Panera Bread Gluten-Free – Are Their Loaves Celiac-Safe?
Bakeries are often impossible for celiacs, but in our Panera Bread gluten-free guide, we’ll go through their menu to see if anything’s worth considering.
If there’s such a thing as purgatory for anyone suffering from celiac disease, it’d probably be bakeries, with huge swarms of wheat and gluten weighing down the air around you. 🌾🚫
Of course, there are tons of gluten-free bakeries out there, and celiacs like me appreciate the level of dedication and effort it takes to run one, so high-fives all around to you guys! 👏
However, Panera Bread isn’t one of those gluten-free bakeries, known for their artisan loaves, sandwiches on freshly baked bread, and hearty soups served in lovely bread bowls. 🍞🥖
Unfortunately, if you were thinking about savoring any of their hot, delicious buns, I’m sad to report that virtually every single bakery item at Panera Bread has wheat or gluten. 🥪🥐
This means that we celiacs can count out their sandwiches, wraps, and bread-bowl soups, as well as having a limited option of true gluten-free items; fruit cups, Greek yogurt, or drinks.
So, that isn’t a good start… But that’s not going to stop me! In our Panera Bread gluten-free guide, we’ll look through their menu to see if there’s anything at all you could safely eat!
Table of Contents
Disclaimer
Now, it’s worth mentioning that even those menu items at Panera Bread that don’t contain a trace of wheat or gluten in either the recipe or ingredients could still be unsafe for those of us more sensitive celiacs, so be careful if you’re dining there. ❗❗❗
Panera bread doesn’t operate a dedicated gluten-free kitchen; all their bakery, café, and catering items are prepared with shared equipment and prep surfaces that also handle barley, wheat, and rye flours, so none of this is technically ‘certified gluten-free’. ⚠️ 🥖🌾
Specifically, I know that Panera Bread uses shared ovens, fryers, work stations, and utensils to handle all their menu items, with severe gluten cross-contamination, even for items that don’t contain any wheat ingredients, making it wholly unsafe for celiacs. 🍞🥐
I’d also be remiss to not mention the fact that Panera Bread operates a huge catering service, too! You can read more about what they offer here if you’re serving a party.
Nevertheless, like its regular menu items, even if you would find some ‘gluten-conscious’ stuff there, this intentional label only refers to recipes that don’t have wheat ingredients.
Panera Bread states super clearly that not a single menu item is tested or certified under the FDA’s <20 ppm gluten threshold, so they’re not 100% ‘gluten-free’. ✍
Personally, because of all that flour dust and crumbs circulating throughout their cafes, even within common ovens, toasters, and prep counters, I’d be cautious about cross-contact.
HOT TIP: Make sure to remind the server or the kitchen staff that you have celiac disease, and while you’re there, see if you could ask them for fresh gloves, clean utensils, a clean work area, and maybe also spend some time checking their up-to-date allergen guide before ordering.
Panera Bread Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)
Ah, and speaking of, even though Panera Bread isn’t catering much to celiacs like you and me, at least their website is a treasure trove of information for allergens and nutrition. 📝
You can start by going to their Allergen and Nutrition Information page, where you will find some rather handy links that might help you figure out what you can or can’t eat:
- Since Panera Bread operates a huge number of chains and plenty of different menu variations, they actually have two versions of their Allergen Guide, with slightly different notes that you’d no doubt have to pay close attention to, especially if you’re allergic to anything.
- You can find Version 1 right here, and then Version 2 right here. Their Allergen Guide lists down all the specific allergens tied to every single item on their menu, including eggs, milk, peanuts, shellfish, etc. Of course, for celiacs, pay attention to the wheat and gluten column.
- Similarly, Panera Bread’s Nutrition Guide has two different versions, too, with small variations between each one. You can find Version 1 right here, and Version 2 right here. This would give you an idea of how many calories, fat, cholesterol, carbs, proteins, and so on are in each dish.
- Panera Bread also goes the extra mile compared to most restaurants by providing you with a Caffeine Content Guide for their beverages. This should be pretty handy if you are sensitive to caffeine or if you’re trying to watch your intake. Again, there’s Version 1 and Version 2.
Oh, and before we move on with our Panera Bread gluten-free guide, they also have a Dietary Restrictions Guide for their catering menu. You can even find a couple of its gluten-conscious menu items there, too. With that out of the way, let’s look at Panera Bread’s menu.
Hot Sandwiches
Okay, their sandwich menu is pretty enormous, so for our Panera Bread gluten-free guide, I will split them up for easier reading, starting off with their toasty Hot Sandwiches. 🥪🔥
Unfortunately, all of Panera Bread’s Hot Sandwiches rely on wheat-based breads, and there’s no gluten-free or protein-style alternative or substitute, either, making it unsafe. 🥐🥖
❌ Croque Monsieur Croissant Toast
❌ Fromage Croissant Toast
❌ Chicken Bacon Rancher
❌ Ciabatta Cheesesteak
❌ Chipotle Chicken Avo Melt
❌ Toasted Frontega Chicken
❌ Toasted Italiano
❌ Spicy Fiesta Chicken
❌ Toasted Garden Caprese
❌ Smokehouse BBQ Chicken
❌ Grilled Cheese
Now, it’s pretty clear-cut why these didn’t make it into our Panera Bread gluten-free shortlist, but just in case, let’s see what makes up each sandwich:
Croque Monsieur Croissant Toast: Built on flaky croissant toast, this sandwich contains wheat flour in both the bread and the melty cheese spread, so it’s unsafe for celiacs.
