Optavia Panera Options you can have on 5 and 1 plan

Hey! Welcome to our Optavia Panera restaurant guide.

I love to eat out and I know it is difficult to find healthy meal options while on an Optavia 5 and 1 diet. Many restaurants offer high-calorie and high-carb options, making it challenging to stay on track with your diet goals.

While most of the Panera bread options aren’t approved on the 5 and 1 plan, my wife and I were able to discover some exceptional choices that align perfectly with Optavia guidelines.

Plus, we’ll discuss some helpful tips and strategies for navigating the Parena bread restaurant menu while following the Optavia 5 and 1 diet plan.

Quick note

• Panera provides nutritional facts only for ready-made dishes. This makes it difficult to calculate the calories as accurately as possible if we remove or add some ingredients from the dish.
• To count individual products, such as vegetables or nuts, I used the FoodData Central website to be sure that I counted the maximum correctly.
• All the nutritional information about the dish and salad dressing I found here on the Panera official site.
• All nutrition facts for the dishes I show in the list that is on the list below show information before my modification.

What can I eat at Panera while following the Optavia Diet?

Most of the Panera Bread options don’t meet the Optavia Diet guidelines. They have more calories, carbs, and fats compared to regular lean and green meals.

However, the Panera restaurant gives you the option to customize your meals by either adding/reducing any of the ingredients.

From over 50 Panera Bread options, only a handful are lower in carbs and calories, such as:

• Salads (without croutons or high-carb toppings)
• Protein bowls
• Grilled chicken dishes (without high-carb sides)
• Coffee, unsweetened tea, or water (instead of high-calorie or high-sugar drinks)

Here’s the problem.

Some of the dishes on the menu are naturally a bit higher in calories than what you’d want on the Optavia plan.

But don’t worry, I’ve got some tips on how to make adjustments to these dishes to make ’em lean and green-approved. Check out the list below!

1. Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken

Nutrition facts before modifying

• Calories: 500
• Fats: 28 grams
• Proteins: 39 grams
• Carbs: 26 grams
• Sodium: 940 mg

The Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken from Panera is a tasty and nutritious option. This salad features a bed of fresh greens topped with antibiotic-free chicken, avocado, tomatoes, pickled onions, fresh basil, and a hard-boiled egg.

It’s served with Panera’s Green Goddess dressing, which is made with a blend of fresh herbs and buttermilk for a tangy and flavorful taste.

How to make it Optavia-friendly?

While this salad is generally a healthy choice, still has 500 calories, which is way above the lean and green limit. (It also has more fats and carbs.)

Here are my tips to make Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken Optavia-friendly:

• Use only half a portion of green goddess dressing (see table of salad dressing above)
• Skip the pickled onions, as they can be high in sodium and it helps to cut the level of carb
• Consider skipping or putting light-size avocados, as they are higher in carbs and calories than some other salad toppings
• Remove or use also light portion size of bacon to reduce carb and healthy fat

By following these tips, you can enjoy the Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken from Panera while staying on track with your Optavia program.

In the table below you can see the difference between the original order and my order to have it approved by Optavia.

As you can see, the only change we made was to remove the Pickled Red Onion. We also replaced the regular Chopped Bacon and Green Goddess Dressing with a light version.

2. Fuji Apple with Chicken without Pecans

Nutrition facts before modifying

• Calories: 460
• Fats: 23 grams
• Proteins: 29 grams
• Carbs: 35 grams
• Sodium: 940 mg

The original salad contains chicken raised without antibiotics, mixed greens, romaine lettuce, arugula, kale, grape tomatoes, red onions, pecans, Gorgonzola cheese, and an apple cider vinaigrette.

As pecans have a higher fat content, the restaurant already has an option without adding it, so choose Fuji Apple with Chicken without Pecans.

How to make it Optavia-friendly?

As you can see from the nutrition facts above, this meal still does not match the Optavia rule for lean and green.

