Panera Bread Making Major Changes To It’s Menu
A bigger, better menu is heading to a very popular lunchtime chain restaurant. Panera Bread says the changes will begin this spring in the Carolinas, and include adding a bunch of new items. The bakery-café chain just announced what they’re calling the “biggest menu transformation” in brand history, which includes 20 menu updates.
Panera is offering fans a sneak peak at what we’ll see in restaurants across the country starting April 4th. They’re adding items including four new salads, four new sandwiches, one new entree and 12 revamped favorites.
These Panera Bread changes will begin this spring
- New sandwiches include:
- Toasted Italiano – Made with black forest ham, soppressata, provolone cheese, pepperoncini peppers, romaine, red onion, garlic aioli and Greek dressing.
- Chicken Bacon Rancher – Featuring grilled chicken, aged white cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and ranch dressing on black pepper focaccia bread.
- Ciabatta Cheesesteak – This one’s loaded with marinated sliced steak, provolone, caramelized onions, Peppadew peppers and garlic aioli.
- Tomato Basil BLT – It’s got applewood smoked bacon, mixed greens, tomatoes and garlic aioli on tomato basil miche bread.
- New salads include Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains, Southwest Chicken Ranch, Balsamic Chicken Greens with Grains and a Ranch Cobb Salad.
- The new entree is Bacon Mac & Cheese, made with a mix of cheeses, including an aged white cheddar sauce, and topped with applewood smoked bacon. Yum!
- The longtime Panera favorite upgrades are:
- Bravo Club, Chipotle Chicken Avo Melt, Turkey & Cheddar Sandwich, Grilled Chicken and Avo BLT, Spicy Buffalo and Chicken Melt, Toasted Frontega Chicken and the BBQ Chicken Sandwich
- Green Goddess Cobb Chicken Salad, Caesar Salad, Greek Salad, Strawberry Poppyseed Salad and the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad
Panera is a great spot to go when you don’t want to get out of the car and want something besides chicken or a burger. Oh, and the bread is damn good too ha!
Foods You Should Probably Skip Air Frying
Large Bone-In Meat
We’re not talking about chicken wings here, we’re talking about large whole chickens. You’re better off sticking to an oven when it comes to cooking them. If you’re wondering why, chicken must be cooked to a specific temperature internally before being consumed. According to the USDA, all poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, air frying this food item doesn’t guarantee an even cook. But hey, at least chicken wings are small enough to get an even crisp. Just make sure you line the air fryer basket first if it’s raw meat.
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Wet Batters
An air fryer is not a deep fryer. So, if you’re looking to toss battered fries, meat cutlets, or battered veggies, think again. There’s a big chance the batter will drip down the base of the machine, causing a big mess and major cleanup after. Bad enough, some people didn’t know you even had to clean an air fryer regularly. No really, someone on Reddit shared that they didn’t wash their air fryer basket after each use. “I don’t think I’ve ever washed it lol. I’ve had it for 8 months and decided to finally wash it today,” they wrote. They continued to say how there was a bunch of “solidified juices” and “fat/ grease” from steak and chicken.
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Cheesy Foods
It’s possible to make your favorite cheesy snacks in an air fryer. But it can get messy. AllRecipes cautions against air frying cheese. This isn’t because of health reasons but for cleanup purposes. They point out that cheese melts fast. The outlet suggests sticking to foods that effectively hold the cheese in place. Maybe, just stick to frozen cheeses like mozzarella sticks.
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Leafy or Chard Greens
Sure you can go ahead and put those Brussels sprouts or broccoli in the air fryer. But skip putting spinach, collard, or chard leaves in. If you haven’t tried it already, light leaves might move and shift around during the cooking process. You may also come across a fairly dry vegetable if you don’t put a little oil with it. And, of course, you don’t want to forget the seasonings.
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Popcorn
Some people have tried it but you probably shouldn’t. Most air fryer models won’t reach the required temperature to pop the kernels. According to Jolly Time Pop Corn, the best popping temperature is between 400 and 460 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, popcorn kernels can become lodged within the air fryer’s heating element, which can potentially cause it to short.
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Pasta, Quinoa, Rice, Grains
Some grains like bread can be cooked in an air fryer. However, it can get a little tricky with lighter breads like toast and English muffins due to the air making them fly around. But anything like pasta, quinoa, and rice doesn’t do too well. Raw grains need to absorb water to cook. But there is some good news. If you have rice that’s already cooked, just add a little oil to reat in the air fryer.
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