Fromage Croissant Toast: Layers of provolone and American cheese on croissant toast, and the rich pastry dough is made with wheat flour, so avoid this entirely if you’re a celiac.
Chicken Bacon Rancher: Grilled chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing on black pepper focaccia. Again, it’s the wheat-based focaccia bread that makes it unsafe.
Ciabatta Cheesesteak: Shaved steak and cheese on artisan ciabatta, which is made from wheat flour and baked in shared ovens, so there’s a risk of cross-contamination, too.
Chipotle Chicken Avo Melt: Chicken, avocado, and chipotle mayo on a black pepper focaccia bread, which is a wheat bread variant that contains tons of gluten.
Toasted Frontega Chicken: Smoked-house chicken and cheese on focaccia. As usual, the focaccia is a wheat-flour product, so it’s unsafe for celiacs.
Toasted Italiano: Ham, salami, and cheese on a baguette, and seeing that Panera Bread uses traditional French-style baguettes, this means that they’re 100% wheat flour.
Spicy Fiesta Chicken: Grilled chicken, pepper jack, and salsa verde on artisan ciabatta. Both the bread and shared prep risk huge traces of gluten cross-contact.
Toasted Garden Caprese: Mozzarella, tomato, and basil on an artisan ciabatta. You could find wheat flour in the ciabatta, and the shared prep also makes it unsafe.
Smokehouse BBQ Chicken: Chicken, bacon jam, and cheddar on ciabatta. The bread contains wheat and is baked alongside all other breads.
Grilled Cheese: American cheese melted between slices of classic white Miche, which is a soft wheat-flour loaf, thus making it off-limits for celiacs.
This is a sign to come for our Panera Bread gluten-free guide, as they don’t really have a lot of options for celiacs. As a bakery, most of their menu consists of bread, and all contain wheat. 🌾
Cold Sandwiches
If you want something a bit colder, then our Panera Bread gluten-free guide also has a hearty selection of Cold Sandwiches… Though you won’t find anything here, either. 🥪❄️
Just like their Hot Sandwiches, the Cold Sandwiches are all built on wheat-based breads, with no gluten-free bread or wrap alternatives, not to mention the cross-contact risk! 🥓🍅🥬
❌ Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwich
❌ Grilled Chicken & Avo BLT
❌ Bacon Turkey Bravo
❌ Turkey & Cheddar Sandwich
❌ Tuna Salad Sandwich
❌ Tomato Basil BLT
❌ Mediterranean Veggie
But, just to be sure and to see what’s inside each of these cold sandwiches in our Panera Bread gluten-free guide, let’s break them apart to see:
Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwich: It uses chicken salad on a sliced 9-grain wheat bread that contains enriched wheat flour and is mixed alongside other sandwiches.
Grilled Chicken & Avo BLT: Topped with avocado and bacon on black pepper focaccia. Both their focaccia and the prep stations carry wheat flour residue.
Bacon Turkey Bravo: Roasted turkey and bacon on signature tomato basil bread, which is a wheat-flour product baked in shared ovens with all other breads.
Turkey & Cheddar Sandwich: Sliced turkey and cheddar on classic white Miche, which is a soft wheat loaf, and prep surfaces handle many different bread types.
Tuna Salad Sandwich: Tuna salad on whole grain panini bread, which contains wheat berries and flour. Moreover, the sandwiches are assembled on shared counters.
Tomato Basil BLT: Bacon, lettuce, tomato on tomato basil bread, which is a wheat-based loaf seasoned with tomato and basil herbs, handled on common bread tables.
Mediterranean Veggie: Hummus and feta on tomato basil bread with cucumbers and olives, and the bread is wheat, and all toppings are prepped in shared bowls.
Again, nothing safe for celiacs here. Even if, somehow, Panera Bread offers gluten-free bread, with so much cross-contamination going on, I’d be hesitant to even try! 🤚🚫🌾
Soups & Mac
If you’re not in the mood for sandwiches anyway, then worry not, because our Panera Bread gluten-free menu also has a nice variety of different soups and mac & cheese combos. 🍲🧀
Sadly, if you’re a celiac or have gluten allergies, almost the entire Soups & Mac menu contains wheat-based ingredients or is thickened with flour, except for a singular chowder! 🌽🌾
❌ Bacon Mac & Cheese
❌ Mac & Cheese
⚠️ Mexican Street Corn Chowder
❌ Broccoli Cheddar Soup
❌ Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
❌ Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
❌ Creamy Tomato Soup
❌ Bistro French Onion Soup
That said, let’s break down these soups and mac & cheese to figure out precisely why they’re not a good fit for my Panera Bread gluten-free shortlist:
Bacon Mac & Cheese: Made with elbow pasta in a creamy cheese sauce plus crispy bacon. Of course, the pasta contains enriched wheat flour, and the cheese sauce uses wheat thickeners.
Mac & Cheese: Classic macaroni pasta tossed in a buttery cheese blend. This contains wheat flour pasta and a roux-based sauce, making it unsafe for celiacs.
Mexican Street Corn Chowder: A chowder of corn, cream, and spices that doesn’t contain any wheat by ingredients, but it is ladled from the same kettles and scooped with shared utensils. So, with pretty high cross-contamination risks in mind, proceed with extreme caution!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Rich cheddar cheese soup thickened with wheat flour roux and often served with a bread bowl, which makes it unsafe for celiacs.
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup: Contains egg noodles made from wheat flour, plus wheat-thickened broth; another unsafe choice if you’re a celiac.
Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup: Uses a wheat-based roux for creaminess alongside wild rice, and the recipe includes wheat flour, too.
Creamy Tomato Soup: Cream-infused tomato soup thickened with flour or cornstarch, and it’s then thickened with wheat roux, which contains wheat.
Bistro French Onion Soup: Topped with croutons made from wheat bread and thickened with flour. Plus, the soup’s base also uses wheat thickeners.
Now, I should remind you that even though the Mexican Street Corn Chowder doesn’t contain wheat, not a single soup at Panera Bread is 100% safe for strict and sensitive celiacs, since the prep process uses shared pots, ladles, and soup stations, with severe cross-contact! 🌽🌾
Bread Bowl
Okay, this might be pretty obvious, but as you can imagine, none of the Bread Bowl section of our Panera Bread gluten-free guide is safe for celiacs, for a multitude of reasons. 🍞🥐
Panera Bread’s Bread Bowls use their classic Country Rustic Sourdough and Classic Sourdough loaves, both of which are 100% wheat flour products, which is a no-go zone for celiacs. 🥖🥪
The loaves are then hollowed out and filled with your choice of soup or mac & cheese, which, as we’ve looked at earlier, isn’t precisely celiac-friendly, either. 🍲🧀
Combined, it’s a gluten double-whammy! The base soup and mac & cheese have wheat-based thickeners or pasta, and that crispy edible bowl itself is just pure wheat. 🌾
❌ Bacon Mac & Cheese
❌ Mac & Cheese
❌ Mexican Street Corn Chowder
❌ Broccoli Cheddar Soup
❌ Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
❌ Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
❌ Creamy Tomato Soup
❌ Bistro French Onion Soup
Just to satiate my curiosity, though I know that it’s not safe either way, let’s analyze all of the Bread Bowls here to see how they’d stack up in our Panera Bread gluten-free menu:
Bacon Mac & Cheese: Elbow pasta made from enriched wheat flour inside of a creamy cheese sauce that’s then ladled into a sourdough bread bowl, which itself contains wheat.
Mac & Cheese: Classic macaroni and cheese that uses a wheat pasta and a flour-thickened sauce, and then served in a wheat bread bowl, resulting in double gluten exposure.
Mexican Street Corn Chowder: Although the chowder recipe omits wheat ingredients, it’s then served in a wheat sourdough bowl, negating what hope it had for being gluten-free.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Thickened with a wheat-based roux and packed with cheddar, then poured into a wheat bread bowl, so it’s unsafe for any gluten-free diet.
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup: Contains egg noodles made from wheat flour and is ladled into a wheat sourdough bowl, and both components contain gluten.
Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup: Uses wheat flour in its creamy base, and it’s then served in a wheat bread bowl, making it unsuitable for celiacs.
Creamy Tomato Soup: Although some DIY versions might use cornstarch, the proper café recipe is thickened with wheat flour and is served inside a wheat bowl.
Bistro French Onion Soup: Topped with wheat crouton and Swiss, the soup base uses wheat-thickened stock, and it’s then served in a wheat bread bowl.
In short, not a single bread bowl at Panera Bread is safe for celiacs, between the bread itself and the soup or mac & cheese that goes into them, it’s just a hazard for me at this point! 💣
Salads
On the bright side, if you’re looking for something in our Panera Bread gluten-free menu that could be safe for celiacs to eat without a trip to the ER, their Salads menu might be it. 🥗🍓
While half of Panera Bread’s salads contain traces of wheat and gluten (by ingredients), the other half don’t feature gluten or wheat, so it’s at least a bit safer to eat! 🍎🥬🍅
⚠️ Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad
⚠️ Strawberry Chicken Caprese Salad
⚠️ Fuji Apple Chicken Salad
❌ Asian Sesame Chicken Salad
⚠️ Green Goddess Chicken Cobb Salad
⚠️ Southwest Chicken Ranch Salad
❌ Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains
❌ Mediterranean Greens with Grains
❌ Caesar Salad with Chicken
❌ Caesar Salad
⚠️ Greek Salad with Chicken
⚠️ Greek Salad
⚠️ Ranch Cobb Salad
⚠️ Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
⚠️ Strawberry Caprese Salad
❌ Balsamic Chicken Greens with Grains
❌ Balsamic Greens with Grains
That said, even those ‘safe’ Salads do come with an asterisk or two, so let’s break them down for our Panera Bread gluten-free menu to see how they stack up:
Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad: The ingredients contain no wheat or gluten, though the salad is tossed with poppyseed dressing and candied pecans in shared bowls.
Strawberry Chicken Caprese Salad: Wheat-free when ordered without pecans, though it uses the same prep line and poppyseed dressing, so be warned for cross-contamination.
Fuji Apple Chicken Salad: Base greens and apple-mustard vinaigrette omit wheat, though the candied pecans and shared utensils pose a severe cross-contact risk.
Asian Sesame Chicken Salad: Contains soy sauce and flour thickeners in the sesame dressing, making it unsafe according to the recipe.
Green Goddess Chicken Cobb Salad: Dressing and toppings list no wheat ingredients, but it’s handled on common prep surfaces, so bear in mind the cross-contact risk.
Southwest Chicken Ranch Salad: Ranch dressing omits wheat ingredients, though it includes wheat tortilla strips by default, so be sure to omit them for a gluten-free experience.
Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains: Contains farro (wheat berry) and some lavash croutons, making it unsafe according to the recipe.
