I have an image in my head of a salad with a mustache and glasses on…unhealthy food in disguise. Sometimes eating healthy isn’t common sense. What is healthier…a tuna salad sandwich or a Big Mac? It seems like tuna would be a better choice, right? Or what has less fat and calories, a salad or a hamburger? The salad, right? Unfortunately salads are not just vegetables and fruits with a little olive oil vinaigrette on top. Salads also contain cheese, bacon, croutons, macaroni salad, potato salad, and other super-high-calorie toppings. When you go to Panera, don’t you feel like you’re in a place that serves healthy foods? The calming music and nice atmosphere must = healthy food. When you go to McDonalds, don’t you feel like you’re in a place that serves unhealthy foods? The employees yelling out the orders and the smell of French fries must = unhealthy foods. Amazingly there is a lot of unhealthy food in disguise as Panera and you may end up with a meal that has more calories and fat grams than a meal from McDonalds. You have to be very savvy to outwit restaurant eating and the foods in disguise.
Some unhealthy foods in disguise at Panera:
Carrot walnut muffin: 440 calories/19 g fat/500 mg sodium
Apple crunch muffin: 470 calories/12 g fat/350 mg sodium
Remember, when you eat a muffin you’re eating cake. They are packed with sugar and oil and just because “carrot” or “walnut” or “apple” is in the title, you are not eating a fruit or vegetable. You are eating cake. Sorry.
Spinach and artichoke soufflés: 480 calories/31 g fat/920 mg sodium
Not a healthy breakfast choice. Again, don’t be fooled by the spinach and artichoke…there is a lot of high fat cheese too.
Turkey artichoke on Focaccia: 750 calories/27 g fat/2340 mg sodium
Tuna salad on honey wheat: 750 calories/47 g fat/1130 mg sodium
Woa, 750 calories? These sandwiches are huge. And check out the amount of sodium.
Broccoli cheddar soup: 290 calroies/16 g fat/1540 mg sodium
French onion soup: 240 calories/12 g fat/2210 mg sodium
Soups from Panera are very high in sodium. Sodium causes fluid retention and is not healthy for your heart. Also, many of the soups have added cheese and thus added fat.
Greek Salad: 380 calories/34 g fat/1670 mg sodium
Asian Sesame Chicken Salad: 400 calories/20 g fat/910 mg sodium
20-30 grams of fat in a salad!? So many people say, “I just had a salad for lunch.” You might have just consumed more calories and fat than a hamburger and fries.
None of these meals are low fat or low sodium. Many of these items are very high in calories. To give you a comparison a Big Mac is 540 calories and 29 g of fat. Not a healthy choice, but that’s less calories and fat than a tuna salad on honey wheat from Panera! The tuna sandwich is large and has lots of added mayo which brings up the calories and fat grams. Don’t be fooled by the foods in disguise. At Panera, the “Pick Two” option helps cut down on the portion sizes. Pairing up half a sandwich with soup or salad brings down the calories and grams of fat. With salads, always ask for the salad dressing on the side and add less. Watch out for toppings like croutons and cheese.
You can make healthier choices at Panera, but you have to be careful. Next time you eat at Panera just imagine your Greek Salad with a moustache and glasses. Don’t let the salad fool you!