Panera: I’m Lovin’ It
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To say that I’m a fan of Panera Bread is a bit of an understatement. They started in St. Louis, so here it’s still called St. Louis Bread Co, or “Bread Co” if you are a St. Louisan. It’s a pretty sure bet that I’ve been there at least once on any given week, and I’ve been known to eat there a few times a day on occasion. Panera is my happy place.
a bit of Instagram proof
Panera Bread shares my passion for fresh food made from real ingredients that tastes great. So I was excited to hear that Panera is extending its commitment to nutrition and eating well through the Panera Eat Smarts game, an online game with multiple interactive challenges designed to provide tips to consumers to help them make smarter decisions about the foods they eat at Panera Bread bakery-cafes — and at home.
If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you may have heard that I recently downloaded the Couch to 5K app (#C25K) and have accepted a challenge from fellow Red Faced Runner bloggers (#RFR5K) to try and get more active, eat healthier and sign up for my first 5K in September! yikes!
I’ve never been a runner, but I have to say, the C25K app makes it really easy, by allowing me to slowly build strength and stamina by alternating between walking and running, 3 days a week. The goal is, after just 8 weeks, I will be fitter, stronger and healthier than I have ever been.
So, Panera Eat Smarts, was perfect timing for me!
Panera Eat Smarts invites players to complete 15 different challenges on three levels. As you progress, you soon realize that, aside from the fun, you’re learning about nutrition and how to make smart food choices. For example, in the Spin-A-Meal challenge, which visually resembles a slot machine, you pull a lever in hopes of revealing a You Pick Two® under 600 calories – roughly the amount of calories to consume per meal based on the FDA-recommended 2000 calorie diet. If you really love a certain menu item, you can lock it into place and spin the other slots.
The fun doesn’t stop with the game: Players who complete the first five challenges receive an electronic Panera Eat Smarts cooking and lifestyle magazine, and the first 10,000 players to finish all Level 2 challenges will receive a 30-day free membership for PumpOne, an online fitness exercise program, which can be customized to specific goals and exercise preferences. MyPanera members who complete all Level 3 challenges will be automatically entered for a chance to win a Sandals Resorts Luxury Included® Caribbean Vacation for two. Prizing ends on August 29th, 2012.
I would love to hear if you are a runner, or if you are trying to get more fit, or are you making healthier eating choices?
GIVEAWAY
To help you enjoy the challenges of the game and learn tips about nutrition and how to make smart food choices along the way Panera would like to give four TidyMom readers a $15 Panera Gift Card.
GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED
Congrats to the 4 winners: Comment #6 Karyn, #92 Gena, #129 Kimkake, #186 Audrey and
To Enter: Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Panera menu item, and if you’ve never eaten there, tell me how what you do to try and have a healthy lifestyle.
Extra Entry: Share this giveaway with friends on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook or on a blog. Come back and leave a comment letting me know where you shared it.
Official Rules: No purchase necessary. Open to US residents only . Must be over 18. Giveaway begins on July 12, 2012 will end on July 19, 2012 at 5:00 pm CST. Prize value $15. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Four winners with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. Winners will be notified by email by July 24, 2012 and will have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be selected. TidyMom, and Panera are not responsible for lost or undelivered emails. Winners will be posted on this blog post by July 24, 2012. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. By entering this giveaway, you have agreed to these rules. Giveaway sponsored by Fleishman-Hillard | For Panera Bread .
Good Luck!
I’m Lovin’…….Panera Eat Smarts
Now it’s your turn! Please remember to link back to https://TidyMom.net
Let us know what you’re lovin’ this week!
*Don’t forget to come back over the weekend for the I’m Lovin’ It Wrap Up post……where I feature a few of the great links!!
What is I’m Lovin’ It Fridays? get all the info, how to’s trouble shoot and button here
Disclosure: This post and giveaway are sponsored by the good people at Panera. All views, opinions and love of Panera are all mine
Tidymom is a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Please respect my work, recipes and photographs. If you do use a recipe in your own writing, please give proper credit and link back to the original post.
All of you #rfr5k bloggers are such a great motivation to me!!! Looking forward to September 🙂
Thanks for hosting!!
I love Panera’s cinnamon crunch bagels…Yum!
I started running in 2010, and ran my first 5K that year. I actually really enjoy running now. I have just started training for a half-marathon…wish me luck!!
I love their Sierra Turkey Sand! It’s my favorite thing on their menu. And my Alie Marie who is 4, LOVES it as well. She thinks the Peanut Butter and Jelly and their Mac n Chz is the best ever! 🙂
I tweeted! 🙂 https://twitter.com/AliLilly73/status/223593468126175232
Oh my gosh, the cinnamon crunch bagels with cream cheese. Yummmmm
My favorite Panara item is the Strawberry Poppyseed salad. LOVE IT! Wish they had it year round.
Thanks for hosting, Cheryl. I shared the Red Faced Runners page tonight on my post as well. Now to keep up all the hard work over vacation.
I love their broccoli cheddar soup! So tasty!!
The greek salad is my absolute favorite. Followed by their bread, of course! Thanks for the party (and the running inspiration!) Cheryl!
I LOVE the cinnamon crunch bagels along with everything else on the menu… LOL! I am currently doing lots of different exercises in another attempt at healthy living and losing weight!
Definitely the asiago roast beef sandwich! So yummy!!! Usually I do a half with a ceser or sometimes a cesar and tomato soup. And their lemonade is yummy too!
I love Panera’s Asiago bagels. Delishhhhh!