Mediterranean Greens with Grains: It’s the same grain base and croutons as above, making this also unsafe by recipe.
Caesar Salad with Chicken: It contains croutons and a dressing stabilized with wheat-derived ingredients, so it’s another unsafe choice for celiacs.
Caesar Salad: It’s the same as above, just without the chicken, so the salad still contains wheat ingredients and is unsafe for celiacs.
Greek Salad with Chicken: Greens, olives, feta, and Greek vinaigrette omit wheat, but bear in mind the cross-contact risk, as it uses shared prep lines.
Greek Salad: It’s the same as above, without chicken, so it’s wheat-free by recipe, but shared prep surfaces pose at least some cross-contamination risk.
Ranch Cobb Salad: Ranch dressing is wheat-free by ingredient list, but remember that it’s then tossed on shared prep surfaces.
Strawberry Poppyseed Salad: The base salad is wheat-free by recipe, but once again, it shares dressing and prep bowls with non-gluten-free items.
Strawberry Caprese Salad: It contains no wheat ingredients by default, but it’s then prepared on the same stations as other salads, including those that feature wheat and gluten.
Balsamic Chicken Greens with Grains: Includes farro and wheat-flour croutons, making this unsafe for any celiac.
Balsamic Greens with Grains: It uses the same grains and croutons as above, so that makes it unsafe according to the recipe.
Overall, Panera Bread’s Salads menu is a bit of a mixed bag, though you should still be careful, as the salads that don’t technically contain any wheat or gluten in the ingredients are prepped on common working areas and using shared utensils, so cross-contact is a serious issue. 🥗🍽
Bagels
Even though we’ve established by now in our Panera Bread gluten-free guide that they don’t have any gluten-free alternatives or substitutes, I thought we’d look at their Bagels. 🥐🥖
After all, what kind of bakery doesn’t have at least one good bagel, right? Still, no matter how good their bagels might be, they’re all 100% wheat-based, made from wheat flour. 🌾🍞
❌ Cinnamon Crunch Bagel
❌ Asiago Bagel
❌ Everything Bagel
❌ Plain Bagel
❌ Blueberry Bagel
❌ Cinnamon Swirl & Raisin Bagel
❌ Sesame Bagel
❌ Multigrain Bagel Flat
For the sake of completeness, let’s take a closer look at each bagel to see how they would fit in with our Panera Bread gluten-free shortlist:
Cinnamon Crunch Bagel: Made with enriched wheat flour, sugar, and cinnamon sugar topping, it’s then baked in shared ovens alongside all other wheat products.
Asiago Bagel: Wheat-flour dough blended with Asiago cheese, and it might contain traces of other rye or barley products through shared prep.
Everything Bagel: Dough made from enriched wheat flour, topped with sesame, poppy, garlic, and onion, making it a huge danger zone for any celiac.
Plain Bagel: A classic recipe using enriched wheat flour, malt, and yeast, and it’s also prepared in the same ovens as all other bagels.
Blueberry Bagel: Wheat-flour dough studded with blueberries and then baked alongside other wheat products, with no gluten-free option.
Cinnamon Swirl & Raisin Bagel: Enriched wheat-flour dough with cinnamon swirl and raisins, and it shares dough mixing and ovens with all the other bagels.
Sesame Bagel: Wheat-flour base topped with sesame seeds, though the sesame seeds do not replace the underlying gluten structure.
Multigrain Bagel Flat: Flat, chewy wheat-flour dough with whole-grain fragments, and it also contains wheat berries and shared-equipment cross-contact.
If having wheat flour isn’t bad enough – for celiacs, at least – these bagels are then baked in a shared oven space and shared prep surfaces, so there’s cross-contamination aplenty! 🌾
Cookies & Brownies
On that note, all of the Cookies & Brownies in our Panera Bread gluten-free menu aren’t made for celiacs in mind either, as they’re all made and baked with wheat flour. 🍪🍫
❌ Chocolate Chipper Cookie
❌ Tulip Cookie
❌ Candy Cookie
❌ Coconut Macaroon
❌ Chocolate Coconut Macaroon
❌ Brownie
❌ Oatmeal Raisin with Berries Cookie
❌ Kitchen Sink Cookie
Nevertheless, let’s analyze every single cookie and brownie to see why they didn’t make it into our Panera Bread gluten-free menu:
Chocolate Chipper Cookie: A classic wheat-flour cookie loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, then baked in the same ovens as all other wheat items.
Tulip Cookie: Soft wheat-flour cookie base topped with fruit jam and crumble, as well as being prepared alongside other bakery products.
Candy Cookie: Wheat-flour dough studded with candy pieces, baked on shared trays that may have other wheat items on them.
Coconut Macaroon: Chewy coconut-based cookie bound with egg and sugar, but then dipped in chocolate and produced on the same equipment as wheat cookies.
Chocolate Coconut Macaroon: Coconut macaroon variant with chocolate swirl, which contains no additional flour, yet it shares lines with wheat items.
Brownie: Dense wheat-flour brownie with chocolate, baked in shared ovens and later cut on those same shared boards, posing a huge cross-contamination risk.
Oatmeal Raisin with Berries Cookie: Contains oats and raisins but also enriched wheat flour, and the oats are not certified gluten-free, either.
Kitchen Sink Cookie: Packed with chocolate chunks, pretzel bits, and nuts in a wheat-flour dough, so it’s basically triple gluten exposure.
