Is Panera Bread Safe During Pregnancy? (Soups, Sandwiches and Mac and Cheese Guide)

There is literally nothing better than a Panera bread bowl when the weather gets cold. I practically lived on the broccoli cheddar soup during my second tri when I couldn't stomach the thought of cooking. It was just easy comfort food.

But eating at sandwich shops during pregnancy can be a massive minefield cuz of the whole deli meat situation. You walk in wanting a turkey sandwich and suddenly ur trying to remember if cold cuts are safe or if the feta cheese on the salad is gonna give you listeria. The mental gymnastics are exhausting tbh.

So lets break down the entire Panera Bread menu. We are gonna look at the soups, the sandwiches, the salads, and even those massive bakery cookies, so u know exactly what to order without having to frantically google at the register.

The Soups: Comfort in a Bowl

Let's start with the best news. Basically all the hot soups at Panera are completely safe during pregnancy. Soups are cooked to very high temps and held hot, which absolutely obliterates any harmful bacteria.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

The GOAT of Panera soups. It is 100% safe. The cheese used in the base is pasteurised. It's warm, it's filling, and the broccoli actually gives u a tiny hit of folate and fibre. If ur dealing with first trimester nausea and nothing sounds good, a cup of this with a baguette is often a lifesaver.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Totally safe. Also made with pasteurised dairy. Just a quick heads up though: tomato soup is super acidic. If ur in your third tri and suffering from insane heartburn, this might trigger it pretty badly. Check out our pregnancy heartburn guide if u need help managing that.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Safe. The chicken is fully cooked and the broth is great for hydration. It's also fairly mild on the stomach if ur feeling gross.

The Bread Bowls

Yes the sourdough bread bowls are safe. Sourdough is just fermented dough that is fully baked. No raw dough risks here. Go wild.

The Sandwich Situation: Deli Meat Danger

Okay this is where u need to pay attention. Sandwiches at Panera require some modifications.

The CDC and the ACOG both warn pregnant women to avoid cold deli meats. Things like sliced turkey, ham, roast beef and salami can harbour a bacteria called Listeria. Getting Listeria while pregnant is incredibly dangerous and can lead to miscarriage or premature labour.

To make deli meat safe, it must be heated until it is steaming hot (165 degrees F). At Panera, u can still eat the turkey sandwiches, but u gotta ask them to heat the meat separately.

Safe Sandwich Options

• Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT: You must ask the cashier to "heat the turkey until steaming". The bacon is fully cooked so thats safe. The avocado is fine. Just make sure that turkey gets nuked.
• Toasted Frontega Chicken: Safe. This uses pulled chicken rather than cold sliced deli meat, and the whole sandwich is pressed hot on the panini grill.
• Grilled Cheese: Safe. The cheeses used are pasteurised and it's cooked hot.
• Tuna Salad Sandwich: Safe in moderation. Tuna is cooked, so listeria isnt the issue here, but mercury is. Panera uses chunk light tuna which is lower in mercury than albacore. You can safely eat 1-2 portions of chunk light tuna a week. For more info on fish rules, read our pregnancy seafood guide.

Sandwiches to Avoid (Or Heavily Modify)

Anything with the cold sliced Black Forest Ham or the salami (like the Italian). If u really want them, u have to be annoying and insist they heat the meat until it's literally steaming before they put it on the bread. Most Panera workers are super nice about this if u just say "im pregnant, please make sure the meat is steaming hot".

The Salads: Cheese and Cross-Contamination

Salads are a great way to get ur veggies in, but they come with two risks at restaurants: unwashed lettuce and unpasteurised cheese.

Chain restaurants like Panera wash their greens very thoroughly in commercial facilities, so the risk of toxoplasmosis from dirty lettuce is extremely low. The bigger issue is the toppings.

Feta and Gorgonzola

Many Panera salads (like the Fuji Apple or Greek salad) come with crumbled feta or gorgonzola. In the US, almost all commercial cheeses used by large chains are made with pasteurised milk, which makes them safe. However, the FDA still recommends caution with soft cheeses. If u wanna be 100% safe and not stress about it, just ask for the salad without the cheese crumbles. It's not worth the anxiety.