To reduce the number of carbs and calories in the dish, you can make a couple of modifications:

1. You can use half of the white balsamic apple vinaigrette sauce (see the difference in the table of salad dressing). Just by making a simple modification, you can cut out around 80 calories, 6 grams of healthy fat, and 5 grams of carbs!
2. Remove the apple chips as they are a significant source of carbs. One slice of apple chips has around 5 grams of carbs (1).

As a result, we still can enjoy the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad from Panera while keeping it within the guidelines of the Optavia plan.

Check out the table below for a breakdown of the specific modification made to this meal.

As you can see from the table above, the modified option has no Pecans and no Apple Chips. It also modifies the White Balsamic Apple Vinaigrette and red onion.

3. Caesar Salad with Chicken

Nutrition facts before modifying

• Calories: 440
• Fats: 27 grams
• Proteins: 32 grams
• Carbs: 20 grams
• Sodium: 970 mg

Making modifications to the Caesar Salad with Chicken from Panera can help make it more in line with the Optavia diet.

Here are two tips to reduce the carb and calorie content of the dish:

1. Caesar salad dressing can be high in calories and fat, so using only half the amount of dressing can significantly reduce the calorie content of the dish. Or use lighter dressing options, which you can find on the Panera salad dressing list.
2. The Black Pepper Croutons in the Panera Caesar Salad with Chicken are a source of carbs and calories. To reduce their impact, you can use only one light portion or omit them altogether (I prefer just cutting the portion to keep the crunching impact)

By using these tips, you can modify the Caesar Salad with Chicken from Panera while still enjoying a delicious and satisfying meal.

Here is a short list of my modified ingredients, order and enjoy!

Ingredient:

• Chicken – 1 Regular
• Grated Parmesan – 1 Regular
• Romaine Lettuce – 1 Regular
• Black Pepper Croutons – 1 Light
• Caesar Sause – 1 Light

4. Asian Sesame Salad with Chicken

Nutrition facts before modifying

• Calories: 210
• Fats: 11 grams
• Proteins: 15 grams
• Carbs: 14 grams
• Sodium: 350 mg

So, here’s a little trick I use to enjoy a tasty salad at Panera while still sticking to the Optavia program: I order a half portion of the Asian sesame salad and ask for extra chicken on top.

Now, figuring out the nutrition info for that extra chicken was a bit of a challenge.

I compared the nutrition facts for two different Caesar salads, one with chicken and one without, and found that the only difference was the chicken itself.

So, I subtracted all the other components from the salad and calculated that one portion of chicken has 110 calories, 2 grams of healthy fat, 22 grams of protein, and 2 grams of carbs.

Long story short, if you order a half portion of the Asian sesame salad with extra chicken, it’ll fit right in with the Optavia program.

This little trick also works for other salads like the Caesar salad with chicken or the green goddess cobb salad.

Or, you can just aim to find dishes with no more than 17 grams of fat and 14 grams of carbs, around 200-290 calories, and at least 3 grams of protein to meet the guidelines for a lean and green meal.

5. Panera Drinks

Panera restaurant offers a wide variety of drink options, but not all of them are suitable for the Optavia diet.

Some drinks may contain added sugar or be high in calories and carbs, making them difficult to fit into the diet plan.

However, there are still many drink options that can be enjoyed.

When choosing a drink at Panera, it’s important to consider the calorie and carb content.

Some drinks may be counted as a condiment, other drinks may be consumed as an additional source of hydration, such as water or unsweetened tea.

