It dawned on me the other day that it had been a while since I got an updated menu from Panera Bread. I went to their site to view the newest menu & compared to the list I had and it was outdated. I immediately sent out an email and just got this back from Pat.
Dear Kim,
Thank you for contacting Panera Bread.
I have included below a list of our menu items that do not contain gluten-containing ingredients. However, because we bake fresh bread daily in our bakery-cafes and bread is core to our menu, we simply cannot ensure that there has been no contact between these items, or any other menu items, and gluten.
Not all of the items listed are currently on our menu and some new menu items have not yet been evaluated for the purposes of inclusion on this list. However, you can find complete ingredients listings for current menu items on our website. (When you choose a menu item in our online Nutrition Calculator, click on the “ingredients” link for ingredients information for that item.)
Please note that nutritional information on our website is updated periodically. New products may be available in our bakery-cafes before a periodic update of this site. In addition, some menu items may be available only on a regional, test or seasonal basis. Nutritional information about these menu items is available at the participating bakery-cafes. Tests of new recipes of existing products may be conducted from time to time in certain markets. These new recipes may contain different/additional ingredients, including allergens, as compared to the original version. Nutritional information about these menu items is available at the participating bakery-cafes. For the most update-to-date information, please call or visit your nearest bakery-cafe to speak with a manager.
Thank you again for contacting us. We appreciate your business and value your comments.
Sincerely,
Pat
Customer Comment Coordinator
GLUTEN FREE LIST – Panera Bread **
**Although we try to meet your special requirements, we cannot ensure that these items have not come into contact with gluten in our bakery-café.
** Gorgonzola and bleu cheeses are commonly made with mold incubated on wheat. Some may choose to avoid these cheeses for this reason and you may substitute another cheese if you prefer. Items containing these ingredients are indicated below with (G) or (BC).
Salads: (including the salad dressing)
(source of modified food starch is corn)
Greek Salad Fandango Salad (G)
Caesar Salad (without croutons)
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (without croutons)
Mediterranean Salmon Salad
Salmon Caesar Salad (without croutons)
Asian Sesame Chicken Salad (without Won Ton noodles)
Classic Cafe Salad
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken
Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (G)
California Mission Chicken Salad
Orchard Harvest Chicken Salad (G)
Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad (G)
BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad
Soups:
Low Fat Vegetarian Black Bean
Cuban Black Bean and Lentil
Vegetarian Roasted Red Pepper & Lentil
Vegetarian Butternut Squash
Creamy Tomato (without croutons)
Low-Fat Vegetarian Southwest
Tomato & Roasted Corn
Turkey Chickpea Chili
Summer Corn Chowder
Low-Fat Chicken Tortilla Soup
Salad Dressings:
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Caesar
Greek
Poppyseed
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Asian Sesame Vinaigrette
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Roasted Garlic &
Meyer’s Lemon Vinaigrette
BBQ Ranch
Beverages:
Coffee
Juice, both apple and orange
Lemonade
Milk
Soda, fountain and bottled
Tea, regular and Chai Tea
All lattes & Frozen beverages
Strawberry Smoothie
Hot Chocolate
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Gingerbread Latte
Panera Bread Potato Chips
I am especially excited about the Mediterranean Salmon Salad! I can’t wait to hit Panera & give this a try!
*************************************************************************************************
Don’t forget – you only have until midnight to enter my contest to win a free box of Van’s frozen GF foods!!
My son and me, November 2000. This is before we were gluten-free/diagnosed Celiac.
Thrilled that you posted this, and very ironic as we were just talking Panera last night. (sick at home and needing soup!) I have been meaning to get an updated list.
Great minds think alike.
Thanks Kim!
Panera has a large binder behind the registers for those that make the hurried choice to eat there. They list wheat and gluten as two separate ingredients. They are always accommodating when I request the list/binder. I'm thrilled they have updated their soups to more than just corn chowder!!!! Had creamy tomato and it was bliss!
Thanks for the updated list! We love Panera, particularly their soups.
Oooh – I need to try the creamy tomato.
[...] see if this would be impossible, or just a little difficult. I was happy to find lots of options: here, here and [...]
This pretty much just saved me! I love Panera but was so worried I wouldn't be able to eat there with this condition. Thank you so much. =)
Alexa – So glad that it helped you!