With no gluten-free alternative or substitute available, it’s a shame that not a single cookie or brownie here is celiac-safe, as I would’ve otherwise loved to at least try some of them. 🥯🧁
Pastries & Sweets
Elsewhere in our Panera Bread gluten-free menu, their café cases might be filled with tempting pastries, but every single one here contains wheat flour, as well. 🧁🍰🍮🥧
❌ Cinnamon Roll
❌ Almond Pastry
❌ Cherry Pastry
❌ Cranberry Orange Slice
❌ Pecan Braid
❌ Chocolate Croissant
To see why these didn’t make it into my Panera Bread gluten-free shortlist, here’s what each of these sweets and pastries is made of:
Cinnamon Roll: Enriched wheat-flour dough swirled with cinnamon sugar, topped with icing, though it contains wheat, egg, and milk, and is baked alongside other wheat-based goods.
Almond Pastry: Flaky, enriched wheat-flour pastry filled with almond cream, but it contains wheat, egg, milk, soy, and tree nuts, with tons of cross-contamination risks, too.
Cherry Pastry: Wheat-flour pastry dough wrapped around cherry filling, but bear in mind it contains wheat, egg, milk, and soy, and is produced on shared equipment.
Cranberry Orange Slice: Sweet wheat-flour loaf studded with cranberries and orange zest, but it contains wheat, egg, milk, and is baked alongside other pastries.
Pecan Braid: Braided enriched wheat-flour pastry layered with pecan filling, which contains wheat, egg, milk, soy, and tree nuts, as well.
Chocolate Croissant: Buttery croissant made with enriched wheat-flour dough wrapped around chocolate, and it also comes with wheat, egg, milk, and may contain tree nuts.
So, not much to see here, just another huge chunk of our Panera Bread gluten-free menu that most celiacs won’t be able to get close to, let alone taste, which is unfortunate. 🍥🎂🍰
Muffins & Scones
For all you celiacs out there, you’re not going to find respite in the Muffins & Scones section of our Panera Bread gluten-free menu either, as they’re all made with enriched wheat flour. 🧁
❌ Blueberry Muffin
❌ Chocolate Chip Muffie
❌ Orange Scone
With that in mind, let’s see how these stack up against the other gluten-filled items thus far in our Panera Bread gluten-free guide:
Blueberry Muffin: A large muffin made from wheat-flour batter swirled with blueberries, and it contains egg, milk, and shares baking equipment with all other muffins.
Chocolate Chip Muffie: A smaller muffin (“muffie”) baked with semi-sweet chocolate chips in a wheat-flour base, and it’s produced on the same trays as all other baked goods.
Orange Scone: A scone made from enriched wheat-flour dough flavored with orange zest and glazed, which contains egg and milk, and is baked alongside every other pastry.
In short, avoid these muffins and scones at all costs if you’re a celiac, because even if there are gluten-free alternatives available, the cross-contamination alone isn’t worth the risk. 🌾🍥
Soufflés
We’re not going to find anything celiac-friendly at this point, as the Soufflés part of our Panera Bread gluten-free menu isn’t safe either, with Panera using wheat flour in their base. 🥚🌾
❌ Spinach & Bacon Soufflé
❌ Four Cheese Soufflé
Just so we can learn what to look out for as a celiac, let’s break down these Soufflés and figure out what they’re made of:
Spinach & Bacon Soufflé: Made with eggs, milk, spinach, and chopped bacon, all bound with a wheat-flour batter, and then baked on shared trays alongside other wheat products.
Four Cheese Soufflé: Combines eggs, milk, and a blend of Asiago, mozzarella, Parmesan, and cheddar cheeses thickened with wheat flour, which is also produced in shared ovens.
While Panera Bread’s Soufflés are individual egg-based bakes with added cheese or bacon, it’ll trigger your celiac like a wildfire, given how much wheat flour is in the Soufflé base! 🥓🧀
Breads
Following what I’ve echoed earlier, the Breads part of our Panera Bread gluten-free menu isn’t made to be safe for celiacs either, as they’re all made from 100% wheat flour. 🍞🥖🥐🌾
❌ French Baguette Loaf
❌ Country Rustic Sourdough
❌ Sourdough Bread Bowl
❌ Sourdough Bread Bowl 2-Pack
❌ Tomato Basil Bread
❌ Black Pepper Focaccia
❌ Artisan Ciabatta Loaf
❌ Classic White Miche
Besides the wheat flour, let’s take these Breads apart to see more about why they didn’t make it into my Panera Bread gluten-free shortlist:
French Baguette Loaf: Traditional long wheat-flour loaf made with enriched flour and yeast, and then baked alongside all other wheat breads, with huge cross-contact risks.
Country Rustic Sourdough: Large sourdough loaf containing wheat flour and live cultures, and it’s prepared in the same ovens as other wheat-based loaves, too.
Sourdough Bread Bowl / 2-Pack: Hollowed sourdough bowls made from wheat-flour dough, and both the single and multi-pack versions contain wheat and share prep stations.
Tomato Basil Bread: Wheat-flour Miche infused with tomato and basil herbs, but that dough shares mixers and ovens with all other breads.
Black Pepper Focaccia: Flat focaccia made from enriched wheat flour, topped with cracked black pepper, which is then baked on communal trays.
Artisan Ciabatta Loaf: Rustic ciabatta loaf made with high-gluten wheat flour, but the olive oil and yeast dough are baked alongside every other bread.
Classic White Miche: Soft white wheat-flour Miche loaf, which is produced on the same bread lines and proofers as all other wheat products.
