It’s really important that restaurants and retailers put effort into ensuring that everyone can enjoy the products they offer. Sure, I’m not expecting every servable option to be gluten-free, allergen-free, or vegan.
But I’m sick and tired of visiting new places with friends and having no choice from the menu. And I’m sure you feel the same way.
There is nothing worse than going out with your friends or family and then scouring an entire menu while you have just one or two options. Which usually aren’t all that great, am I right? Well, thankfully in this department, Panera really stepped up.
There are plenty of options on the menu for vegans regardless of whether you visit first thing in the morning or mere minutes before closing.
For some items, you’ll have to request they modify the meal but this is easily done. So, let’s take a closer look at exactly what’s on offer for vegans on the Panera menu.
Breakfast Time
So, Panera is known for having a pretty great breakfast range and there are actually plenty of scrumptious options to choose from.
- Breakfast Bagels – There are several varieties that are appropriate for vegans including the plain bagel, everything bagel, and blueberry & sesame bagel.
- Seasonal Fruit Cups
- Steel Cut Oatmeal With Strawberries & Pecans
- Smoothies – Peach and Blueberry Smoothie made with almond milk and Green Passion Smoothie made from peach and mango puree, white grape and passionfruit juice, spinach, and ice.
- Not On The Menu – You won’t find it on the menu board but you can ask for a toasted bagel and avocado to make your own avocado toast.
Lunchtime/Dinner
Unfortunately, most of these meals will need to be modified. When asking for no insert non-vegan friendly ingredient here you can always ask to add avocado or quinoa to most salads or sandwiches instead.
Salads
- Citrus Asian Crunch Salad – Ask to be made without chicken.
- Strawberry Poppyseed Salad – Ask to be made without chicken.
- Fuji Apple Salad – Ask to be made without chicken or gorgonzola.
- Asian Sesame Salad – Ask to be made without chicken or wontons. Wontons may contain egg (see more about vegan eggs here).
- Greek Salad – Ask to be made without feta.
Bowls
- Mediterranean Bowl – Ask to be made without feta or greek yogurt.
- Baja Bowl – Ask to be made without feta or greek yogurt.
- Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli Bowl – ask to be made without chicken.
Sandwiches
- Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich – ask to be made without feta and with one of the vegan bread options as the standard Tomato Basil Bread contains honey.
Smoothies
- Peach & Blueberry Smoothie With Almond Milk
Sides
- French Baguette
- Apple
- Banana
- Seasonal Fruit Cup
- Kettle Chips
- Pickle Spear
Vegan Bread Options
- French Baguette
- Sourdough Bread Bowl
- Classic Sourdough
- Country Rustic Sourdough
- Artisan Ciabatta
- Black Pepper Focaccia
- Bagels – Plain. Everything, Blueberry & Sesame
Dressings & Sauces
- Apple Cider BBQ Sauce
- Greek
- Asian Sesame
- Lemon Tahini
- Poppyseed
- Spicy Mustard
- Salsa Verde
- Tangerine Soy Ginger Dressing
- Teriyaki Sauce
- White Balsamic Apple Flavored
Beverages
Hot Drinks
All hot drinks can be made with almond milk as a dairy alternative.
- 100% Columbian Dark Roast
- Cafe Blend Light Roast
- Decaf
- Cold Brew
- Madagascar Vanilla Almond Cold Brew
- Hot Tea – different flavors available at varying locations.
Cold Drinks
- Iced Tea – variety of flavors
- Peach & Blueberry Smoothie – with almond milk
- Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
- Green Passion Smoothie
Please Note – Panera offers new items on a seasonal or regional basis from time to time.
For up-to-date information on allergens or nutritional information please contact your local bakery or check the nutritional information board that can be found on their website or on the app.
While vegan options are available animal products are still made and prepared in-store and so cross-contamination may occur.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are The Bagels At Panera Vegan?
Yes! Vegans rejoice because all bagels at Panera are completely vegan. This includes the plain, everything, blueberry, and sesame bagels! So there are plenty of options to choose from.
What Alternatives Are Available For Milk?
Currently, there is only one milk-alternative option at Panera which is almond milk. Oat milk and other substitutes are currently not available. So for vegans with nut allergies, some of the beverage options may not be suitable.
On the plus side, there is no upcharge for swapping out your milk, something that is often standard practice at many other chains.
Are There Any Vegan Dessert Options?
Sadly not. For those with a sweet tooth, none of the dessert options will be suitable for vegans. All options contain eggs, milk, or dairy products, and sometimes a combination of all of those ingredients.
Fresh fruit is available, but it’s up for debate as to whether that truly can be classified as a desert.
Is Panera Mac And Cheese Vegan?
Alas, no it is not. As it says in the name, Panera’s mac and cheese contains cheese. Some similar stores offer vegan options but as of right now, there isn’t a vegan mac and cheese option at Panera. Here’s to hoping they introduce one soon!
Does Panera Have A Vegan Cheese For Sandwiches?
Unfortunately not. Currently, there are no vegan cheese options for any of the menu items.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m quite impressed with the vegan options that are available at Panera. As you can see there are definitely more than just one or two options to pick from.
This is great as it means you can actually try a few different meals when you come rather than sticking to the same thing time and time again. However, with that being said, there is definitely more that Panera could improve on.
It would be nice to see some fully vegan options on the menu that don’t require modifications. Just a few options that are good to go just as they are.
It’s also worth noting that you aren’t guaranteed to be eating a completely vegan meal since dairy and meat products are prepared in-store daily .
As with any non-vegan store, cross-contamination can never be fully eliminated and so it’s up to each individual to make a judgment call as to how comfortable they are with this.
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