I just visited Panera this evening after looking at this post and they pulled out their binder and almost every single thing in the restaurant had gluten in it…I'm so confused. I spoke to the manager and he said that they marinate their chicken in a marinade that contains gluten, so any salad with chicken is out (if you want the chicken). Also, every single soup had gluten but the vegetarian veggie soup and black bean soup. He showed me the date of his list as well, to make sure it wasn't out of date. So, I am NOT saying your list is wrong in ANY way…I just want to make sure people check at their individual locations to be 100% sure. I was super disappointed because I LOVE Panera. Hoping all of y'alls locations are still okay!
I wonder if they changed the recipes? Perhaps I need to send another email to get an updated list. Thank you for letting me know.
You are correct. I work there and almost everything has gluten in it, including the chicken. I was told that the only items that are gluten-free are the power bowls on the hidden menu. If you ask for them they are "off menu".
We ate at Panera today. The order taker was very helpful pulling out the allergy information list for us to help us make a good decision. Based on what she had, my husband ordered the Fuji Apple Salad and Creamy Tomato Soup (w/o Croutons); He had a reaction later in the day. Since he has eaten there before and just had the berry salad, we first suspected the soup -it was very creamy! Well a search on line shows the Panera Cookbook ocntains a recipe for Creamy Tomato Soup that has 4 TBS of flour — so pretty sure it was the soup.
Next time it will just be the salad for him!
Mary,
I am sorry to hear that! I will make sure to send them an email to get an updated list.
Kim
Don't trust the salads. I work there. Anything with the chicken in it has gluten. Also all of the soups.
Hey thanks for posting this great list! One question/concern: I ate at panera today and had the BBQ chopped chicken salad. I’m well aware that many BBQ sauces have gluten but since I saw it listed as GF on this list and another I figured I’d give it a go. Had a bit of a reaction and am wondering if the BBQ sauce they put on is different from what they use in heir BBQ ranch dressing?? I noticed that on the list the BBQ ranch dressing is noted as GF but the extra BBQ sauce (which I didn’t know to expect!) is not! Could it be that it’s not GF?? If you request a new list I’d really appreciate you asking about this! Thank you!!
-Vivian
Ps reading the above reviews, looks like it could have been the chicken, perhaps? Darn.
11/02/11: I really enjoyed Panera before I became gluten intolerant, but will not be returning there after my most recent experience. I sent an email message to Panera inquiring why they do not offer many gluten free options. The email that I received in response was a little rude. The lady from Panera sent the follow list to me:
List of menu items that do not contain any gluten containing ingredients **
**Although we try to meet your special requirements, we cannot ensure that these items have not come into contact with gluten in our bakery-café.
** Gorgonzola and bleu cheeses are commonly made with mold incubated on wheat. Some may choose to avoid these cheeses for this reason and you may substitute another cheese if you prefer. Items containing these ingredients are indicated below with (G) or (BC).
Salads: (including the salad dressing)
(source of modified food starch is corn)
Greek Salad Caesar Salad (without croutons)
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (without croutons)
Asian Sesame Chicken Salad (without Won Ton noodles)
Classic Cafe Salad
Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (G)
Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad (G)
BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad
Seasonal Fruit Cups
Chopped Steak & Blue Cheese (without crispy onions)
Roasted Turkey Harvest Salad
Salad Dressings:
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Caesar
Greek/Herb Vinaigrette
Asian Sesame Vinaigrette
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
BBQ Ranch
BBQ Sauce
Cherry Balsamic Dressing
Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Light Buttermilk Ranch
Soups:
Low Fat Vegetarian Black Bean
Creamy Tomato (without croutons)
Beverages:
Coffee
Juice, both apple and orange
Lemonade
Milk
Soda, fountain and bottled
Tea, regular and Chai Tea
All lattes & Frozen beverages
Low-fat Strawberry Smoothie
Low-Fat Mango Smoothie
Low-fat Wild Berry Smoothie
Hot Chocolate
Panera Bread Potato Chips
Cream Cheese Spreads
Thanks,
Shelley
ps…..I ate the Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad and it made me sick.
Thanks for sharing, Shelley. Sorry to hear you got sick.