List of approved Optavia drinks in Panera

• Espresso: 1 oz (5 calories)
• Americano: 16 fl oz (10 calories)
• Blackberry Sage Tea: 8 fl oz (5 calories)
• Bubly Sparkling Water: 12 fl oz (0 calories)
• Cafe Blend Dark Roast Coffee: 16 fl oz (15 calories)
• Cafe Blend Light Roast Coffee: 16 fl oz (20 calories)
• Cinnamon Plum Tea: 8 oz (0 calories)
• Cold Brew Coffee: 16 fl oz (10 calories)
• Dasani Lemon/Lime:12 fl oz (0 calories)
• Diet Dr. Pepper: 20 fl oz (0 calories)
• Drive Thru – SoBe Life Water Yumberry Pomegranate: 20 fl oz (0 calories)
• Drive Thru – Unsweetened Iced Tea: 20 fl oz (10 calories)
• Ginger Peach Tea: 8 fl oz (0 calories)
• Hazelnut Flavored Coffee: 16 fl oz (20 calories)
• Honey Ginseng Green Tea: 8 fl oz (0 calories)
• Iced Cafe Blend Dark Roast Coffee: 20 fl oz (10 calories)
• Mango Ceylon Tea: 8 fl oz (0 calories)
• Orange Ginger Mint Tea: 8 fl oz (0 calories)

What to avoid at Panera on Optavia?

Unfortunately, you might want to steer clear of some of the menu items at Panera Bread if you’re following the Optimal Weight 5 and 1 plan.

Panera is a bakery-cafe chain in the United States that offers a variety of dishes, including soups, salads, sandwiches, pastries, and baked goods.

But if you’re following the Optavia program, it’s important to be mindful of your carb, healthy fat, and calorie intake.

This means avoiding certain menu items at Panera, such as:

• Bagels
• Bread
• Sandwiches with sausages, bacon, or a lot of cheese (also avoid half portion)
• Breakfast Item
• Pizza
• Soups
• Sides like fruit or chips
• Smoothy
• Souffle

These foods tend to be higher in carbs and calories, which can make it challenging to stay on track with the Optavia program.

Oh, and by the way, even though soups might seem like a healthy option, they’re actually pretty high in sodium and calories and don’t have much protein.

So, it’s probably a good idea to skip ’em if you’re trying to stick to your diet.

Tips on ordering Panera bread on 5 and 1 plan

One simple tip to cut calories, and carbs, or increase healthiness in your meals is to use only half a portion of salad dressing or sauce.

This small change can make a big difference in the overall nutrition of your meal as you can see from the table below.

Dressing and Sauces	Portion	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Sodium
Apple Cider Vinegar BBQ Sauce	1 portion	20	0	4	90
Teriyaki Sauce	1 portion	120	1	26	680
Spicy Brown Mustard	1 portion	10	0	1	80
Asian Sesame Vinaigrette, regular	3 Tbsp	90	8	4	200
Asian Sesame Vinaigrette, light	1 1/2 Tbsp	45	4	2	100
BBQ Ranch, regular	3 Tbsp	140	13	5	125
BBQ Ranch, light	1 1/2 Tbsp	70	7	2	250
Caesar, regular	3 Tbsp	170	18	2	290
Caesar, light	1 1/2 Tbsp	90	9	1	140
Greek Dressing, regular	3 Tbsp	230	25	1	290
Greek Dressing, light	1 1/2 Tbsp	110	12	0	150
Green Goddess, regular	3 Tbsp	80	7	4	160
Green Goddess, light	1 1/2 Tbsp	40	3.5	2	80
White Balsamic Vinaigrette, regular	3 Tbsp	160	13	11	170
White Balsamic Vinaigrette, light	1 1/2 Tbsp	80	6	5	85
Tangerine Soy Ginger, regular	2 ladles	160	14	9	500
Tangerine Soy Ginger, light	1 ladle	80	7	4	250

Using half of a portion of dressing or sauce can cut the calorie and carb count in half, which can make a big difference in the overall nutrition of your meal.

So next time you visit Panera, consider using only half of the dressing or sauce to make your meal healthier without sacrificing flavor.

The bottom line

If you’re looking for more tips and tricks like this, be sure to check out our Optavia dining out guide! It’s packed with tons of helpful information on how to navigate restaurant menus while sticking to the Optavia program.

We don’t just stop at menu hacks though. Our guide also includes an in-depth checklist of things you can do before, during, and after your night out to help you stay on track with your goals. So, whether you’re planning a special dinner or just grabbing a quick bite on the go, our guide has got you covered.