Meal Mondays: Panera Bread Greek Salad with Shrimp Review

Since I’m participating in my own Cinch an Inch challenge I have been working very hard to rethink my food choices especially when I eat out.  Now let me explain – this past week was my birthday so I ate out almost every day.  If it wasn’t lunch then it was for dinner and more lunch and dinner.  I mean I did go a bit overboard but I was happy the Lord let me see another year.

With that said I figured I would use this weekend to get right back on track.  My blogging sister in crime Sheila Simmons of The Frugal Exerciser gave me a Panera Bread gift card as a birthday present and Saturday was the day I figured I would use it.  I had been running around visiting open houses for summer camps, driving here and driving there and I was starving.  I have always heard of Panera Bread’s delicious lunch food items such as their salads so I decided to stop in with my gift card and give it a try.

I normally go in there for breakfast food so I had to get acclimated to the lunch menu.  Since there was a long line at the store in Pikesville, MD I had more than enough time to review the menu to figure out what I wanted to order.  My eyes spotted Greek salad and I then saw shrimp and my decision was made.  I love Greek salad especially with nice plump shrimp.

Cost:  approx. $9.99 for a full (whole) salad

Ingredients:  Romaine lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, feta, pepperoncini, red onions, kalamata olives and pepper tossed in our Greek dressing then topped with shrimp.

Serving size:  16 oz – contains milk, shellfish and soy

Nutritional value:  Calories:  460 calories (220 from dressing), calories from fat:  300, total fat:  33 grams, saturated fat:  8 grams, cholesterol:  215 mg, sodium:  1,380 mg, carbohydrates:  13 grams, dietary fiber:  4 grams, sugar:  4 grams, protein:  30 grams, Vitamin A: 60% DV, Vitamin C:  50% DV, Calcium:  20% DV, Iron:  15% DV

Review:   It was packaged in a recyclable paper container and was easy to open.  The lettuce was covered with Greek dressing but 2 more 1 ounce dressing containers were also included.  The lettuce was crunchy, fresh and not wilted.  It definitely taste as if it was already pre-packaged because the shrimp was cold and sliced in half lengthwise.  Not sure why I was hoping the shrimp would be hot off the grill but it wasn’t.

There were about 8 or so medium sized shrimp in the entire salad and the taste was pretty bland.  The dressing made the salad in my opinion.  The red onions were bomb but I love read onions.  There wasn’t too much or too little.  It looked as if they quartered some roma tomatoes as well but I skipped those.  I wasn’t in a tomato mood.

For the price, I think the salad could have been bigger and included more shrimp.  Also about one hour later I was hungry again.  I know it was “just” a salad but it had protein in it and it cost $10 bucks (once you include tax).  

I would rate this a 5 out of 10 stars.  Only because the shrimp was pre-cooked or at least tasted that way, they were only medium, there was only about 8 and it did not fill me up.

What have you eaten at Panera Bread lately?  What is your favorite dish?