Panera Bread does have some delectable-looking loaves, which is a bit of a shame if you are a celiac, as there’s no gluten-free and celiac-safe alternative or substitute. 🍞🍲
Parfaits, Fruit Cups, & Oatmeal
Ah, finally some good news, as celiacs could find at least a few options with the Parfaits, Fruit Cups, & Oatmeal menu items in our Panera Bread gluten-free guide. 🍇🍓🥝
✅ Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries Parfait
⚠️ Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Pecans
✅ Fruit Cup
Panera Bread’s grab-and-go selections are mostly wheat-free, but to be absolutely sure, we’ll be breaking them down in more detail for our Panera Bread gluten-free list:
Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries Parfait: Single-serve cup of Greek yogurt topped with mixed berries, with no wheat or gluten ingredients listed, but they are assembled in a café alongside other items, so be wary of cross-contact.
Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Pecans: Oats and pecans are cooked in water and sugar, but the oats are not certified gluten-free, and Panera notes that it may contain wheat traces with their allergen guide, so exercise a bit of caution if super sensitive.
Fruit Cup: Pre-packaged chopped fruit (melon, pineapple, grapes), and it’s probably the safest menu item here, with relatively low cross-contamination risk among the other dishes.
If you are visiting Panera Bread as a celiac, this is probably the only part of their massive menu that I’d recommend you get anywhere close to, as it’s mostly pretty safe. 🍈🍉🍍🍇
Spreads
Now, if you need to spread something on your glutenous loaves, no matter that they aren’t a safe option for celiacs, Panera Bread’s Spreads are at least pretty gluten-free. 🧀🍯
❌ Plain Cream Cheese
❌ Reduced Fat Honey Walnut Cream Cheese
According to Panera Bread’s allergen guide, neither of these don’t contains any wheat or gluten, though make sure you’re at least careful when it comes to cross-contamination. 🌾🍞
Remember that these spreads might be handled alongside wheat-based goods, in full view of gluten-filled bakery items and shared utensils. So, proceed with an abundance of caution!
Egg Sandwiches
The Egg Sandwiches part of our Panera Bread gluten-free menu doesn’t hold much hope, since all of them use wheat-based breads, including bagels, croissants, and ciabatta. 🥯🥐🥪
❌ Bacon Double Take
❌ Steak & Wake
❌ Asiago Sausage & Egg Sandwich
❌ Ciabatta Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Croissant Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Garden Avo & Egg White Sandwich
❌ Chipotle Chicken, Egg & Avo Sandwich
❌ Ciabatta Ham, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Ciabatta Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Croissant Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Ciabatta Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Croissant Egg & Cheese Sandwich
Besides the bread, though, let’s see what else about these Egg Sandwiches kept them from making it into our Panera Bread gluten-free shortlist:
Bacon Double Take: Bacon, egg, and cheese on a black pepper focaccia, though that focaccia contains wheat.
Steak & Wake: Steak, egg, and cheese on artisan ciabatta, though that ciabatta is made from wheat flour, too.
Asiago Sausage & Egg Sandwich: Sausage, egg, and Asiago cheese on an Asiago bagel, and as we’ve seen earlier, the bagel contains wheat.
Ciabatta Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Bacon, egg, and cheese on ciabatta, all served on a wheat‐flour bun.
Croissant Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Bacon, egg, and cheese on a croissant, but it’s a bit of a shame that the croissant dough contains wheat.
Garden Avo & Egg White Sandwich: Avocado and egg white on a multigrain bagel flat, but the bagel flat contains wheat.
Chipotle Chicken, Egg & Avo Sandwich: Chipotle chicken, egg, and avocado on black pepper focaccia, and it’s built on a wheat base.
Ciabatta Ham, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Ham, egg, and cheese on ciabatta, all served on a wheat‐flour loaf.
Ciabatta Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Sausage, egg, and cheese on ciabatta, which also contains wheat, once again.
Croissant Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Sausage, egg, and cheese on croissant, served on Panera Bread’s flaky wheat dough.
Ciabatta Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Egg and cheese on ciabatta, which, as always, is a wheat bread.
Croissant Egg & Cheese Sandwich: Egg and cheese on a croissant, and it’s built on, once again, their signature wheat dough.
While the fillings of these seemingly delicious-looking Egg Sandwiches might be mostly free of wheat and gluten, when paired with the wheat-based breads, they’re a no-go! 🥯🥐🍞
Avocado Toasts
The same thing goes for the Avocado Toasts in our Panera Bread gluten-free menu, as they’re all crafted on their Multigrain Bagel Flat, which contains enriched wheat flour. 🥯🌾
❌ Green Goddess Avo
❌ Classic Avo
Aside from that, however, let’s break them down with more detail to judge why they’re not a part of our Panera Bread gluten-free guide:
Green Goddess Avo: Mashed avocado with Green Goddess seasoning atop a Multigrain Bagel Flat (wheat-flour base), and then assembled on communal prep surfaces.
Classic Avo: Simple mashed avocado served on a Multigrain Bagel Flat (wheat-flour base), and it’s then handled alongside all other wheat products.
Alas, it’s clear now that anything bread-related at Panera Bread isn’t going to be celiac-safe or remotely something we celiacs could get close to! 🤚🚫🥪
Kids
If your child is a celiac, unfortunately, there is nothing in the Kids section of our Panera Bread gluten-free menu for them, as most are served on wheat-based bread or contain wheat. 🌾
❌ Kids Turkey & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Kids Ham & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Kids Grilled Cheese
❌ Kids Mac & Cheese
❌ Kids Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Let’s see how these stack up in our Panera Bread gluten-free shortlist, and why they’re not safe for celiacs:
Kids Turkey & Cheese Sandwich: Served on Classic White Bread, which is made with enriched wheat flour, making it entirely unsafe for gluten-free diets.