Chicken on Salads

The grilled chicken used on the salads is fully cooked and safe. It's a great way to boost your protein intake. Just check out our protein needs guide to see how much u actually need rn.

Mac and Cheese & Warm Bowls

The Panera Mac and Cheese is basically famous. Good news: it is completely safe. The cheese sauce is made with pasteurised ingredients and it's held at a high heat. It is a massive carb bomb though, so if ur dealing with Gestational Diabetes, u might wanna skip it or pair a small cup of it with a high-protein salad to balance your blood sugar.

The Warm Bowls (like the Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli Bowl) are also safe. The chicken is cooked, the rice is hot, and the veggies are steamed. These are actually some of the most nutritionally balanced meals on the whole menu.

Drinks and Bakery Items

Coffee and Caffeine

Panera has a massive coffee bar. The rule for pregnancy is to keep ur caffeine intake under 200mg a day according to the NHS. A regular 16oz (Medium) iced coffee at Panera has about 190mg of caffeine. So if u drink one, that's basically your entire allowance for the day. No more chocolate or tea later on. The Charged Lemonades used to have insane amounts of caffeine but they were discontinued.

Pastries and Cookies

Everything in the bakery case is fully baked and safe to eat. The chocolate chip cookies, the bagels, the scones. The only risk here is the sugar crash. Just treat them as a sometimes food rather than a daily staple.

Smoothies

The fruit smoothies are safe. They use pasteurised yogurt and pureed fruit. They are super high in sugar though (the Mango Smoothie has over 50g of sugar), so just be aware of that if u are watching your glucose levels.

Trimester by Trimester Guide

• First Trimester: Stick to the soups. A cup of chicken noodle or tomato soup with a plain baguette is gentle on the stomach when nausea hits. The carbs will keep u going when u cant face a salad.
• Second Trimester: Appetite is back! Try the Pick Two combo. A half Frontega Chicken panini and a cup of Broccoli Cheddar soup gets you protein, veggies and comfort all at once.
• Third Trimester: Space is tight cuz the baby is squishing ur stomach. Heavy meals like the Mac and Cheese might make u feel insanely bloated or trigger reflux. The warm bowls or a half salad with grilled chicken are usually easier to digest.

FAQs

Can I eat Panera deli meat while pregnant?

Only if you ask them to heat it until it is steaming hot (165F). Do not eat the cold sliced turkey or ham straight from the counter due to listeria risk.

Is the Panera Mac and Cheese safe during pregnancy?

Yes, absolutely. It uses pasteurised cheese and is served hot. It's safe, just high in carbs.

Are Panera salads safe to eat?

Yes, the greens are washed commercially. However, it's safest to order them without soft cheeses like feta or gorgonzola unless u can explicitly confirm they use pasteurised versions.

Is the broccoli cheddar soup safe?

100% yes. It is cooked hot and uses pasteurised cheese.

Can I eat a tuna sandwich from Panera?

Yes, in moderation. Panera uses chunk light tuna. Pregnant women can safely eat up to two portions of lower-mercury fish like this per week.

The Bottom Line

Panera is actually one of the easiest fast-casual places to eat at when ur pregnant. The soups and warm bowls are totally worry-free. The only real annoyance is having to ask them to heat up the deli meat on the sandwiches. Other than that, it's a solid choice for a safe, fairly nutritious lunch.

Quick cheat sheet:
✓ All hot soups? Safe.
✓ Mac and Cheese? Safe.
✓ Warm Bowls? Safe.
✓ Cold Deli Meat? MUST BE HEATED STEAMING HOT.
✓ Salads? Safe, but skip the feta/gorgonzola to be cautious.
✓ Bakery items? Safe.

If ur trying to figure out other sandwich chains, we have full audits for Jersey Mike's and Jimmy John's too.