I am 3 months into my weight loss journey and love the Panera half turkey sandwich and tortilla soup. Tastes great and is low in calories. What more could you ask for?
I love the Sierra Turkey sandwich!
Hi Cheryl! Thank you so much for hosting this party! I linked up 2 salads this week because we are having a heat wave and salads are my kind of ‘cooking’ these days! Hope your week is going great! Angie xo
Very interesting that Panera is not called Panera in St. Louis! I think it’s so great that all of you are teaming up and inspiring eachother for healthy lifestyles, simply awesome!!
The cinnamon bagels are part of a special memory for me because Panera sponsored a series of races I was in and they provided the Cinnamon bagels at the Finish Line of each race. Aside from that, I love the Roasted Turkey Artichoke Panini.
I’ve never been, but would love to try it. I drive right by one every day.
I love their salads in the summer and their chicken noodle soup in the winter.
My favorite is the cinnamon crunch bagels.
Thanks for hosting, Cheryl! 🙂
The Cheddar broccoli soup!
Definitely the broccoli soup! Oh, YUM!
Thanks for hosting!
I’ve never eaten at Panera! I’ve never been into running but recently I’ve found out that I thoroughly enjoy running with my two boys, 3 and 5, riding their bikes, and our dog running with us. I’ve just found your blog and have found that I’m enjoying it as well.
We love the Bread Co.! Even Abby likes it now. I usually get a turkey sandwich, but this last time I really enjoyed the Roasted Turkey and Avocado Turkey sandwich!
My fav item is for sure the chicken-artichoke panini – it’s like artichoke dip in a sandwich, YUM!
I love Panera and so many of their foods. My favorite is their French Onion Soup (or maybe their Baked Potato Soup) with a baguette and real butter. Then there’s always the Cinnamon Crunch bagels and the Shortbread cookies…lol! And if I’m lucky enough to get there early before they’re gone, their four cheese egg souffle is amazing!! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I love the inspiration and dedication the #rfr5k is for me. The days I don’t feel like running, I can always find one you awesome girls posting a pic and that’s all it takes for me to lace up my shoes!! Can’t wait to run a race in September!!!
Panera is one of our favorite places to eat…I love their Turkey and Avocado sandwich. My hubby loves their Thai Salad. Thank you so much for hosting!!!
LOVE their french toast bagels (not exactly the healthiest of choices) runner, but do not LOVE it always. Ran my first Half Marathon last May – but have not been running lately…need to get back at it:)
The bread! (I know, healthy, right?)
Usually get a mix of a ham & swiss with some soup in a bread bowl.
I love the bread!!! Delicious!
Well everything in the bakery is pretty much my favorite but the broccoli cheese soup is my choice for lunch. I see a C25K in my future as well.
So hard to choose. I used to say my favorite thing there was the Cinnamon crunch bagel, but I recently had the chicken cobb salad with avacodo that is The Bomb! Two different categories, so I’m going with both! ;D SO excited to finally get a Panera close to our house in a few months. I see weekly trips in my near future!
I LOVE Panera! If there was one closer than 20 minutes away I’d eat lunch (or dinner!) there everyday. My favorite is the Broccoli Cheddar Soup Bread Bowl…not exactly diet friendly, but soooooo good!
I tweeted! @Jaclyn430
https://twitter.com/Jaclyn430/status/223652087249125376
Man I love Panerra, it’s totally my happy place too. My very favorite menu item is the pumpkin muffie.
I shared the giveaway on my Pinterest!
http://pinterest.com/pin/207447126556403373/
I’d have the Smoked Ham & Swiss with Broccoli Cheddar soup! YUM 🙂
I love Panera’s chicken noodle soup and their broccoli cheddar soup…and those sourdough rolls! Yum!
My favorite Pick Two Meal is their french onion soup and Greek salad … that is my happy place lunch!!
Toss up between cinnamon crunch bagel and cobblestone muffin. Love them both!
I actually LOVE their salads best of all. My favorite is an Asian salad, but I can’t remember the exact name. My husband loves the Spicy Thai salad, but it’s a little too spicy for me (I’m a spice wimp).
I absolutely love Panera, and spend a lot of time there with friends having lunch! My favorite would be their cobblestone muffins, and I buy a loaf of their bread every week. YUM.
Thanks for hosting Cheryl, and for a fun giveaway!!
I love their Sierra Turkey sandwich…and a bunch of oter yummy goodies on thir menu!
You’re going to make me pick just one thing?!?!?!?! I just can’t do it! I can decide between the Frontega Chicken sandwich or the Mac and Cheese.
I wish I ran more! I walked a half marathon in May and since then I’ve been hitting the gym regularly to stay in shape. But I secretly envy runners!! Hats off to you! Now at Panera, I’m all about the Cinnamon Crunch bagels with Hazelnut Cream cheese! Thanks for hosting!
Hi Cheryl,
I love Panera’s Creamy Tomato Soup. It’s so good! To be more fit, I have been playing tennis on the weekend. It is such a good workout. I don’t work in the summer, so I try to walk two miles every morning.
I love their tomato mozzarella panini and their cinnamon crunch bagel…yum!
There are too many to choose! I think maybe the strawberry chicken salad if I am eating healthy. Broccoli cheddar soup if not! I got as far as printing the running/walking schedule. Now is the time to do something. I need something to jump start my getting healthy.
I love Panera’s cinnamon crunch bagels with hazelnut cream cheese.
Chopped BBq chicken salad…amazingly delicious!