Competition was stiff in the Consumer Reports’ Fast Food Breakfast ranking. Four dozen items from popular fast food restaurants including McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Starbucks, among others, were analyzed independently by the CR team and ranked based on their sensory appeal, size, and nutrition. One sandwich came out on top: the Panera Bread Avocado, Egg White and Spinach on Sprouted Grain Bagel Flat.
While some of America’s best breakfast sandwiches are creative concoctions conceptualized by edge-pushing culinarians, the modest morning meal from Panera has more mass appeal. It’s simply egg whites and white cheddar cheese, plus fresh spinach, tomato, and avocado seasoned with salt and pepper then piled atop a sprouted-grain bagel flat. Coming in at 340 calories, 19 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber out of 36 grams of carbs, it ticks off several boxes for those seeking a nutritious breakfast. It does, however, in itself contain 720 milligrams of sodium, which is nearly half of the American Heart Association’s daily recommendation without adding any sauces or extras to it.
Panera Bread reaches the pinnacle of fast food breakfasts
It didn’t make our list of 16 Panera Bread sandwiches, ranked worst to first, but the Sprouted Grain Bagel sandwich seems to be a favorite among customers, especially those seeking more nutritional value. The Instagram account @sorority.nutritionist said it was tasty and mentioned that she was “impressed with the macros” in the sandwich. Technically, egg whites aren’t any healthier than whole eggs, but they do possess fewer calories if keeping track is part of your daily routine. However, compared to many other fast food offerings, Panera’s top-ranked offering makes for a much healthier breakfast alternative when in a rush.
TikTok reviewers of the sandwich summarize its taste with simplicity, such as @heyaimeenicole who says it’s “sooooo frikkin’ good.” Her followers seem to agree. Beyond its tastiness, Panera’s Avocado, Egg White, and Spinach on Sprouted Grain Bagel Flat contains good amounts of your daily recommended nutrients, including an estimated 20% of the day’s vitamin A and calcium, plus 15% of both the necessary daily Vitamin C and iron requirements in a single sandwich.