Kids Ham & Cheese Sandwich: Also served on Classic White Bread, which contains wheat, and it’s then prepared on shared surfaces and using common utensils.
Kids Grilled Cheese: White bread and American cheese combo, which is another gluten-loaded dish built on wheat flour, with cross-contact risk in mind.
Kids Mac & Cheese: Elbow pasta made with wheat flour in a creamy cheese sauce, so this is a clear no-go for celiacs, no matter which way you cut it.
Kids Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Contains cheddar, broccoli, and carrots in a roux-based creamy soup. The Panera Bread allergen guide flags it for wheat, too.
Not a lot that you can do here to make Panera Bread any safer for celiacs, so it may be worth checking out other bakeries and cafés near you that focus more on being gluten-free. 🥪🍔
Vegetarian
Just to make doubly sure that we’ve covered all bases for our Panera Bread gluten-free menu, we’re also going to take a peek at their Vegetarian menu, and see what is and isn’t safe.
To be clear, the Vegetarian alternatives to some of Panera Bread’s mainstream offerings that we’ve looked at earlier aren’t any different when it comes to wheat and gluten ingredients.
So, if their non-vegetarian counterpart isn’t safe for celiacs and contains traces of wheat and gluten, then there’s nothing here that changes once they become vegetarian. 🌾
❌ Fromage Croissant Toast
❌ Toasted Garden Caprese
❌ Grilled Cheese
❌ Mediterranean Veggie
⚠️ Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
⚠️ Strawberry Caprese Salad
❌ Mediterranean Greens with Grains
⚠️ Greek Salad
❌ Balsamic Greens with Grains
⚠️ Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries Parfait
⚠️ Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Pecans
⚠️ Fruit Cup
❌ Mac & Cheese
❌ Creamy Tomato Soup
❌ Croissant Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Garden Avo & Egg White Sandwich
❌ Green Goddess Avo
❌ Classic Avo
❌ Ciabatta Egg & Cheese Sandwich
❌ Four Cheese Soufflé
❌ Cinnamon Crunch Bagel
❌ Asiago Bagel
❌ Everything Bagel
❌ Blueberry Bagel
❌ Sesame Bagel
❌ Plain Bagel
❌ Cinnamon Swirl & Raisin Bagel
❌ Multigrain Bagel Flat
❌ Cherry Pastry
❌ Almond Pastry
❌ Cranberry Orange Slice
❌ Chocolate Coconut Macaroon
❌ Coconut Macaroon
❌ Candy Cookie
❌ Oatmeal Raisin with Berries Cookie
❌ Chocolate Chipper Cookie
❌ Tulip Cookie
❌ Kitchen Sink Cookie
❌ Brownie
❌ Pecan Braid
❌ Chocolate Croissant
❌ Cinnamon Roll
❌ Blueberry Muffin
❌ Chocolate Chip Muffie
❌ Orange Scone
To learn more about what these specific Vegetarian dishes contain ingredients-wise, you could check out the non-vegetarian versions from earlier, and see why they are or aren’t gluten-free.
Beverages
On the bright side, if you’re just dropping by for a drink, then the Beverages part of our Panera Bread gluten-free menu is at least entirely gluten-free and safe for celiacs! 🥤🍹🍷🍸
✅ Diet Pepsi
✅ Pepsi
✅ Dr. Pepper
✅ Mountain Dew
✅ Starry
✅ Bubly Lime
✅ Canada Dry Ginger Ale
✅ Bottled Water
✅ Bottled Passion Fruit Papaya Green Tea
✅ Iced Café Blend Dark Roast Coffee
✅ Hazelnut Coffee
✅ Café Blend Dark Roast Coffee
✅ Café Blend Light Roast Coffee
✅ Decaf Coffee
✅ Hot Tea
✅ Blueberry Lavender Lemonade (Naturally Flavored)
✅ Citrus Punch (Naturally Flavored)
✅ Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea (Naturally Flavored Herbal Tea)
✅ Passion Papaya Iced Green Tea (Naturally Flavored)
✅ Iced Tea (Sweetened & Unsweetened)
✅ Agave Lemonade
✅ Brisk Raspberry Tea
✅ Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
✅ Tropical Green Smoothie
✅ Strawberry Banana Smoothie
✅ Mango Smoothie
✅ Strawberry Smoothie
✅ Chai Tea Latte
✅ Caramel Latte
✅ Madagascar Vanilla Latte
✅ Caffè Latte
✅ Cappuccino
✅ Americano
✅ Espresso
✅ Iced Caramel Latte
✅ Iced Chai Tea Latte
✅ Iced Madagascar Vanilla Latte
✅ Iced Caffè Latte
✅ Horizon Reduced Fat Organic White Milk
✅ Horizon Reduced Fat Organic Chocolate Milk
✅ Orange Juice
✅ Organic Apple Juice
So, let’s see what these drinks are made up of, just in case there’s any doubt that they’re safe for celiacs:
Diet Pepsi / Pepsi / Dr. Pepper / Mountain Dew / Starry / Bubly Lime / Canada Dry Ginger Ale: All fountain or bottled sodas contain no wheat or gluten ingredients, but make sure to choose bottled when possible to avoid shared dispenser nozzles.
