Low-FODMAP at Panera
Panera's standout is genuine sourdough — slow fermentation lowers the fructan load versus regular bread, so it's the one bread you can lean on. The weak spot is the soups: nearly all of them start with onion and garlic.
Panera order card
phasediet.com/eating-out/panera✓ Order
- Sourdough as the sandwich base
- Turkey, ham or steak, built on a salad or sourdough
- Plain scrambled egg and bacon (breakfast)
~ Ask for a change
- Sandwiches
- Salads
- Soups
✗ Skip
- French onion, broccoli cheddar and creamy soups
- Mac & cheese
- Pastries, regular baguette and bagels
- Caramelized-onion and garlic-heavy items
Say this
- “Can I get this on sourdough?”
- “No onion, and dressing on the side, please.”
Checked July 2026 — menus and recipes change, so confirm with staff. From phasediet.com/eating-out/panera
What to order
These are the dependable low-FODMAP picks — and why each one is a safe bet.
Sourdough as the sandwich base
Traditional sourdough fermentation is easier on FODMAPs than standard wheat bread.
Turkey, ham or steak, built on a salad or sourdough
Simple proteins you can pair with low-FODMAP veg.
Plain scrambled egg and bacon (breakfast)
Both low-FODMAP.
What to ask the kitchen to change
These can work — with one question or one small adjustment. Here’s exactly what to ask.
Sandwiches
Build on sourdough; skip onion and any creamy or garlic spread; add lettuce, tomato and cucumber.
Salads
Ask for no onion, dressing on the side, and skip apple and dried-fruit toppings.
Soups
Most are built on onion and garlic — if you want one, ask which is plainest, but treat soups as the risky category here.
What to skip
Not forever — most of these come back during reintroduction. During elimination, they’re the reliable triggers to leave off.
French onion, broccoli cheddar and creamy soups
Onion, garlic, and lactose.
Mac & cheese
Lactose.
Pastries, regular baguette and bagels
Wheat.
Caramelized-onion and garlic-heavy items
Onion and garlic.
The exact words to say
Specific beats vague every time. Most staff won’t know what “low FODMAP” means, but they can absolutely answer “is there onion or garlic in that?”
“Can I get this on sourdough?”
“No onion, and dressing on the side, please.”
Good to know
- →The sourdough is the reason to come here — real sourdough is genuinely lower-FODMAP than ordinary bread.
- →Soups are the trap: nearly all start with an onion-and-garlic base.
- →Build a 'You Pick Two' you control rather than a pre-designed signature item.
More chain guides
Or browse all eating-out guides.
This guide is for general information only and is not medical advice. Menus, recipes, and kitchen practices change and vary by location, and FODMAP tolerances differ from person to person — always confirm with staff and go by your own experience. New to the diet? Start with our guide to the low-FODMAP diet.