So glad to find this list…was worried I couldn't have my favorite Latte!
uuughh, well maybe Im glad i found this list….just seeing that they aren't too sure and that you got sick…
I eat at Panera's very often off the gluten free list and have never gotten sick. I guess we always risk cross-contamination though.
Thanks! I agree….eating out is a risk. I rarely get sick, but it has happened.
Having celiac you have to avoid gluten in all food all of the time, Its simple, don't put your health in the hands of restaurants, they are not REQUIRED to be gluten free since as far as I know there are NONE that market themselves that way. The only way to be gluten free is to cook and prepare your meals at home until one of us Celiac cooks open a gluten free cafe etc, this is the only way. It simply isnt worth it. You are allowed to bring in your own food and eat with your family/friends with this disease. Prepare something lovely and simply carry IN. Stick with unprocessed whole foods and you won't feel denied. cross contamination is inevatible, why risk it? People with bee allergies don't become bee keepers. C'mon people have some common sense.
Roxy,
While I appreciate your point of view and advice, some people choose to eat out to socialize with friends or when they aren't able to get a meal at home/work/school for whatever reason. Some choices are better than others, and yes, if the establishment is entirely GF, the risk is the lowest. We do the best with what we can.
Kim
Thanks to everyone for the good info. After eating the Strawberry Chicken Salad with Poppyseed Dressing both my mother & I got sick .
Sounds like it was the darn chicken…very disappointing.
Yep, the chopped chicken cobb salad is a no go. The marinade must have quite a bit of gluten in it because I am not as sensitive as some other people. Also, I would avoid any soup. Stick with the salads without chicken and ask for no cheese. Watch them make it because the lady who made a salad for me accidentally put the gorgonzola cheese on it and then just picked it out! She didn't understand a lot of english so I just ate it.
I make delicious baked goods at home. There is practically nothing out there that you cannot substitute to make the recipe gluten free. There are wonderful gluten free flours to put in soups or baked goods. The last time I was at Panera was yesterday and I found out that we couldn't have the creamy tomato soup so I chose black bean. I had a greek salad and potato chips with iced tea. It was lovely, but it would be nice to have more of a selection. Panera Bread would make a killing if you folks would just add something like gluten free zucchini bread, a GF blueberry muffin or an apple something. There are so many of us out there and it would be so refreshing to be able to have a coffee and a fresh baked good for lunch or after shopping. You could be our savior. I know this is simple to do as I make it at home and serve it to people that are not GF and they do not know the difference.
Wow. I was at an event on Saturday where I
was given a ‘gluten-free lunch’. I’m so, so sick!
Cross contamination. *ugh*. Have I not carried
my lunch in years past? Yes, with no issues.
Never, ever again. Panera, your ‘wheat-rich’
environment makes you too much of a health
risk, even though there was no added gluten.
Diner beware!!
My daughter works at Panera and says they try very hard to accommodate the Gluten impaired (my words not hers). Some people are soooo sensitive that just the flour dust in the air can make them sick. I get a rash on my thumb if I come in contact with gluten. They have always been very open to being educated on cross contamination and really seem to care. I find that (since I am newly diagnosed) my stomach is in such a damaged and sensitive condition even (GF) dairy causes my stomach to ache terribly. I hope it heals soon. This is difficult since we travel a lot. Good luck all.
Lynn-
You mentioned that dairy causes you problems. Lactose intolerance is highly correlated with Gluten allergies, FYI
[...] Panera (soups and salads only)http://www.glutenfreeislife.com/?p=2625 [...]
[...] 3. Panera Bread – check out this blog from glutenfreeislife.com for specific menu items, as sent to her by a Panera Bre… [...]
I recently went gluten free, I do not have celiac but hypothyroidism. I was reading these posts and starting to feel a little disappointed that really, Panera doesn't look to be a good choice for gluten free. But then again, if you are gluten free you shouldn't go to a BREAD store for food! It may as well be called Panera Gluten. Ha ha
Read this and was so excited to get a salad. Asked the manager at Dublin, ohio store. They “don’t know of anything on their menu that’s gluten free.”
If you have a Potbelly restaurant I have had much better luck with no reaction with their chicken salad avoiding the dressing and Jimmy John’s unwiches. The heck with Panera if they cannot accommodate!
Nancy,
I'll have to check Potbelly out! Thanks!
Kim
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What about the tuna salad or the almond chicken salad