor allergy or intolerance that is not affected by cross contamination. In that case, you can still enjoy a delicious meal at Panera.
If you do decide to eat at Panera and are sensitive to cross contact, it is important to inform the staff that you have celiac disease or a gluten allergy before ordering.
You can ask them to change their gloves and possibly get ingredients from the back where they haven’t come into contact with other ingredients like croutons.
Panera Bread Gluten-Free Menu 2024 (Latest)
Salads
- Greek Salad
- Seasonal Greens Salad
- Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken
- Romaine & Kale Caesar Salad with Chicken
- Modern Greek Salad with Quinoa
- Strawberry Poppyseed & Chicken Salad
- Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken
- Caesar Salad (omit the croutons)
- Caesar Salad with Chicken (omit the croutons)
- Spicy Thai Salad with Chicken (omit the wonton strips, Thai chili vinaigrette, and peanut sauce. I recommend their Asian sesame vinaigrette instead)
- Watermelon Feta Salad with almonds (omit the ancient grain blend)
- BBQ Chicken Salad (omit the frizzled onions)
Dressing
- BBQ Ranch
- Caesar
- Greek
- Chile Lime Ranch
- Asian Sesame
- Green Goddess
- White Balsamic Apple-Flavored
Soups
- Summer Corn Chowder
- Southwest Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Baked Potato Soup
- Vegetarian Creamy Tomato Soup (omit the croutons)
Gluten-free Sides
- Gluten Conscious Triple Chocolate Cookie with Walnuts
- Gluten Conscious Monster Cookie with Nuts
- Summer Fruit Cup
Snacks & Drinks
- Coffee
- Organic Apple Juice
- Premium Orange Juice
- Lemonade
- Organic Milk
- Soda (fountain & bottled)
- Tea (brewed, tea bags, chai and green)
- Lattes, espresso drinks & frozen drinks
- Smoothies
- Signature Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chip Marshmallows
- Joia® Grapefruit All-Natural Soda
- Panera Bread Potato Chips (Kettle Cooked & Baked)
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