Bottled Water: Purified water, and they’re naturally gluten-free and have fairly minimal cross-contact risk when sealed.
Bottled Passion Fruit Papaya Green Tea: Pre-packaged green tea beverage, with no gluten ingredients.
Iced Café Blend Dark Roast Coffee / Hazelnut Coffee / Café Blend Light Roast / Decaf Coffee / Espresso / Americano: Freshly brewed coffees and espresso drinks contain no gluten, but be sure to ask for a fresh cup and clean equipment to reduce any risk of contamination.
Hot Tea: Tea bags (black, green, herbal) steeped in water, with no gluten, but request a fresh infuser, just to be safe.
Blueberry Lavender Lemonade / Citrus Punch / Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea / Passion Papaya Iced Green Tea / Agave Lemonade / Brisk Raspberry Tea: All naturally flavored lemonades, punches, and tea infusions list no gluten ingredients, but make sure you verify that the flavor syrups are fruit-based.
Iced Tea (Sweetened & Unsweetened): Brewed tea, and they’re gluten-free by recipe, but you should bear in mind that cross-contact is possible from the glass.
Frozen Strawberry Lemonade: Blended lemonade and ice, with no gluten ingredients.
Tropical Green Smoothie / Strawberry Banana Smoothie / Mango Smoothie / Strawberry Smoothie: Fruit-and-yogurt smoothies are free of gluten ingredients, but make sure that the blender is cleaned between uses.
Chai Tea Latte / Caramel Latte / Madagascar Vanilla Latte / Caffè Latte / Cappuccino / Iced Caramel Latte / Iced Chai Tea Latte / Iced Madagascar Vanilla Latte / Iced Caffè Latte: Milk-and-flavor espresso drinks, and the ingredients contain no gluten, but confirm that there are no cookie crumbs or malt toppings.
Horizon Reduced Fat Organic White & Chocolate Milk: Sealed cartons of milk, which should be naturally gluten-free.
Orange Juice / Organic Apple Juice: 100% fruit juices in sealed cartons—no gluten ingredients.
To Sum Up
In conclusion, the Panera Bread gluten-free menu is a huge disappointment for celiacs, as you won’t find many options that are free of wheat and gluten, so it’s a huge red flag. 🌾🚩
Even then, those few salads and fruity sides that don’t technically contain wheat and gluten are still subject to being prepped inside a hazardous, glutenous bakery! 🥯🧁🥪
So, with cross-contamination aplenty from Panera Bread’s wheat-heavy menu and kitchen, I’d say it’s probably a better (and safer) idea to just skip Panera Bread completely, as a celiac.
In the meantime, though, make sure to stay tuned to us here at Great Without Gluten for even more celiac-friendly and gluten-free eating out guides! ✍📝
And hey, we’ve covered plenty of other casual dining eateries and fast food chains that actually have bucket loads of gluten-free and celiac-safe options, with perhaps a few more options than our Panera Bread gluten-free menu here! 🥗🥪🥩
And, while you’re here, you might also want to check out my other eating out guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes!
If you’re craving other fast-food or casual dining chains and gourmet meals, do check out my other celiac-friendly, gluten-free dining out guides to Red Robin, The Cheesecake Factory, Chick-fil-A, IHOP, Applebee’s, Krispy Kreme, Panda Express, Taco Bell, Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, Denny’s, Sonic, Popeyes, Dunkin Donuts, Five Guys, Chipotle, Starbucks and more! 🍔🍟
Stay safe and gluten‑aware, my celiac friends! 💖🥗
Frequently Asked Questions
As I was doing research for this Panera Bread gluten-free guide, I found a few interesting questions and queries that I thought I’d try and answer here:
Does Panera Bread offer gluten-free bread or baked goods?
No. Panera Bread doesn’t offer any gluten-free breads, bagels, or pastries, and all bakery items are made with enriched wheat flour and baked in shared ovens or toasters. Now, they do have a ‘gluten-conscious’ label, but that doesn’t take into account cross-contamination of gluten.
Which Panera Bread menu items are truly gluten-free by recipe?
The only Panera Bread menu items that are free of wheat or gluten ingredients are pre-packed stuff, namely the Fruit Cup and Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries Parfait. Otherwise, most other menu items aren’t truly gluten-free, owing to cross-contact with wheat-based items.
Are any Panera Bread soups gluten-free?
By ingredients, only the Mexican Street Corn Chowder omits wheat flour, while all other soups (Broccoli Cheddar, Creamy Tomato, Chicken Noodle, and so on) either use wheat thickeners or are served in bread bowls, and even that chowder has to deal with cross-contamination.
How can I minimize gluten cross-contact risk when dining at Panera Bread?
Assuming you’ve found something safe for you to eat, I’d suggest at least letting your server in on your celiac disease, or if you have a severe gluten allergy, and ask them for fresh gloves and clean utensils, as well as opting for sealed packaged items, just to be extra safe.
Can people with celiac disease safely eat at Panera Bread?
Panera Bread is not a safe choice for strict celiacs because there’s not a single menu item that is certified gluten-free, and cross-contact is pretty significant in their bakery-café environment. Even their ‘gluten-conscious’ items aren’t totally safe, especially if you’re highly sensitive.
Photo credit
Miosotis Jade, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Becky Terrell ✍️
Hi, I am Becky. I am a passionate recipe maker and having been a coeliac (celiac) for 30+ years I focus on gluten-free recipes. My blog is my online cookbook of gluten-free tasty recipes. You can follow me on X: @beckygwg
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